EPISODE · Jun 6, 2026 · 47 MIN
The Index Fund Problemtunity
from Slate News
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.
What this episode covers
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.
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The Index Fund Problemtunity
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