The Indicator from Planet Money

How AI is shrinking the job market for teens

Karissa Tang is a 17-year-old in California who got curious about the impact of AI on typical teen jobs like cashiers and fast food counter workers. She embarked on an ambitious economic research project and shares her findings with us. Related episodes:  How much is AI actually affecting the workforce? [https://www.npr.org/2025/09/04/nx-s1-5527315/how-much-is-ai-actually-affecting-the-workforce] AI creates, transforms and destroys... jobs [https://www.npr.org/2023/12/08/1197958787/ai-jobs-friday] When does youth employment become child labor? [https://www.npr.org/2024/03/20/1197963204/youth-employment-child-labor-workforce] For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org [http://plus.npr.org/]. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez [https://www.npr.org/people/1268825622/sierra-juarez]. Music by Drop Electric [https://dropelectric.bandcamp.com/]. Find us: TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@planetmoney], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/planetmoney/], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/planetmoney], Newsletter [https://www.npr.org/newsletter/money]. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices] NPR Privacy Policy [https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy]

Venezuela didn't steal U.S. oil. Here's what happened

President Trump claims Venezuela stole American oil. Is that true? We trace Venezuela's oil industry from its 1920s birth through nationalization and then collapse. Today on the show, how did the Venezuelan oil industry get to a point where it’s barely pulling from its reserves? And will anything change now?  Related episodes:  Venezuela’s economic descent (Updated) [https://www.npr.org/2026/01/03/nx-s1-5665743/venezuelas-economic-descent-updated]  Venezuela’s recent economic history (Update) [https://www.npr.org/2026/01/04/nx-s1-5666322/venezuela-hyperinflation-maduro-gonzalez]  Why oil in Guyana could be a curse [https://www.npr.org/2024/01/10/1197960933/why-oil-in-guyana-could-be-a-curse] For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org [http://plus.npr.org/]. Fact-checking by Julia Ritchey. Music by Drop Electric [https://dropelectric.bandcamp.com/]. Find us: TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@planetmoney], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/planetmoney/], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/planetmoney], Newsletter [https://www.npr.org/newsletter/money].   Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices] NPR Privacy Policy [https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy]

Can you trust you're getting the same grocery prices as someone else?

When you're in a grocery store nowadays, chances are your data is being collected. From a swipe of the loyalty card to the purchase of an ice cream pint, your data tells stores what you like, how much they should stock, and more.  But what if that data meant a grocer could charge you a different price than another shopper? On today's show, the evolving price tag.   Related episodes: Should 'surveillance pricing' be banned?  [https://www.npr.org/2025/09/23/nx-s1-5550264/should-surveillance-pricing-be-banned] How Grocery Shelves Get Stacked [https://www.npr.org/2019/04/30/718711109/how-grocery-shelves-get-stacked]  How niche brands got into your local supermarket [https://www.npr.org/2024/01/25/1197961375/battle-grocery-shelf-space-niche-brands] For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org [http://plus.npr.org/]. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez [https://www.npr.org/people/1268825622/sierra-juarez]. Music by Drop Electric [https://dropelectric.bandcamp.com/]. Find us: TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@planetmoney], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/planetmoney/], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/planetmoney], Newsletter [https://www.npr.org/newsletter/money]. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices] NPR Privacy Policy [https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy]

How cocaine smuggling through Latin America really works

Former Venezuelan leader, Nicolás Maduro, appeared in a New York court yesterday. He’s facing drug-trafficking and weapons charges after the U.S. abducted him and his wife in an explosive operation over the weekend. But is there any credibility to the drug-trafficking accusations? And what does the cocaine supply chain look like in 2026? Today on the show, tracing cocaine’s journey from the Andes to the streets of U.S. cities. Further reading:  Ioan Grillo – El Narco [https://www.ioangrillo.com/books/] Related episodes:  Venezuela’s economic descent (Updated) [https://www.npr.org/2026/01/03/nx-s1-5665743/venezuelas-economic-descent-updated] Why Are Venezuelans Starving? [https://www.npr.org/2019/03/20/705259623/why-are-venezuelans-starving] Lessons from a former drug dealer [https://www.npr.org/2022/05/16/1099240553/lessons-from-a-former-drug-dealer] For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org [http://plus.npr.org/]. Fact-checking by Cooper Katz McKim [https://www.npr.org/people/1200794832/cooper-katz-mckim] and Sierra Juarez [https://www.npr.org/people/1268825622/sierra-juarez]. Music by Drop Electric [https://dropelectric.bandcamp.com/]. Find us: TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@planetmoney], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/planetmoney/], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/planetmoney], Newsletter [https://www.npr.org/newsletter/money]. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices] NPR Privacy Policy [https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy]

Why China pulled the plug on Japan

Japan’s new prime minister Sanae Takaichi made waves last fall after saying her country might intervene if China invaded Taiwan. In response, China launched state-organized boycotts against Japan — canceling concerts, restricting seafood imports, and even recalling pandas. Today on the show, what does it look like for a state to organize a boycott, and does it work?  Related episodes: How Japan’s new prime minister is jolting markets [https://www.npr.org/2025/12/03/nx-s1-5629205/how-japans-new-prime-minister-is-jolting-markets] When do boycotts work? [https://www.npr.org/2025/04/28/1247707503/when-do-boycotts-work]  Forging Taiwan's Silicon Shield [https://www.npr.org/2022/10/07/1127595393/taiwan-miracle-semiconductor-silicon-shield-china]  For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org [http://plus.npr.org/]. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez [https://www.npr.org/people/1268825622/sierra-juarez]. Music by Drop Electric [https://dropelectric.bandcamp.com/]. Find us: TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@planetmoney], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/planetmoney/], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/planetmoney], Newsletter [https://www.npr.org/newsletter/money].   Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices] NPR Privacy Policy [https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy]