In this mini-episode of The Journal, WSJ's Katherine Bindley investigates a recent change in behavior among San Francisco’s ubiquitous Waymos, the self-driving robotaxis. Suddenly, the cars are behaving less like deferential drivers and more like New York cabbies. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - How Waymo Won Over San Francisco - The Future of Self-Driving Cars Is Here Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Jan 19, 2026•12 min
From a young age, it was clear that Phillip Bell was a football phenom. He got his first college scholarship offer in middle school. But that talent drew Bell into Southern California’s unruly youth football black market. In that system, high schoolers and their families are paid millions to play football. WSJ's Harriet Ryan reports on a system that ultimately tore Phillip Bell's family apart . Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - NCAA President on a New Era for College Sports - Private Equi...
Jan 16, 2026•24 min
For the past two weeks, Iran has been consumed by protests that have resulted in a heavy government crackdown with deaths estimated in the thousands. But the prelude to the unrest wasn’t just political. It stemmed from a deep financial crisis, and specifically, as WSJ’s Jared Malsin explains, the collapse of an obscure and indebted bank . Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Iran Retaliates After U.S. Strike. How Could This End? - Iran May Be Running Out of Options Sign up for WSJ’s free ...
Jan 15, 2026•20 min
President Donald Trump's sweeping plan for Venezuelan oil is coming into focus. It includes cutting off illicit oil exports , gaining more control over Venezuela's state-run oil company and rebuilding infrastructure. Some of these goals require the participation of U.S. oil companies , but those companies are reluctant to invest in the still-unstable country. WSJ's Andrew Restuccia explains Trump's gambit to bring down oil prices and reshape the global oil market. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Lis...
Jan 14, 2026•18 min
After receiving grand jury subpoenas from the Justice Department last week, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said the investigation was part of a pressure campaign to get the Fed to lower interest rates. WSJ’s Nick Timiraos explains how the investigation could change who controls monetary policy in the future. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Is the Economy Getting Better or Worse? The Fed Says It’s Hard to Tell - Who Will Be the Next Fed Chair? Maybe Kevin Sign up for WSJ’s free W...
Jan 13, 2026•20 min
An AI bubble. Geopolitical turmoil. Inflation and interest rates. These things and more could rock the stock market in 2026, and investors have to be prepared. WSJ’s Jason Zweig , writer of The Intelligent Investor column and newsletter , discusse s how investors can best set up their portfolios for the new year and breaks down his outlook for the year ahead. Ryan Knutson hosts . Further Listening: - It's Almost 2026. How’s the Economy? - Investment Accounts for Babies Are Coming. Wall Street Ca...
Jan 12, 2026•23 min
In August, a troubled man named Stein-Erik Soelberg killed his mother and took his own life . In the months leading up to the tragedy, Soelberg had been engaging in delusion-filled conversations with ChatGPT. Now, his mother’s estate has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against OpenAI, and Soelberg’s son Erik wants the tech giant to take responsibility for a product that he believes deepened his father’s decline. WSJ’s Julie Jargon tells Ryan Knutson about the challenges facing OpenAI when it come...
Jan 09, 2026•25 min
Netflix is in a high-stakes fight to buy storied movie studio Warner Bros. The company has a $72 billion deal in hand, but rival Paramount isn't going down without a fight. At the helm of the streaming giant is co-CEO Ted Sarandos , whose strategies have helped transform the entertainment industry. WSJ’s Joe Flint says that Hollywood’s creatives were once enamored with Netflix’s approaches but have grown more wary of what new changes could come with consolidation. WSJ’s Ryan Knutson hosts. Furth...
Jan 08, 2026•20 min
Amid an intense trade dispute with the US, China has started looking to other markets to sell its low value items. In recent months, Chinese e-commerce companies like Shein and Temu have started homing in on Europe . But the pivot has been met with resistance by many in Europe. WSJ's Chelsey Dulaney reports on the evolving China-Europe trade dynamic. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - China and the U.S. Are in a Race for AI Supremacy - Is Trump Winning His Trade War? Sign up for WSJ’s free...
Jan 07, 2026•21 min
Since World War II, U.S. geopolitical strategy prioritized global trade and building alliances, especially with democracies. Now, after his action in Venezuela , President Trump is ushering in a new era of American foreign policy that is focused primarily on territory and resources. WSJ’s chief economics commentator Greg Ip breaks down the moment, its historical context, and what’s next. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - Was Maduro's Capture About Oil? - Greenland Has Tons of Minerals. ...
