Slate Business

In this Money Talks: Planet Money’s Mary Childs joins Felix Salmon to share what she learned reporting on how private philanthropy is trying to cope with the influx of need now that USAID is gone. They’ll get into the headaches and heartbreaks charitable organizations Givewell and ALIMA are experiencing after the loss of billions of dollars of humanitarian aid, the practical costs of saving lives, and what you can do to give effectively this holiday season.  Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Slate Money show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/moneyplus to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Jessamine Molli and Cheyna Roth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week: The European Commission pushed back its timeline for all EV Europe.   Felix Salmon, Elizabeth Spiers, and Emily Peck are joined by Bloomberg’s Global Automotive Editor Craig Trudell who helps understand how and why the global electronic vehicle transition is unraveling. Then, in a twist move, Truth Social parent company, Trump Media & Technology Group, merged with TAE Technologies, a fusion power company. The hosts and Craig unpack the motivations behind the deal for these strange bedfellows. And finally, don’t you just love a familiar, non-threatening protagonist who falls in love with a  someone who embodies local virtue thanks to a  Christmas adjacent inciting incident? You’re not alone! The hosts and Craig discuss the booming business of Hallmark movie tours in CT and the key factors that go into these wildly popular made-for-tv movies.  In the Slate Plus episode: What’s your dream gift? Want to hear that discussion and hear more Slate Money? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Slate Money show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/moneyplus to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Jessamine Molli and Cheyna Roth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While the A.I. boom has created a data center boom, rich guys are turning their computing dreams to the skies. With its impending IPO, SpaceX stands to lead the extraterrestrial data center boom. Will it work out for Elon and company?  Guest: Eric Berger, space reporter at Ars Technica Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Catherine Rampell, an economics editor at The Bulwark and anchor at MS NOW, dives into the complexities of today’s economy. She discusses the paradox of rising prices amid consumer pessimism and critiques presidential influence on economic policy. Rampell highlights how essential costs like housing and healthcare are stressing household budgets, while wage growth struggles to keep pace. She also argues that removing tariffs could alleviate inflation pressures, emphasizing the long-term damage of politicized Federal Reserve policies.

Peyton Bigora, a reporter for Grocery Dive, dives into the fascinating world of grocery retail and Amazon's innovative strategies. He explores how Whole Foods maintains its quality standards while adapting to customer cravings for mainstream products. Peyton reveals the secrets behind Amazon's micro-fulfillment centers and discusses the challenges of tech in grocery stores. He also shares insights on how competitors might respond to these shifts and what metrics will determine the success of these new strategies.

Disney's bold $1 billion investment in OpenAI comes with tricky licensing rules that could redefine character usage in AI. The hosts debate whether OpenAI can enforce these restrictions against user workarounds. Rumors swirl around potential trillion-dollar IPOs, with SpaceX being a frontrunner. Meanwhile, Instacart's dynamic pricing raises eyebrows, suggesting a move toward personalized pricing practices. The discussion highlights consumer privacy concerns and regulatory responses to this evolving market trend.

David Rand, a professor at Cornell University specializing in misinformation and technology, shares insights on the impact of AI chatbots in political persuasion. He reveals that while voters prefer factual claims, chatbots can sometimes churn out misinformation when they exhaust accurate information. Rand discusses how chatbots can function as cost-effective canvassers and the importance of personalization in persuasion tactics. He emphasizes the need for transparency regarding chatbot motives, highlighting the intriguing relationship between accuracy and persuasion.

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by senior reporter at Bloomberg Businessweek, Amanda Mull, to talk about how the enshittification of online shopping came for Etsy. The platform used to be a thoughtful reprieve from the cheap, mass-produced products on Amazon, but now it’s plagued by a number of the same problems. With cheap junk and AI allegations abound, where can the Shein and Temu-haters go to actually find what they’re shopping for? This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, and Kate Lindsay. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode, Gabfest old friends Steve, Julia, and June Thomas convene on two showbiz works of midlife retrospection and regret: the new film Jay Kelly and Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along. The former, directed by Noah Baumbach, stars George Clooney as the titular movie star looking back on his life while on a European train picaresque. The latter was a legendary flop for Sondheim, had a triumphant Broadway revival starring Jonathan Groff, Daniel Radcliffe, and Lindsay Mendez, and now has arrived at movie theaters. In our third segment, the panel turns to another showbiz saga full of bitter regret: the fight to acquire Warner Brothers Discovery. Joined by writer and Hollywood watcher Mark Harris, they untangle the fight between Netflix and Paramount to outbid each other for the legacy film studio—and what it all has to do with Trump and the future of movie-going itself.  In an exclusive bonus episode for Slate Plus subscribers, it’s back to join the Joined in our recap discussion of Pluribus episode 7 “The Gap.”  Act now, there’s still time to leave us a voicemail with your burning cultural queries for our annual call-in show by calling us at 347-201-2397. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tim Wu, a Columbia Law professor and former tech policy advisor, dives into the controversies surrounding Big Tech and its profit-centric model. He discusses his book, The Age of Extraction, highlighting how corporate behavior has shifted from ethical practices to exploitative strategies. Wu also critiques the erosion of antitrust enforcement and warns against monopolization leading to authoritarianism. He advocates for power redistribution and explores the potential impact of AI on the tech landscape, offering a mix of skepticism and hope for a more equitable future.