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CBO Director: AI-boosted growth unlikely to fix US debt alone

Phillip Swagel, director of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), has stated that even significant economic growth is unlikely to stabilize U.S. debt levels on its own. He indicated that a sustained real GDP growth of 5%-6% would be necessary, a rate far exceeding current projections and the 3% growth advocated by Scott Bessent. Swagel noted that while growth increases government revenue, it also raises interest costs and federal spending, creating a complex dynamic. The CBO plans to incorporate the potential impact of AI on future productivity and growth in its upcoming forecasts, though Swagel cautioned that even AI-driven growth may not be sufficient to offset the current deficit. AI

IMPACT AI-driven growth may not be sufficient to stabilize U.S. debt, highlighting the need for policy changes in revenue and spending.

RANK_REASON Commentary from a CBO director on economic policy and the potential impact of AI on US debt, citing specific growth figures and contrasting expert opinions.

Read on Fortune →

AI-generated summary · Google Gemini · from 2 sources. How we write summaries →

CBO Director: AI-boosted growth unlikely to fix US debt alone

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Commentary from a CBO director on economic policy and the potential impact of AI on US debt, citing specific growth figures and contrasting expert opinions.
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COVERAGE [2]

  1. Fortune TIER_1 English(EN) · Jason Ma ·

    CBO chief warns it’s ‘probably not plausible’ that a strong economy alone can steady U.S. debt as 5%-6% growth is needed—more than Bessent’s 3% view

    "So then we're left with changes in revenues and changes in spending, and those are inherently political choices."

  2. Mastodon — fosstodon.org TIER_1 English(EN) · [email protected] ·

    CBO chief warns it's 'probably not plausible' that a strong economy alone can steady U.S. debt as 5%-6% growth is needed—more than Bessent's 3% view | Fortune "

    CBO chief warns it's 'probably not plausible' that a strong economy alone can steady U.S. debt as 5%-6% growth is needed—more than Bessent's 3% view | Fortune "So then we're left with changes in revenues and changes in spending, and those are inherently political choices." https:…