Marketplace All-in-One

In order to write her new book “I Am Not a Robot: My Year Using AI To Do ‘Almost’ Everything," journalist Joanna Stern decided to invite artificial intelligence into every aspect of her life — including her family life. She has a wife and two sons. On their spring break, she took them to Phoenix, where it's easy to hail a driverless car. They rode in a bunch of them, including one that totally fre...

Inflation was up 3.8% in April, according to the latest CPI. Economists say the war with Iran has caused “transitory” inflation — that’s short-lived inflation from a specific inflationary event. It’s also how experts characterized Trump’s tariffs and the COVID-19 pandemic. But if inflation stays put for, say, five years, is it really still transitory? Also in this episode: Small business owners fr...

After a pandemic-era boom, the fine art market is going through something of a bust. Many galleries have closed due to climbing overhead costs and sales just aren’t what they used to be. Author and freelance journalist Julie Belcove joins Kimberly to demystify the inner workings of the global art market and what a slump could mean for the those who work in the arts.

Prices in the U.S. were up 3.8% year over year in April. That's a faster rate of annual inflation than we saw in March. A main driver was higher energy prices, a result of the war with Iran. Those price increases are taking a bite out of consumer wages, but the pain may be temporary. Plus, small businesses are hanging in there. And, we'll preview President Donald Trump's meeting with Chinese Presi...

In late February, mortgage rates dipped below 6%, and affordability was beginning to improve. In April, people bought and sold more homes than they did the year before, but not by much. The reason? A whole new source of uncertainty brought on by war in the Middle East. Later in the show: While specialty farmers aren't caught in trade war crosshairs the way commodity farmers are, they still have pl...

Today, we’re resharing an important episode from our archive! We’re answering Sadie’s question about why there is so much gold at Fort Knox. (And, we’re releasing a special new episode next week all about gold too. We can’t wait for you to hear it!) Fort Knox is one of the most secure places in the world. In today’s episode, Bridget and Ryan are determined to get inside! But just as the pair lands...

Imagine if you invited robots - smart ones or “smart-ish,” at least - into every aspect of your life. Your emails and texts are all composed by an AI, the bots look at a photo of what’s in your fridge and figure out what you can make for dinner. They even become emotional support, providing advice and sometimes companionship. Journalist and founder of media company New Things, Joanna Stern, decide...

Inflation and employment are the dual pillars of this economy’s health, which the Federal Reserve is mandated to evenly manage. Last week saw sunny news for the latter category, when the April jobs report was better than expected. Economists anticipate the opposite for the upcoming consumer price index, as the war in Iran inflates prices at home. In this episode, we brace for a dreary CPI. Plus: A...

Younger workers typically feel more optimistic about the job market than older ones, but a new Gallup poll found that only 43% of Americans aged 15 to 34 thought that last year was a good time to find a job. That’s compared to 64% of those above the age of 55. The optimism of young workers has dropped by 27 points since 2023, potentially signaling the influence of AI. Plus: a breakdown of the cost...

An announcement from Meta that information about employees’ keystroke and mouse movement would be collected and used to train its artificial intelligence has reportedly caused turmoil within the company. But the concept of harvesting data from everyday digital interactions isn’t new. “Marketplace Morning Report” Host Sabri Ben-Achour spoke with Panagiotis Ipeirotis, a professor of Technology and B...

There's a new flex in Silicon Valley: how big is your AI agent swarm? They can work on your behalf, autonomously, 24/7, on whatever goal you give them. You might think having an army of AI minions could free up some time, maybe make work more chill. But, you’d be wrong, as Marketplace’s Meghan McCarty Carino reports.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has begun processing applications for tariff refunds after the Supreme Court ruled against swaths of President Trump’s import taxes. But limitations on who can file have left some business owners out of luck, and those who are eligible must weigh how much of the refund they should pass down the line. Also on the program: the jobs report, tech layoffs, and what th...

As Kimberly gets ready to step into her new role as the host of “Marketplace Morning Report,” her predecessor David Brancaccio joins her to talk about his years on the morning shift and what he’s looking forward to on his new beat covering future effects for Marketplace. Plus, the two swap summer reading recommendations and play a round of Half Full/Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about to...

