The infrastructure side of the AI boom
Make Me Smart
Marketplace
4.6 • 5.5K Ratings
🗓️ 23 January 2026
⏱️ 29 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Tech companies are pouring billions into developing the infrastructure necessary to meet the demand for artificial intelligence. But what does that infrastructure look like on the ground? Marketplace Tech’s Meghan McCarty Carino joins Kimberly to share her takeaways after visiting a variety of data centers and reporting on the surge in AI investment. Plus, we’ll weigh in on microdramas and AI slop during a round of Half Full/Half Empty!
Here’s everything we talked about today:
- "Inside the relentless race for AI capacity" Financial Times
- "Redwood Materials built record grid storage project using old EV batteries" Canary Media
- "Just how big is the AI investment wave?" from Reuters
- "YouTube says battling ‘AI slop’ is a top priority" from The L.A. Times
- "TikTok-like microdramas are going to make billions this year, even though they kind of suck" from Tech Crunch
- "Apple to Revamp Siri as a Built-In iPhone, Mac Chatbot to Fend Off OpenAI" from Bloomberg
- "Ads Are Coming to ChatGPT. Here’s How They’ll Work" from Wired
We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | At Pluralsight, we don't just teach skills. |
| 0:02.8 | We are building the tech workforce, who deliver results fast, accelerated by top-tier content. |
| 0:08.6 | Lead with confidence, lead with expertise. |
| 0:11.1 | Visit us at Pluralsight.com to tap in and learn more. |
| 0:26.8 | Hello everyone. Welcome back to Make Me Smart, where none of us is as smart as all of us. |
| 0:31.4 | Thanks for joining us, whether you're watching the YouTube live stream or listening to the podcast. |
| 0:34.6 | It is Friday, which means it's time for economics on tap. |
| 0:39.2 | Today, we're going to talk about the AI economy, artificial intelligence, |
| 0:45.0 | because next week, Marketplace's evening show plus Marketplace Tech will be exploring the artificial intelligence boom, and specifically what AI infrastructure actually looks like |
| 0:50.5 | on the ground, as well as the risks that we have been talking about on this show |
| 0:55.0 | and elsewhere and wondering whether or not this AI boom could go bust. And so joining me today |
| 1:01.5 | is my colleague who's been doing a ton of this reporting, Megan McCarty Carrino. She's been leading |
| 1:06.3 | the coverage for Marketplace Tech. Welcome back, Megan. Hey, so good to be here. It's fun to just be a guest |
| 1:12.4 | and just sit back. Relax. Good. You should relax and have a good time, although I will have |
| 1:18.1 | questions for you later. And the first question is, what are you drinking? So I made myself |
| 1:24.6 | a little Americano, which is Kampari and sweet vermouth and soda water and a little lime or lemon. |
| 1:34.3 | What does that taste like? That's a lot of strong flavors. |
| 1:39.2 | It's, you know, it's kind of bitter and herbaceous and savory. I love bitter. I'm a bitter gal. |
| 1:46.3 | Okay. So, yeah. That's interesting. I don't think I've ever had one of those. How is it? |
| 1:52.5 | It's very in my wheelhouse. Pretty much everything I make as some sort of like a bitter thing or, you know, a bitter and another, another thing. And another bitter and more bitter and |
| 2:04.4 | more bitter. Yes. Yeah, yeah. No, I, I am a fan of the, but also bitter on the inside. |
| 2:13.6 | Yeah. So, yeah. What have you got? Well, I have something very sweet, probably because I'm bitter on the |
... |
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