Peter Atwater, who coined the term "K-shaped economy," explained that wealthy Americans benefit from asset inflation while lower-income groups face the cumulative burden of price inflation.Despite overall economic growth driven by AI and gains for companies such as Google, Amazon, Nvidia, and Microsoft, hiring is sluggish, wage gains are slowing for lower earners, and unemployment has increased.Corporate leaders, including Henrique Braun, Ed Bastian, and Corie Barry, have adjusted strategies to address this widening divide, while economists warn that reliance on affluent consumers could increase risks if layoffs rise or if Federal Reserve policy changes under a Donald Trump administration.