President Donald Trump has tried to pressure foreign countries to invest in the U.S. by threatening tariffs. But for decades, the federal government has also been putting on the SelectUSA Investment Summit, a giant trade show where states and businesses try to attract foreign investors. We have a dispatch from this year's Investment Summit. Plus, some of Trump's latest tariffs have been deemed ill...

This morning, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released fresh jobs data for April. Unemployment remained unchanged at 4.3%, and the overall economy added 115,000 new jobs. A warmer-than-average April resulted in strong seasonal hiring, though it may be too early to see drags from war and high gas prices. Then later, we'll check in with the owner of a Virginia tea shop, who — like many small business...

On this week’s “Marketplace Tech Bytes: Week in Review,” we’ll discuss why Apple is paying a $250 million settlement over its Apple Intelligence tool and its capabilities. Plus, GameStop makes a surprising buyout offer for eBay. But first up: Anthropic, maker of the chatbot Claude, announced a new computing deal this week with SpaceX and its AI division, xAI. Anthropic will get access to SpaceX’s...

After the One Big Beautiful Bill Act reduced taxes for 85% of households, disproportionately benefiting high-income earners, all eyes are on the GOP’s approach to taxation. But they’re not the only ones, as Democrats, too, seek to cash in on the tax cut strategy. “Marketplace” Host Kai Ryssdal spoke with Annie Lowrey, a staff writer at The Atlantic, about what that dwindling tax base could mean fo...

The WNBA’s 30th season tips off tomorrow. This year, things look a lot different for players after the league and players union recently signed a landmark collective bargaining agreement (CBA). On today’s show, The Athletic’s Annie Costabile joins Kimberly to break down how the deal has transformed the way players are paid. Plus, has women’s basketball ever really been given the chance to maximize...

Labor productivity has been on a growth streak for the past year and a half. It increased 0.8% in the first quarter of this year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and is up almost 3% from a year ago. How much of this boils down to AI? Also on the show: threatened tariffs against the European Union and a conversation about U.S. dollars, the oil shock, and investment from Gulf countries.

If you ask people what they’re most worried about affording these days, healthcare tops the list (now tied with gas). And that concern may translate to a wave of resentment at the ballot box: About 90% of people say healthcare costs will influence whether and how they vote in November, and more than half say it will have a major impact. Then, the United Arab Emirates wants a currency swap with the...

Got a tricky situation at work and not sure what to do? In our recurring advice column, “Work Drama,” we try to find answers to your sticky work questions. This week, Reema is joined by Tobin Low of “This American Life” to answer your workplace questions – from coworkers falling asleep mid-meeting to crushing on your boss. If you liked this episode, share it with a friend. And if you have any work...

Back in 2015, Elon Musk and Sam Altman got the idea to start a nonprofit AI lab to develop artificial general intelligence that benefits all humanity. The lab would also make its technology open source, calling it OpenAI. All that is according to a complaint filed by Elon Musk, who has since parted ways with the organization. And now he is suing OpenAI, its CEO Sam Altman and its president Greg Br...

The private sector added twice as many jobs in March as it did in April — it’s a promising sign in an otherwise perplexing labor market. Private sector gains could translate to an overall boost in the upcoming BLS jobs report. But even if the quantity of jobs goes up, there are still some negative indicators to keep an eye on. Also in this episode: Corpus Christi's water crisis collides with an en...

The U.S. and Iran are reportedly back to working on an end to the war, and sources say a deal is close. Axios reports that the deal would involve a moratorium on nuclear enrichment and an end to sanctions. This morning, we dig into how seriously markets are taking these peace talks. Then, we continue our discussion of Iran's beleaguered economy — and who exactly they blame for it.

United Healthcare, the nation’s biggest insurer, announced that it’s cutting back on its requirements for prior authorization by 30%. Prior authorization is when your doctor orders a medical procedure, test, or drug, but you can't get it before the insurance company's approval. For insurers, it's a way to cut costs. For doctors and patients, it's a source of massive frustration. Plus, we check in...