

Marketplace Tech
Marketplace
Monday through Friday, Marketplace demystifies the digital economy in less than 10 minutes. We look past the hype and ask tough questions about an industry that's constantly changing.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 29, 2025 • 4min
“China’s H-1B” talent visa gets praise abroad and backlash at home
Jennifer Pak, Marketplace's Shanghai correspondent, discusses China's new K visa aimed at STEM graduates, facilitating research and entrepreneurship. This initiative comes as the U.S. tightens H-1B visa restrictions, pushing analysts to suggest a shift in global talent dynamics. However, within China, there's significant backlash as social media fuels xenophobic sentiments and fears over job competition. Pak sheds light on the intricate balance between attracting global expertise and addressing domestic concerns amid rising youth unemployment.

7 snips
Oct 28, 2025 • 12min
Wikipedia co-founder: Trust and empathy are essential
Join Jimmy Wales, co-founder of Wikipedia and author of The Seven Rules of Trust, as he dives into the foundations of trust in digital communities. He discusses the open editing model that made Wikipedia thrive and shares insights on why startups should prioritize trust from the beginning. Wales also explores community-driven moderation versus centralized control, emphasizing a collaborative approach to tackling misinformation. Plus, he offers a light-hearted dad joke moment and a glimpse of hope regarding the role of AI in maintaining trust.

8 snips
Oct 27, 2025 • 10min
Sites marketed as tools for catching infidelity can also be misused by stalkers
Joseph Cox, a technology reporter at 404 Media specializing in privacy and cybersecurity, dives into the world of face recognition and its implications. He discusses how these tools can uncover dating profiles, revealing sensitive information like photo locations. With insight into how companies monetize personal data, Cox also highlights concerns from experts about stalking and abuse risks associated with these technologies. He wraps up with advice on keeping your data safe in the age of digital transparency.

24 snips
Oct 24, 2025 • 15min
Bytes: Week in Review - OpenAI officially joins the browser wars
Jewel Burks Solomon, managing partner at Collab Capital, shares insights on tech trends and automation. She discusses OpenAI's new browser, Atlas, including its groundbreaking features like Agent Mode and associated privacy risks. The conversation shifts to Amazon's plans for increased warehouse robotics, revealing the impact on rural employment and automation's economic implications by 2027. Jewel also explains the recent AWS outage, highlighting how it affected Internet of Things devices and underscoring our reliance on cloud services.

Oct 23, 2025 • 6min
The aerospace industry is betting on hybrid air taxis
Henry Epp, a Marketplace reporter specializing in the electric air taxi and aerospace industry, shares fascinating insights about the promise of hybrid air taxis. He discusses the vision of quiet, all-electric vertical takeoff aircraft, the delays caused by FAA certification, and how military interest is shaping the landscape. Epp reveals the shift toward hybrid designs for greater capacity and range, driven by defense potential, and highlights the challenges and hopes for civilian applications in the future.

Oct 22, 2025 • 6min
How Indigenous communities are adopting AI
Explore how Indigenous communities are leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance services and revive languages. Discover the innovative use of AI in tribal nations like the Chickasaw Nation through citizen portals. However, concerns about data security arise, especially with employee chatbots. Hear about efforts to create policies that safeguard cultural data and the challenges posed by limited broadband access on rural lands, affecting equitable AI adoption.

7 snips
Oct 21, 2025 • 6min
How will AI-led e-commerce affect small businesses?
AI chatbots are reshaping how we search and shop, with implications for small businesses. As these tools gain traction, questions arise about their reliance on human-generated content and the unpredictable nature of AI responses. The shift toward answer engine optimization reveals a new landscape for discoverability. Companies like Thread are adapting their strategies for AI-driven marketplaces, while small businesses must leverage local and personalized approaches to compete against larger brands. Hyper-specific targeting could unlock unique opportunities for niche markets.

Oct 20, 2025 • 10min
New CA law requires Uber and Lyft to bargain with drivers
Levi Sumagaysay, a reporter at CalMatters focused on California politics, breaks down a pivotal new law mandating Uber and Lyft to bargain with their drivers. They discuss how this legislation could enhance working conditions for around 800,000 drivers by enabling sectoral bargaining. Sumagaysay also explores the potential ripple effects nationwide, the challenges of organizing, and what drivers are seeking—better pay and protections. Additionally, he reveals how Uber and Lyft have responded to this transformative bill.

Oct 17, 2025 • 10min
Bytes: Week in Review — Instagram to limit content for teens, Walmart lands OpenAI deal, and Apple rebrands streaming service
In this engaging discussion, Joanna Stern, a senior personal technology columnist at The Wall Street Journal, dives into Instagram's new PG-13 settings for teen accounts, highlighting the balance between safety and user control. She explains Walmart's innovative partnership with OpenAI for e-commerce through ChatGPT, transforming how we shop online. Plus, Joanna critiques Apple’s rebranding from Apple TV+ to Apple TV, unraveling the trend behind the 'plus' and its implications for the streaming industry.

7 snips
Oct 16, 2025 • 6min
Documents show ICE wants a nonstop social media surveillance system
Immigration and Customs Enforcement plans to establish a 24/7 social media surveillance system to catch leads. They'll collaborate with private contractors to monitor public posts on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. The proposed teams will operate around the clock, powered by AI and data brokers that generate risk assessments. Remarkably, much of the monitoring can be done without direct cooperation from these social media companies. This could lead to real arrests through sophisticated online tracking and aggregation of user data.


