What Economists Talk About When They Talk About AI
Silicon Valley tech leaders have been brimming with optimism in recent years about the future of artificial intelligence — and investors have bet big on the transformational power of the technology. Then last week, China’s DeepSeek emerged as a disruptive force and the value of Nvidia Corp. fell by half a trillion dollars. More than ever, investors are wondering about whether big bets on AI will pay off in the long run.Bloomberg Economics Chief Economist Tom Orlik sees three cases for how AI could reshape the global economy, ranging from the rosy to the dystopian. On today’s Big Take podcast, he and host David Gura break them down and explore what that future may hold not just for companies and investors — but for us all.Read more: AI Has Rocked the Stock Market, But What Will It Do for the Economy?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5 Feb 13min
Trump Is Trying to Take Control of Spending From Congress. Will It Work?
Trump says the president should be able to decide how to spend taxpayer money – not Congress. Part of his plan? Impoundment: A controversial maneuver that could wrest control of trillions of dollars in federal spending away from Congress. Bloomberg politics reporter Gregory Korte joins Big Take DC host Saleha Mohsin to explain what impoundment is, the pushback against Trump’s efforts and how the battle over its legality could play out. Is there an idea in the news that you want explained? Email us at bigtake@bloomberg.net. Read more: Trump Vows to ‘Impound’ Money Congress Appropriates. Can He Do It?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4 Feb 14min
The Tariff Wars Are Here — And They’re Messy
Is it a trade war or is it whiplash? On Saturday, President Trump announced new 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico, and an additional 10% tariff on Chinese goods. On Sunday, he said tariffs were coming for the European Union, too.The tariffs were initially supposed to take effect at 12:01 am Tuesday morning eastern time, but since that weekend announcement, the tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods have been delayed for one month. Meanwhile, the tariffs on Chinese goods are proceeding as scheduled. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s global economy reporter Enda Curran and host Sarah Holder make sense of the news — and discuss how this could disrupt the US economy and reshape global commerce.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3 Feb 17min
What's Behind Gold's Record Rally
Shuibei, in southern China, is home to one of the world's biggest retail markets for gold. Over the past year, it's seen a boom in demand for the jewelry, sold by thousands of stallholders, as the Chinese property crisis and slowing economy spurred a flight into gold. So much so that Chinese consumers helped propel the global gold price to record highs in 2024. On today's Big Take Asia podcast, K. Oanh Ha talks to Bloomberg's Chongjing Li about the enduring appeal of the precious metal in China, and what lies ahead. Read more: The Epicenter of China’s Gold Craze Is a Former Fishing VillageWatch, from Bloomberg Originals: What Gold’s Crazy Run Says About ChinaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
31 Jan 13min
A Uranium Mine, the Navajo Nation and a Six-Month Standoff
On Wednesday, the Navajo Nation and the mining company, Energy Fuels Inc., announced a new agreement detailing how uranium could be transported through tribal lands. The agreement ends a stalemate between the two parties. And it comes at a time when interest in nuclear energy — and the cost of the uranium that fuels it — is surging. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Jacob Lorinc joins host Sarah Holder to break down the painful history of uranium mining in the Navajo Nation and what the dispute reveals about the human costs of “clean power.” Read more: Uranium Fever Collides With Industry's Dark Past in Navajo CountrySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
30 Jan 16min
How Trump and Musk Are Testing Boeing’s Path to Recovery
It’s been a tough stretch for Boeing. Its new CEO Kelly Ortberg is trying to rebuild public trust and turn the company’s finances around, all while navigating pressure from President Trump to deliver new Air Force One jets and working with the founder of one of Boeing’s chief rivals, Elon Musk. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg senior aerospace reporter Julie Johnsson joins host David Gura to explain the turbulent road ahead for the US planemaker. Read More: Elon Musk’s Air Force One Scrutiny Tests Boeing’s Path to RecoverySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
29 Jan 13min
Tariffs Could Hit Canada Soon. Its Ex-Finance Minister Wants to Hit Back
Chrystia Freeland sent shockwaves through Canada when she resigned as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Finance Minister in December. Her public resignation letter blasted Trudeau for not doing enough to prepare for the second Trump administration. Now, she’s running to replace him. Freeland sat down with Big Take host David Gura in Toronto on Tuesday to discuss her views on US-Canada trade, and how she says she would negotiate with Trump if she becomes Canada’s next leader.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
28 Jan 33min
The DeepSeek Freak Out
The AI chatbot from DeepSeek, a Chinese company, rocketed to the top of US app stores over the weekend — and sent US tech shares plummeting Monday morning. The US has been trying to choke off China’s access to cutting-edge AI chips, but DeepSeek claims it’s still managed to develop tech that rivals ChatGPT and its competitors at a fraction of the cost. Today on the show, Bloomberg’s Jackie Davalos on what DeepSeek’s models can do, why they’ve sent tech stocks tumbling — and what kind of pressure they could put on the US AI industry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
27 Jan 17min