Jan 06, 2026•20 min
For months, the U.S. sold its pressure campaign against Venezuela as a way to curtail drug trafficking. Now, after a surprise military operation on Saturday that led to the capture of President Nicolàs Maduro, U.S. oil companies have a path to regaining access to one of the world’s largest oil reserves. But WSJ’s Collin Eaton explains why getting companies to flock back to Venezuela will be a massive challenge. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - Make Money Not War: Trump’s Plan for Peace i...
Jan 05, 2026•15 min
The stories that defined 2025, the themes to watch in 2026. Ryan Knutson and Jessica Mendoza hear from top editors across the paper. Plus, Ryan's bold proposal to switch Christmas and Valentine's Day. Thanks for listening to the show in 2025. We’ll see you in 2026! Listen to Ryan and Jess’s playlist of their Greatest Hits of 2025 . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Dec 29, 2025•10 min
According to a WSJ analysis, the epicenter for Stand Your Ground killings is in the state where the laws were first enacted: Florida. From 2021 through 2024, the Jacksonville area had a larger share of its homicides classified as justifiable killings by civilians than any U.S. city or county with a population greater than 500,000. WSJ’s Hannah Critchfield reports on the law’s unintended consequences and one case labelled as a self-defense killing, where no killer came forward at all. Valerie Bau...
Dec 23, 2025•28 min
Federal officials say Chinese money launderers moved more than $300 billion in illicit transactions through U.S. banks and other financial institutions in recent years. WSJ’s Dylan Tokar explores the rise of these highly lucrative schemes and former federal prosecutor Julie Shemitz takes us inside the federal investigation to bring them down. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - The Money Laundering Behind TD Bank's $3 Billion Fine - Mexico's New Cocaine Kingpin is Cashing In Sign up for WSJ...
Dec 22, 2025•26 min
How did the U.S. economy do in 2025? With unemployment ticking up , tariffs shaking up global trade and the stock market booming, it has been hard to make sense of it all. Ryan Knutson talks with three WSJ economics reporters– Justin Lahart , Rachel Wolfe and Jeanne Whalen – about the state of the economy as we wrap up the year, and about what to expect in 2026. Further Listening: - The Era of AI Layoffs Has Begun - Is the Economy Getting Better or Worse? The Fed Says It's Hard to Tell Sign up f...
Dec 19, 2025•23 min
After a historic church in the heart of Nashville was taken over by a businessman, the family of the church’s original founder, including Christian pop star Amy Grant , says the building was “steeple-jacked.” The businessman leading the church denies the allegations. WSJ’s Cameron McWhirter explains to Ryan Knutson why many American churches are vulnerable to a hostile takeover. Further Listening: - ‘Exmo’ Influencers Are Taking On Mormonism - The Financial Mess Facing the Vatican - Why the New ...
Dec 18, 2025•19 min
Cloud seeding is a decades-old rain-making technology, and it’s making a comeback in drought-stricken western states. Utah is partnering with a startup called Rainmaker as they try to stabilize the Great Salt Lake, assisted by drones and AI. But those efforts are colliding with weather conspiracy theories that have only gotten more persistent after some blamed Rainmaker for deadly floods in Texas last year. Jessica Mendoza spoke to the company’s CEO Agustus Doricko about their projects, and WSJ’...
Dec 17, 2025•21 min
Risky investing strategies are on the rise, and Robinhood’s CEO Vlad Tenev is leading the charge. He’s built the company’s trading app not just to buy and sell ordinary stocks, but to make it easier to invest in more exotic financial products. WSJ’s Hannah Erin Lang profiles Tenev and explores the extraordinary success his company has had over the past year. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - Free Trading Isn't Free: How Robinhood Makes Money - ‘To The Moon’ From the Journal Sign up for WS...
Dec 16, 2025•21 min
Compass CEO Robert Reffkin wants to change the way Americans buy and sell homes by encouraging sellers to list their homes privately when they first hit the market. That strategy is challenging companies like Zillow, which have made information about home listings accessible to buyers. WSJ’s Nicole Friedman explains why Compass wants to overhaul the real estate market , and why Zillow is putting up a fight. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - A Case of Conspiracy in Real Estate - Think I...
Dec 15, 2025•21 min
While some viewers complain that AI-generated ads look uncanny, brands like Coca-Cola are making them anyway. WSJ’s Katie Deighton explains how Coke remade their iconic “Holidays Are Coming” ad with artificial intelligence, and what that signals for the ad industry’s future. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - The Era of AI Layoffs Has Begun - How a $1.5 Billion Settlement Could Alter the Course of AI Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...
