A handpicked article read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist. Measures of academic competency are falling among young people in America. In response, universities are dumbing things down. It’s time they raised their standards of both instruction and admission.

Topics covered:

• Higher education
• Grade inflation
• Apprenticeships

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A handpicked article read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist. A backlash against artificial intelligence is spreading across the West. Governments must find ways to share the benefits of AI as widely as possible.

Topics covered:

• AI regulation
• Data centres
• Technology sector

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A handpicked article read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist. As the American government ramps up deportations, scammers are preying on desperate immigrants. From impersonating lawyers to staging fake hearings, these criminals are swindling migrants out of the American dream.

Topics covered:

• Scams
• Immigrants in America
• Immigration law

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+.

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.