About this episode
The episode discusses Alphabet's stock-based fundraise for AI, the challenges of index funds in relation to AI exposure, and Spain's declining unemployment rate in the context of immigration and labor market dynamics.
This week: Google’s parent company announced an unexpected move to raise $80 billion for their AI ventures. Felix Salmon , Elizabeth Spiers , and guest host Mary Childs – host of the new show Mary in America –discuss the logic behind Alphabet's stock-based fundraise, which includes a $10 billion share sale to Berkshire-Hathaway. Then, Mary explains why it’s getting harder for investors to avoid exposure to AI thanks to the index funds who are bending their rules for companies like SpaceX. And finally, they examine why Spain’s unemployment rate has dropped significantly and what that tells us about the relationship between immigration and the labor market. In the Slate Plus episode: Is “f— you” money a myth? Want to hear that discussion and hear more Slate Money? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Slate Money show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify . Or, visit slate.com/moneyplus to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Jessamine Molli and Cheyna Roth. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
People in this episode
Hosts: Felix Salmon, Elizabeth Spiers
Guest: Mary Childs
Topics covered
- AI investment
- index funds
- stock market
- unemployment
- immigration
- labor market
Keywords
- index fund
- AI ventures
- stock-based fundraise
- unemployment rate
- immigration
- labor market
- Berkshire-Hathaway
- SpaceX
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Google, Alphabet, Berkshire-Hathaway, SpaceX
Places: Spain
More episodes of Slate Money
- We Hate the Inflation · June 13, 2026 · 41 min
- Money Talks: 500 Years of the Dollar · June 9, 2026 · 39 min
- Least Cool Ferrari Ever · May 30, 2026 · 41 min
- Money Talks: What to Love About Limitations · May 26, 2026 · 39 min
- Theories on Trump’s Trading Frenzy · May 23, 2026 · 53 min
- We Need to Talk About Kevin (Warsh) · May 16, 2026 · 44 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Slate Money podcast page.