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Meta’s new Muse AI agent gives investors the warm-'n-fuzzies Sep 25, 2026

Show notes

Meta's new Muse AI assistant is having a moment — and it's kind of adorable. Meta announced a slew of new integrations for its AI assistant at a company event this week, including a customizable furry lil’ avatar and a Tamogatchi-like wearable device for interacting with it.

Plus, Wall Street is betting billions on growing demand for cybersecurity in the age of AI and social media platform Discord enters its age-gating era.

Anita Ramaswamy at The Information is here to help us unpack the week in tech.

More on this:

I Gave My Life Over to Meta’s A.I. Agent and Was Blown Away — New York Times

Meta Tests Muse AI Agent Calls That Are Actually Made By Humans in a Call Center — 404 Media

CrowdStrike and Okta Trade at Big Premiums Despite Unproven AI Payoff — The Information

Discord’s age-verification era is upon us, despite community backlash — Tech Crunch

Fed officials speak up on inflation Sep 24, 2026

Show notes

As Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh attempts to limit forward guidance, analysts are zeroed in on other Fed officials’ public comments. Turns out, they’ve got plenty to say. In this episode, central bankers make their voices heard. Plus: Layoffs push workers to pivot careers entirely, catastrophe modelers warn a strong El Niño is brewing, and potato farmers struggle in the wake of an excellent growing season.

Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.

Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

Sin City tourism and data center discourse Sep 24, 2026

Show notes

This morning, we continue our conversation with Yvette Fernandez, a reporter for the Mountain West News Bureau and Nevada Public Radio, about some of the biggest economic news stories coming out of the state. In this episode, we hear how tariffs and immigration enforcement are hampering Las Vegas' tourism rebound and how Nevada is trying to establish guardrails for AI data centers. But first, what's behind this latest surge in bond yields?

Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.

Marketplace Morning Report is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Stories from this episode:

From immigration crackdowns to data centers, Nevada's big economic stories

Opting for riskier mortgages Sep 24, 2026

Show notes

The average rate on a traditional 30-year fixed mortgage just rose above 7.1% — the highest it’s been in more than two years. That’s pushing more people toward adjustable-rate mortgages, where the rate changes typically after five, seven, or 10 years. But these mortgages can be a riskier bet. We hear more. Then, we learn how changes to immigration policy are impacting hospitality workers and the Latin entertainment industry in Las Vegas.

Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.

Marketplace Morning Report is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Stories featured in this episode:

Finding common ground in the U.S.-China AI rivalry Sep 24, 2026

Show notes

AI is the big item on the agenda this week as Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with President Trump in Washington, D.C.

The talks come after a firestorm of news that has brought AI safety front and center: the hack of Hugging Face by rogue OpenAI agents, the resignation of an Anthropic researcher, plus calls by AI leaders to pace the frontier always met with the rejoinder, “what about China?”

Samm Sacks, senior fellow at the think tank New America, tells us more about China's approach to these AI talks.

More on this:

“US and China Hail Talks as Positive Ahead of Trump-Xi Summit” from Bloomberg

“US proposes AI incident alert system in talks with China, Bessent says” from Associated Press

Is money ruining fan fiction? Sep 24, 2026

Show notes

Before Ali Hazelwood’s “The Love Hypothesis” was a bestselling novel or movie, it was “Star Wars” fan fiction. And Hazelwood isn’t the only one making the leap from fan fiction to traditional publishing. Fan fiction has historically been a labor of love, and not all fans are happy about the shift to monetization, and what that means for the fandom community. Reema is joined by journalist Elizabeth Minkel and cultural commentator Josh Lora to unpack how money is changing fan fiction.

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Tension grows in the housing market Sep 23, 2026

Show notes

Bad news first: Mortgage rates are topping 7% and, fittingly, mortgage applications are down. On the bright side, home prices aren’t completely frozen and listings are actually up. Question is, in this stuck housing market, when will things budge? Also in this episode: A running resurgence parallels popularity peaks in the aughts and ‘80s, Nashville-style hot chicken sees international success, and writer Robin Wigglesworth argues the bond market built the modern world in his new book, “A Fabulous Debt.”

Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.

Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

The Ukraine war is pushing up diesel prices Sep 23, 2026

Show notes

Attacks on Russian oil refineries have contributed to rising diesel prices in recent months. President Donald Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly yesterday to urge him to stop attacking Russian energy infrastructure. Zelenskyy said his side is ready for an "energy ceasefire” — if Russia would do the same. Also on the show: Fed public comments, cuts to ACA coverage, home sales, and more.

Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.

Marketplace Morning Report is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

What counts as a small business? Sep 23, 2026

Show notes

Whether a business is considered “small” in the government’s eyes is pretty important. It determines whether the business is eligible for federal aid money and federal contracts. Now, the Small Business Administration is proposing some changes to how it defines “small business.” We'll explain. Then, we’ll dig into the state of AI protections and trade ahead of this week's meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.

Marketplace Morning Report is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Stories featured in this episode:

The beauty industry is betting big on AI Sep 23, 2026

Show notes

The global beauty market is expected to hit almost $600 billion by 2030, according to a report by McKinsey & Company. And just like pretty much every industry, it's being transformed by AI.

L’Oréal and OpenAI announced a partnership this summer to bring virtual makeup try-ons and product discovery to ChatGPT. An AI styling firm called Alta is integrating e.l.f. Beauty products into its virtual try on avatars. And consumers are increasingly looking to chatbots for skincare and makeup recommendations.

Apparently beauty inquiries account for almost half of generative AI retail referral traffic, according to market research firm EuroMonitor. For more we're joined by fashion-tech journalist and consultant Maghan McDowell, who's been following this trend.

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