Part 5/13:
The Shift from Manufacturing to Services—and Potential Revival
Since the mid-20th century, the U.S. economy transitioned from manufacturing dominance to a service and knowledge-based economy. The 1960s marked a turning point where services became the engine of growth, supported by policy shifts and technological advancements.
Today, however, there's an acknowledgment that the stagnation in productivity growth is a consequence of neglecting manufacturing and industrial innovation. The speaker provocatively questions whether returning focus to physical production—via advanced robotics, AI hardware, and re-industrialization—could revitalize the economy and restore U.S. global competitiveness.