AI Booms, Industry Shakeouts, and Smart Bets (ft. Prof. Paul Nary)

In the 47th installment of The Atomic Exchange Podcast, co-hosts Dr. Goran Calic and Michael Tadrous welcome Professor Paul Nary of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania to unpack how major industries evolve when a new technology takes over. They explore classic boom and bust patterns, what signals a shakeout, and why predicting timing is so hard even when the signs are obvious. The conversation shifts to AI platforms, energy as the real constraint, and how firms build a prudent portfolio of investments, partnerships, and acquisitions to preserve optionality without betting the company. They close by connecting vertical integration, thin markets, and uncertainty management to real examples from electric vehicles, computing, and the race to build infrastructure fast enough. Tune in for a sharp, framework-driven conversation on AI, energy bottlenecks, and corporate strategy.