The months-long fight over raising the debt ceiling is finally over. That means the threat of the US defaulting on its debts, and the resulting economic crisis, is off the table – at least for the next two years. So what happened? And how will it shape the economy, the political climate, and future debt negotiations? Bloomberg Congressional reporter Steven Dennis and White House reporter Jordan Fabian join guest host Nancy Cook to break down what the final agreement says and the impact it will have. Read more: Debt-Limit Deal Clears Congress, Ending Threat of US Default Listen to The Big Take podcast every weekday and subscribe to our daily newsletter: https://bloom.bg/3F3EJAK  Have questions or comments for Wes and the team? Reach us at [email protected] omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In two recent open letters, leaders and developers of artificial intelligence called for a pause of large AI projects to take stock of their impact. In tandem, Sam Altman, OpenAI’s CEO, went to Congress to ask lawmakers to regulate his own industry. What can be done to keep developers in check while allowing innovation to flourish? Bloomberg AI reporters Dina Bass and Rachel Metz join guest host Craig Gordon to talk about these longtime AI whistleblowers and why the latest calls from industry leaders may be a sincere attempt to establish some rules of the road.  Read More: Microsoft Calls for a New US Agency and Licensing for AI Listen to The Big Take podcast every weekday and subscribe to our daily newsletter: https://bloom.bg/3F3EJAK  Have questions or comments for Wes and the team? Reach us at [email protected] podcast is produced by the Big Take Podcast team: Supervising Producer: Vicki Vergolin\a, Senior Producer: Kathryn Fink, Producer: Rebecca Chaisson, Associate Producer: Sam Gebauer. Sound Design/Engineers: Raphael Amsili and Gilda Garcia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hegang, a remote coal town in northern China that faced a mountain of debt, was forced to undergo an unprecedented financial restructuring. And it’s not alone. A local debt problem in some of China’s cities threatens to be a drag on the world’s second-largest economy for years to come. Bloomberg’s Colum Murphy and James Mayger join this episode from Beijing to talk about what’s happening in Hegang and other cities, and why China’s local debt challenges may be felt well beyond its borders. Read more: China’s $23 Trillion Local Debt Mess Is About to Get Worse Listen to The Big Take podcast every weekday and subscribe to our daily newsletter: https://bloom.bg/3F3EJAK  Have questions or comments for Wes and the team? Reach us at [email protected] podcast is produced by the Big Take Podcast team: Supervising Producer: Vicki Vergolina, Senior Producer: Kathryn Fink, Producer: Federica Romaniello, Associate Producer: Zaynab Siddiqui. Sound Design/Engineer: Gilda Garcia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is Adidas without Yeezy? It’s making a lot less money for starters. Last year, longtime collaborator Ye — previously known as Kanye West — finally pushed executives too far with his outbursts and a series of anti-Semitic rants. Adidas cut ties on a collaboration worth billions.  It left a gaping hole in Adidas’s profits and exposed the challenges that one of Germany’s biggest companies now faces. Bloomberg reporters Kim Bhasin and Tim Loh join this episode to walk through how it all unfolded, and where Adidas goes from here. Read more: Adidas After Yeezy Listen to The Big Take podcast every weekday and subscribe to our daily newsletter: https://bloom.bg/3F3EJAK  Have questions or comments for Wes and the team? Reach us at [email protected] omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Automation has crept into the way all kinds of products are manufactured, but machines have also been making inroads into a different type of industry: food services. Beyond touch screens and self checkouts taking over jobs once done by humans, restaurants and fast food chains are experimenting with robots to make your pizza and assemble your salad. Bloomberg Businessweek contributor Elizabeth Dunn joins this episode to talk about her reporting on Sweetgreen, a salad chain that’s taking its first leap into a largely automated experience in a Chicago-area location. And restaurant reporter Daniela Sirtori-Cortina looks at the public-facing side of restaurant automation. Read more: Sweetgreen Tests Robots to Make Faster, More Efficient Sad Desk Salads Listen to The Big Take podcast every weekday and subscribe to our daily newsletter: https://bloom.bg/3F3EJAK  Have questions or comments for Wes and the team? Reach us at [email protected] omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.