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Wanna see a trick? Give us any topic and we can tie it back to the economy. At Planet Money, we explore the forces that shape our lives and bring you along for the ride. Don't just understand the economy – understand the world.

Wanna go deeper? Subscribe to Planet Money+ and get sponsor-free episodes of Planet Money, The Indicator, and Planet Money Summer School. Plus access to bonus content. It's a new way to support the show you love. Learn more at plus.npr.org/planetmoney

Most Recent Episodes

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If AI is so good, why are there still so many jobs for translators?

If you believe the hype, translators will all soon be out of work. Luis von Ahn, CEO and co-founder of the language learning app Duolingo, doesn't think AI is quite there... yet. In this interview, Greg Rosalsky talks with Luis about AI and how it's reshaping translation jobs and the language learning industry. We also ask him about headlines earlier this year suggesting Duolingo laid off some of its workers and replaced them with AI.

If AI is so good, why are there still so many jobs for translators?

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How useful, really, are the steps you can take after a data breach?

The dreaded data breach notification... It tells you your personal data's been compromised and suggests steps you can take to minimize the potential harm. On today's episode, Kenny Malone pulls out a data breach letter he received and goes over what it recommends with Amanda Aronczyk. Amanda recently did a show about the legal and illegal markets for data and tells us how useful these steps actually are. It's news you can use to protect yourself, whether or not you've been part of a data breach!

How useful, really, are the steps you can take after a data breach?

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Donald Trump Jr. (L), son of the US president, shakes hands with Rumble Inc.'s Chris Pavlovski during The Bitcoin Conference at The Venetian Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada, on May 27, 2025. IAN MAULE/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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IAN MAULE/AFP via Getty Images

When Trump met crypto

In 2019, President Trump tweeted: "I am not a fan of Bitcoin and other Cryptocurrencies." Today, the Trumps are all over crypto.

When Trump met crypto

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Kenny Malone/NPR

Econ Battle Zone: Budget Showdown

Econ Battle Zone is back! On today's episode Mary Childs and Kenny Malone enter Econ Battle Stadium to throw down against reigning champion Erika Beras.

Econ Battle Zone: Budget Showdown

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The U.S. is the world's bribery cop. Is that about to change?

The U.S. has been policing bribery all over the world for nearly half a century using a law called the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. But now, President Trump has said that this anti-corruption law is crippling American businesses. Since taking office, his administration has reduced the number of investigators, killed some cases, and changed the rules.

The U.S. is the world's bribery cop. Is that about to change?

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Sahil Lavingia (right) was a DOGE staffer at the Department of Veterans Affairs for 55 days. He was sworn in on March 17, 2025 by the VA's Assistant Secretary for Human Resources and Administration / Operations, Security, and Preparedness, Mark Engelbaum. Sahil Lavingia hide caption

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Sahil Lavingia

Why I joined DOGE

What was it like to work inside Elon Musk's DOGE? The cost-cutting initiative promised transparency, but most of its actions have been shrouded in secrecy.

Why I joined DOGE

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Are Trump's tariffs legal?

When President Trump announced his sweeping new tariffs this year, many trade law experts were startled. Typically, presidents don't have the authority to impose broad tariffs with a snap of their fingers.

Are Trump's tariffs legal?

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Alexi Horowitz-Ghazi/NPR

When Chinese manufacturing met Small Town, USA

Over the past decade, politicians from both parties have courted American voters with an enticing economic prospect – the dream of bringing manufacturing and manufacturing jobs back to America. They've pushed for that dream with tariffs and tax breaks and subsidies. But what happens when one multinational company actually responds to those incentives, and tries to set up shop in Small Town, USA?

When Chinese manufacturing met Small Town, USA

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