AI Reshapes the Economy and Roils Geopolitics, Even as GPT-5 Fizzles

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KQED

Politics, News, News Commentary

4.6 • 656 Ratings

🗓️ 13 August 2025

⏱️ 56 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Big Tech’s spending on AI infrastructure, like data centers, is so enormous that it’s reshaping the U.S. economy on a scale likened to the building of the railroads. AI is also now at the center of geopolitical conflicts, as President Trump strikes a deal with Nvidia allowing it to sell its chips to China, upending longstanding national security policy. And yet, the much-hyped launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT-5 has left many users underwhelmed. We take stock of the way the AI industry is reshaping our world. Guests: Zoë Schiffer, oversees coverage of business and Silicon Valley at WIRED Mat Honan, editor in chief, MIT Technology Review Brian Merchant, tech journalist, writes the "Blood in the Machine" newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Support for KGBD Podcasts comes from Landmark College, offering a fully online graduate level
0:06.1	certificate in learning differences in neurodiversity program. Visit landmark.edu slash certificate to learn more.
0:13.8	It's so funny because when you look at the guys, that's never a topic of conversation.
0:18.6	Yeah. What you look like? It's like? Did you watch the football last night?
0:22.6	It's never about, I'll watch your skincare routine.
0:24.6	Whereas women walk into a room and because we've been taught to be pitted against each other.
0:30.0	Yeah.
0:30.3	Not always, but sometimes there's, oh my God, you know, I can't.
0:33.5	It's a bit of a barrier.
0:34.2	Yeah, yeah.
0:34.9	And it shouldn't be there.
0:36.0	We should be trying to change that stereotype,
0:38.8	believing that there is space for everybody.
0:42.6	From KQED.
0:58.8	From KQED in San Francisco, I'm Alexis Madrigal. Big tech spending on AI infrastructure, mostly massive data centers, is so enormous that it's
1:05.0	propping up the U.S. economy and warping local communities.
1:09.7	AI is also at the center of a strange deal.
1:12.1	President Trump struck with Nvidia and AMD to allow them to sell certain chips to China.
1:17.1	And yet, the much-hyped launch of OpenAI's new model, ChatGBT-GBT-T-5, left many users
1:23.3	underwhelmed.
1:25.0	Like it or not, the AI industry is reshaping our world, and we'll talk about how.
1:29.8	It's all coming up next, right after this news.
	...

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