GZERO World with Ian Bremmer
Is a second great depression coming? Adam Tooze on international economic crisis

Is a 2nd Great Depression Coming? | Adam Tooze: Intl Economic Crisis | GZERO World with Ian Bremmer

Many of us experienced the major economic impact of the Great Recession from 2008-2010. The definition of a "depression" is harder to articulate, even for economists, because the US hasn't had one since the 1930s. But as unemployment rises and lockdowns to limit the spread of the coronavirus threaten the existence of businesses here in the US and around the world, we ask the question: Is another depression a possibility, and what would that look like today?
On this episode of GZERO World, Ian Bremmer poses this question to Columbia professor, economic historian, and author Adam Tooze. The two discuss the strength of the US and global economies before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, and realistic timeframes for when the financial outlook will improve.
US President Donald Trump listens to a question from a reporter prior to signing an executive order on AI next to Sriram Krishnan, Senior White House Policy Advisor on Artificial Intelligence, US Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and David Sacks, chair of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., USA, on December 11, 2025.
Artificial intelligence and Donald Trump's foreign policy are creating huge tail risks for markets.
Last week, Microsoft released a new report offering an in-depth look at AI adoption across the United States, with state- and county-level insights for the first time. While more than 30 percent of working-age Americans now use AI tools, adoption remains uneven across regions, with significantly higher usage in urban areas and communities tied to universities. The findings point to a broader challenge: without stronger access to infrastructure, skills, and education, AI’s benefits risk remaining concentrated rather than broadly shared. Read the full blog here.
The maker of the large-language model Claude became the latest AI giant to file to go public.
Hundreds took to the streets in Kenya after the US announced plans to build an Ebola quarantine center on a Kenyan air base, with protesters warning the facility risks introducing a disease the country has never recorded. President Ruto is defending the project.