Dec 12, 2025•20 min
OpenAI kickstarted the AI race, but is it now at risk of falling behind Google ? As the company behind ChatGPT releases its latest update to fend off Google's Gemini, WSJ’S Berber Jin explains OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's urgent "code red" memo to all employees and why the strategy will come at a cost. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Is the AI Boom… a Bubble? - AI Is Coming for Entry-Level Jobs - The Journal. Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices...
Dec 11, 2025•20 min
Starting next year, babies born from 2025 to 2028 can receive $1,000 to start investment accounts. The initiative has gotten corporate America excited, with financial institutions vying for a role in the program, and philanthropists like Dell Technologies CEO Michael Dell pledging billions of dollars in donations. WSJ’s Alexander Saeedy unpacks how the accounts work and why Wall Street is buzzing about them . Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Closing the Wealth Gap With a Trust Fund fo...
Dec 10, 2025•19 min
Earlier this year, OpenAI and chip-designer Advanced Micro Devices, or AMD, announced a multibillion-dollar partnership to collaborate on AI data centers that will run on AMD processors , one of the most direct challenges yet to industry leader Nvidia. WSJ’s Robbie Whelan spoke to the CEO of AMD Lisa Su about the deal, her company and the prospect of an AI bubble. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - CoreWeave, the Company Riding the AI Boom - Is the AI Boom… a Bubble? - The Unraveling of Op...
Dec 09, 2025•23 min
This morning, Paramount Skydance launched a $77.9 billion hostile takeover offer for Warner Bros. Discovery. It occurred just days after Warner had agreed to a $72 billion deal with Netflix . WSJ’s Joe Flint reports on the twists and turns of the battle to control Warner and, if Netflix succeeds, how it would change Hollywood . Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - Will Paramount Settle With Trump? - She Swore Off Legacy Media. Now She's Running CBS News. Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News ne...
Dec 08, 2025•20 min
The Kremlin pitched the White House on peace in Ukraine through business deals. To Europe’s dismay, President Trump and his envoy are on board. WSJ’s Drew Hinshaw and Joe Parkinson take us inside the Trump administration's new approach to diplomacy with Russia and how it could shake up the U.S.'s longstanding alliances. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Why Trump Is Ready to Send Missiles to Ukraine - Inside the Hunt for Putin's Sleeper Agents - The Suspected Russian Plot to Set Airpla...
Dec 05, 2025•22 min
The U.S. wine industry hasn’t had it this bad since Prohibition . WSJ’s Laura Cooper reports from Sonoma County, California, a major region for American wine production, on why growers are drowning in unsold grapes, shrinking demand and trade-war fallout. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Who Wants Non-Alcoholic Beer? Everyone, Apparently. - Why Coke Isn't Getting Rid of High-Fructose Corn Syrup Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit meg...
Dec 04, 2025•19 min
As part of a year-long investigation, WSJ’s Shalini Ramachandran and Betsy McKay have been reporting on two of the most commonly prescribed psychiatric medications in America: benzodiazepines and antidepressants . These drugs weren’t intended for long-term use, but some Americans end up on them for years. Betsy and Shalini spoke to many patients who experienced the downsides. So a basic question popped up: Is America overmedicated? Further Listening: - A Quick Fix for Hair Loss Is Making Some Me...
Dec 03, 2025•22 min
An escalating artificial intelligence race between China and the U.S. is drawing comparisons to the Cold War, and is likely to be just as consequential. As the technology barrels ahead from ChatGPT to DeepSeek and beyond, the competition is now primarily focused on advanced computer chips , but some worry that the race to innovate will lead to loosening safety regulations. WSJ’s Josh Chin explains China’s strategy to Ryan Knutson . Further Listening: - CoreWeave, the Company Riding the AI Boom -...
Dec 02, 2025•17 min
Quince is seemingly everywhere . Since launching in 2018, the brand has built an e-commerce empire that brings in $1.1 billion annually, and has catapulted to the top of the "dupe" economy. But the company’s strategy of making its own versions of best-selling products has run into some pushback from competitors. WSJ’s Chavie Lieber takes us inside Quince’s strategy and ensuing legal battles. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Smucker, Trader Joe's and a Battle Over PB&Js - Why Is Ev...
Dec 01, 2025•21 min
After Hermès heir Nicolas Puech announced his $15 billion fortune was missing , accusations started flying. Who had taken the money? Was it his handyman? His financial advisor? Puech himself? In this second episode, WSJ’s Nick Kostov reveals the answer in what could be the fraud of the century . Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: The Case of the Missing $15 Billion Fortune: Part 1 The World's Richest Person Is Planning for Succession Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn m...
Nov 26, 2025•21 min
