Marketplace Tech

Joanna Stern, technology columnist and author who spent a year using AI for almost everything, shares family experiments with driverless cars, AI toys, and a mistaken chatbot advice about a pet mantis. Short stories explore kids’ reactions, a cooking robot that surprised them, and rules she uses to raise creative, skeptical humans in a world full of smart machines.

Joanna Stern, tech journalist and founder of New Things who chronicled a year using AI in her life. She describes testing AI for writing and research, the pitfalls of AI-written personal messages, privacy and subscription tradeoffs, and surprising emotional effects when treating AI like a therapist or companion.

Meghan McCarty Carino, Marketplace reporter who produced and narrated the piece on AI agents, explores Silicon Valley’s craze for autonomous AI swarms. She describes meetups where founders automate busywork, the shift from human aides to paid token-run bots, and rising “token anxiety” as people monitor agents nonstop. The segment also covers work-life costs when maximizing agent output.

Caroline O'Donovan, senior technology reporter who covers AI and tech policy, breaks down Anthropic’s new access to SpaceX’s Colossus One and why that pairing raised eyebrows. She unpacks the timing amid Elon Musk’s trial with OpenAI. Other highlights include Apple’s $250M settlement over AI claims and GameStop’s surprise bid for eBay.

Paresh Dave, Wired senior writer who covers tech and courtrooms, reports from the federal trial over OpenAI. He describes Musk's claims that OpenAI abandoned its nonprofit roots and the company’s defense that control remains with the nonprofit. He recounts tense courtroom scenes, dramatic testimony, and the broader implications for billionaire power in tech.

Greg Barber, a science and technology journalist who covered AI in policing for Proof News, walks through how departments are actually using AI today. He talks about tools that analyze footage, draft reports from bodycam audio, and the debate over whether these tools truly save time. He also covers costs, contractual bundling, and the legal and surveillance risks those systems raise.

Sara Mauskopf, CEO and co-founder of Winnie, a childcare marketplace. She explains why parents now prefer natural-language search and how Winnie built an AI-powered search to return better local childcare matches. Discussion covers connecting to AI agents for booking, bias mitigation using proprietary data, and how startups must rethink priorities as AI moves fast.

Ashley Gold, senior tech policy reporter at Axios, explains the rising push for the GUARD Act and why lawmakers are focused on AI chatbots and minors. She outlines what the bill would ban, the legal and free-speech concerns critics raise, and how the measure could reshape business models for startups and big tech. Momentum comes from survivor testimony and high-profile harms tied to chatbot interactions.

Maria Curie, Axios tech policy reporter who covers AI policy and industry deals. She breaks down Google’s Pentagon AI agreement and the politics around AI rules on Capitol Hill. They explore Taylor Swift’s trademark move against AI deepfakes and whether trademarks can curb misuse. Plus, a look at Japan Airlines testing humanoid robots for baggage and the limits of robot labor.

Jeff Janukowicz, an IDC analyst focused on semiconductors and supply chains, explains how regional conflict has squeezed key materials. He discusses soaring helium prices and their ripple effects on chips and medical gear. He covers resin and circuit board plastic shortages, AI-driven demand pressures, and how manufacturers are responding.