Dec 4, 2023

Whaddya mean capital got “more expensive”?

Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

When interest rates went up, borrowing cash to grow your business got a lot harder. Plus, is one of our reporters smarter than an AI chatbot?

Segments From this episode

Spotify CEO cites "expensive" capital as factor in layoffs. What does that mean?

by Samantha Fields

Dec 4, 2023

The music streaming service just announced its third round of layoffs this year after previous years of intensive borrowing.

For most of Spotify's existence, interest rates barely got above 2%. But once borrowing and debt got expensive, investors became interested in profitability over expansion at any cost.

Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP via Getty Images

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Who's better at my job, Chinese AI or me?

by Jennifer Pak

Dec 4, 2023

Makers of AI chatbots have promised it would change how we work. Our reporter put that theory to the test with China's Ernie Bot.

Baidu's AI chatbot, Ernie Bot, gives an error message on Aug. 31 in response to a question about a potential war over Taiwan. It reads, "Try another question."

Greg Baker/AFP via Getty Images

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Gold prices hit a record high

by Kimberly Adams

Dec 4, 2023

The price of gold has been climbing for weeks as investors flock to the “safe haven” amid global uncertainty. But is gold really a safe investment?

Gold prices hit $2,100 per ounce in Asia today, a record high. Many investors view gold as more stable than traditional stocks.

David McNew/Getty Images

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For some business owners, higher interest rates are a non-issue

by Justin Ho

Dec 4, 2023

The Federal Reserve has been raising interest rates for almost two years now, affecting virtually everyt;hing in the economy. But some businesses have been relatively insulated from rate hikes.

Bryan Hughes, owner of a snake removal and relocation service in Arizona, says his business isn't sensitive to how the broader economy is doing. "Our customers are largely driven by behavior of the animals," he said.

Yuri Cortez/AFP via Getty Images

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Half a steak and a straight tequila: how restaurant-goers economize

by Stephanie Hughes

Dec 4, 2023

Splitting dishes, drinking more hard alcohol and skipping dessert are ways customers save while dining out.

At Mac’s Seafood on Cape Cod, owner Mac Hay says they used to charge a fee to split an entree. Now, they just bring out an extra plate.

Prarinya Thonghyad/Getty Images

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Could 3D-printed homes help solve the affordable-housing crisis?

by Dan Boyce

Dec 4, 2023

Upstart companies hope 3D printing can disrupt the sector by creating structures in a fraction of the time traditional methods require.

A finished Alquist 3D printed home. The technology only prints concrete walls, while elements like roofs, trusses and porches are still completed using traditional techniques.

Courtesy Alquist 3D

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Music from the episode

Midas Era Lord Finesse

Running Around Goth Babe

Benzoin Gum MF DOOM

Lost In Florence Kendall Miles, I Eat Plants for a Living

Forget Your Name spring gang, Vincent Vega

Brick Ben Folds Five

Red Wine Grapetooth

The team

Nancy Farghalli Executive Producer

Maria Hollenhorst Producer II

Andie Corban Producer I

Sarah Leeson Producer I

Sean McHenry Director & Associate Producer II

Richard Cunningham Associate Producer I

Jordan Mangi Assistant Digital Producer

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