Slate Money

This week: Google’s parent company Alphabet announced an incredible $110 billion in first-quarter revenue thanks, in part, to the computing needs of the AI boom.  Felix Salmon, Elizabeth Spiers, and Emily Peck, discuss the shocking earnings report and the reasons to doubt it as a sign of future growth, including the internet’s ever-evolving information economy. Then, they get into Bill Ackman once again trying and failing to make a closed-end fund happen, and why he’ll never be Warren Buffet. Finally they’ll examine the utility of corporate merch, such as Palantir’s french chore coat, and company retreats, like the Plex’s disastrous Survivor-themed getaway. In the Slate Plus episode: Can you have a Tiktok and a job on Wall Street?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.

In this Money Talks: MIT professor Daron Acemoglu joins Emily Peck to explain his research into pro-worker technologies and how we can not only avoid the AI job apocalypse but also improve workers' lives by shifting the goal of AI from automation to collaboration. 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.

This week: Tim Cook announced he was stepping down as Apple’s CEO after 15 years. Felix Salmon, Elizabeth Spiers, and Emily Peck, unpack his unique legacy as the leader of the very beloved, very visible brand. Then, Axios’ Senior Health Care Editor Adriel Bettelheim joins to explain what peptides are and how  RFK Jr. is trying to throw the doors open for the undertested wellness trend. And finally, they get into The Onion’s mission to take over the right-wing conspiracy platform InfoWars in the name of parody and paying the victims of Sandy Hook.  In the Slate Plus episode: The Avis short squeeze.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.

This week: Sneaker company Allbirds announced a pivot into A.I. infrastructure. Felix Salmon, Elizabeth Spiers, and Emily Peck explain why this absurd-sounding venture is actually a pretty clever piece of financial engineering. Then, the hosts get into the market surge that put the S&P 500 at a record high. And finally, the courts confirmed what we all knew: Live Nation and its subsidiary Ticketmaster are screwing everyone over. The hosts discuss what led to the federal jury ruling that the concert behemoth was acting as a monopoly.  In the Slate Plus episode: The con behind SantaCon.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.

In this Money Talks: Elizabeth Spiers is joined by psychologist Dr. Leanne ten Brinke whose new book, Poisonous People, explores the impact that people with psychopathic and related personality traits have on our everyday lives. Leanne explains her research on “dark personality traits” and success in the business world, how to spot a true psychopath, and what to do if you find yourself working with one. 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.

This week: Retail investors usually stick to the stock market, but many are rushing to make bets on oil futures. Felix Salmon, Elizabeth Spiers, and Emily Peck discuss Emily’s piece about “dumb money” moving into more sophisticated trading markets—thanks to new crypto-driven platforms—and what’s motivating the trend. Then, the hosts examine Bill Ackman’s grand plan to take over Universal Music Group, and explain the difference in how his SPARC differs from a SPAC. Finally, the hosts delve into the New York Times’ quest to uncover the mysterious creator of Bitcoin, the pseudonymous Satoshi Nakamoto, and argue over the investigation’s conclusion. In the Slate Plus episode: Do men suck at grocery shopping?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.

This week: OpenAI completed a $122 billion investment round. Felix Salmon, Elizabeth Spiers, and Emily Peck discuss what this deal says about the private and public markets and try to wrap their heads around the astronomical valuations of OpenAI and SpaceX. Then, Maryland-based spice company, McCormick, announced it will merge with Unilever’s food division to create a new spice and sauce mega-company. The hosts discuss the unusual case of a smaller company absorbing a larger one, and why Unilever's stock is currently plummeting. Finally, the hosts break down the WNBA's landmark collective bargaining agreement and why Nobel laureate Claudia Goldin was the MVP of the negotiation. In the Slate Plus episode: The largest single home sale on record. This episode is member-exclusive. Listen to it now by subscribing to Slate Plus. By joining, not only will you unlock weekly bonus episodes of Slate Money—you’ll also 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

In this Money Talks: Journalist Bridget Armstrong joins Emily Peck to discuss this moment of reckoning for the iconic reality show America’s Next Top Model and what she learned in reporting for her podcast Curse of: America’s Next Top Model. They explore how Top Model’s central promise—a fast track to a career in the fashion industry—was ultimately an illusion used to make great television at the expense of the contestants. 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.

This week: Just minutes before Trump posted about talks with Iran, oil markets saw a flurry of activity. Conspiracy theories followed. Felix Salmon, Elizabeth Spiers, and Emily Peck dissect the suspicious timing of those trades and the possibility of insider trading within the Trump administration. Then, the hosts react to the surprising ruling on Meta and social media addiction. And: OpenAI’s sudden decision to shut down its consumer-facing video generation platform, Sora. In the Slate Plus episode: The treasury market rom-comWant 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.