Jan 27, 2025

Ticking through TikTok’s nine lives

Tolga Akmen/AFP via Getty Images

There are reports this morning of yet another lifeline for TikTok — this time involving an artificial intelligence startup called Perplexity AI.

Segments From this episode

A Chinese company is dragging down U.S. stocks

by Nova Safo

Shares of Big Tech companies are down this morning in premarket trading, after news that a Chinese firm called DeepSeek has been able to create an artificial intelligence tool that rivals ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini and others.

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Will TikTok stay or go?

by Nancy Marshall-Genzer

Over the weekend, President Donald Trump said a deal was in the works with the startup Perplexity AI to purchase TikTok. A decision on TikTok’s fate could be made in the next 30 days.

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The costs of clean water

by Jane Chambers

It’s estimated that 95% of all lakes and rivers in Guatemala are polluted, which is damaging local businesses and the tourism industry. Today, we’ll hear about the costs needed to clean up one polluted lake and the efforts to keep the waters of a top tourist attraction clean.

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Music from the episode

Baby Steps It's Butter

The team

David Brancaccio Host

Leanna Byrne Host, BBC

Kelly Silvera Executive Producer

Meredith Garretson Morbey Senior Producer

Alex Schroeder Producer

Erika Soderstrom Producer

Ariana Rosas Producer

Nic Perez Director/Producer

Dylan Miettinen Digital Producer

John Bruington Media Producer

Jesson Duller Media Producer

Brian Allison Technical Director

James Graham Producer, BBC

Jo Critcher Producer, BBC

Naomi Rainey Producer, BBC

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