Marketplace All-in-One

We learned on Friday that inflation dropped to 2.4% — the lowest it’s been in almost five years. But certain prices are still rising much faster than that overall measure, including utilities. The National Energy Assistance Directors Association projects that people will have to spend over $1,000, on average, to heat their homes this winter. Plus, the IRS lost more than 25% of its staff to cuts. Is it ready for this tax season?

From the BBC World Service: The Chinese tech company ByteDance says it'll curb its AI video app, Seedance, which is being used to create viral life-like clips of Hollywood stars; Disney and other entertainment giants have threatened legal action over it. Then, the UK government says it will review its regulation of AI to better protect children online. And later, Starbucks is hoping AI will help turn around the company's fortunes.

Caterpillar, which manufactures heavy duty equipment like asphalt pavers, diesel engine locomotives, and industrial gas turbines, has been around for 101 years. And now, the company seems to be one of the big winners of the AI infrastructure build out.

Big tech companies are working as fast as possible to get their data centers up to power artificial intelligence. Some are building their own natural gas plants to provide electricity for those data centers. Enter Caterpillar, maker of electric generators. Marketplace’s Dan Ackerman has been reporting on this.

On Thursday, Feb. 12, the Environmental Protection Agency announced the revocation of the “endangerment finding,” a federal determination that planet-warming emissions harm human health. The Trump administration said the decision will save Americans $1.3 trillion in energy and transportation, but experts are pushing back on that claim. Plus: The rise of concierge medicine and a look into how AI modeling could play a role in your weather forecast.

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Hey Smarties! There won’t be a livestream for “Economics on Tap” today. But don’t worry! “Economics on Tap” will return soon on Feb. 20. For now, we’re sharing a new episode from our friends over at “This Is Uncomfortable.” Enjoy!

Author and journalist Aymann Ismail wants his kids to grow up with a real connection to their Egyptian roots, including speaking Arabic. For his family, that means committing to a private Islamic school — and figuring out how to afford tuition.

“This Is Uncomfortable” host Reema Khrais sits down with Aymann as he walks through his family budget and the financial trade-offs that decision requires. They talk about what’s at stake for him, financially and culturally, and why holding onto Arabic feels especially urgent right now.

If you liked this episode, share it with a friend. And if you want to tell us what you thought about the episode or about a tricky financial decision you’ve made, email us at [email protected] or call 347-RING-TIU. And follow our new social accounts on Instagram and Tiktok @ThisIsUncomfortablePod