Worlds apart on generative AI use

Summary

---

Marketplace Morning Report

Episode: Worlds apart on generative AI use
Date: January 21, 2026
Host: David Brancaccio

---

Episode Overview

This episode covers a range of current economic uncertainties, from major global market fluctuations triggered by political events to the latest public attitudes on generative AI around the world. The main feature focuses on a new survey showing Americans' skepticism toward AI, contrasted with optimism in other countries. The show also touches on legal and political drama at the Federal Reserve and policy debates from Davos, Switzerland.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Market Volatility Amid Political Uncertainty

(01:01 - 03:13)

• Recent statements from President Trump, including his renewed interest in Greenland and his appearance at Davos, have added to economic uncertainty.
• U.S. markets experienced sharp declines: Dow Jones down 1.25%, S&P down 2.1%, Nasdaq down 2.4%.
• The financial world is wary of renewed talks around tariffs, further unsettling markets that believed those risks were already "priced in."
• Notable Quote
  • Russ Mold (AJ Bell):
    "One of the most intriguing things in the final quarter of last year, in the early stages of this year was the word tariff wasn't really being discussed by stock market or bond market strategists anymore... And now this conversation [is] starting again, which... is another reason why we have markets losing a bit of that early year positive momentum." (02:18)
• The unpredictability of political events and presidential remarks is making it difficult for even industry pros to anticipate market moves.
• Notable Quote
  • Russ Mold:
    "Everybody has to listen to the most powerful leader in the world... So what the president has to say always matters. But under these circumstances, yes. Given that nobody's quite sure what he's going to say next." (02:49)

2. Legal Battle Over the Federal Reserve

(03:15 - 05:27)

• The Supreme Court is set to hear arguments about the President's attempt to fire Fed Governor Lisa Cook over alleged mortgage fraud, which she denies.
• Fed Chair Jerome Powell's attendance at the hearing marks a notable shift in the Fed's posture following months of pressure from the White House to lower interest rates.
• Powell publicly criticized the Justice Department's grand jury subpoenas as retaliation for Fed independence.
• Notable Quote
  • Nancy Marshall Genzer:
    "...Powell unveiled a new aggressive stance toward the White House with an extraordinary video in which he said the Department of Justice had served the Fed with grand jury subpoenas... Powell said the threat of criminal charges was a pretext, a consequence of the central bank setting interest rates independently of what the president wanted." (04:48)

3. Divergent Attitudes Toward Generative AI Around the World

(06:27 - 08:57)

• An Ipsos and Google survey reveals stark differences: only 40% of American adults report using AI, versus approximately 85% in countries like Nigeria, UAE, and India.
• Most Americans are more concerned about AI’s risks than excited about its potential, with particular anxiety over jobs and economic impact.
• Notable Quote
  • Samantha Fields: "A majority of Americans are more concerned about the risks associated with AI than they are excited about the possibilities." (06:50)
• In contrast, in countries like the UAE, Nigeria, and India, the survey reveals broad AI optimism—often seeing AI as a way to close gaps in resources and opportunity.
• Notable Quote
  • Alec Tyson (Ipsos): "I think there is a sense around the world that in many of the places surveyed there's a lot to gain from AI. Maybe the upside there is really clear in terms of closing some of the gaps to information or resources..." (07:15)
• Harvard’s David Deming suggests less-connected, middle-income countries see AI as an economic gateway, while in the U.S., the upside feels less certain for those already well-connected.
• Memorable Moment
  • Paul Kudrowski (MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy) captures the tension: "I think the disruption is going to be massive within countries. I think it'll lead pretty quickly to further inequality. But in terms of at the country level... it's going to be a huge leveler in terms of bringing up countries that were struggling to advance and now feel like they've got a cheat code." (08:34)
• Optimism in developing countries is driven by the sense that AI provides "a shortcut" to economic advancement, whereas U.S. pessimism is linked to fears of job loss and a stagnating economy.

4. Financial Policy at Davos

(08:57)

• JPMorgan Chase CEO warns that capping credit card rates at 10% (a Trump proposal) would cause "economic disaster."

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Financial Markets Turmoil & Geopolitics: 01:01 - 03:15
• Federal Reserve Legal Drama: 03:15 - 05:27
• Public Attitude Toward AI – U.S. vs. World: 06:27 - 08:57
• Credit Policy Debate at Davos: 08:57

---

Memorable Quotes

• Russ Mold:
  "Markets losing a bit of that early year positive momentum." (02:18)
  "Everybody has to listen to the most powerful leader in the world... But under these circumstances, yes. Given that nobody's quite sure what he's going to say next." (02:49)

• Nancy Marshall Genzer:
  "Powell...unveiled a new aggressive stance toward the White House with an extraordinary video..." (04:48)

• Samantha Fields:
  "A majority of Americans are more concerned about the risks associated with AI than they are excited about the possibilities." (06:50)

• Alec Tyson:
  "There's a lot to gain from AI. Maybe the upside there is really clear in terms of closing some of the gaps..." (07:15)

• Paul Kudrowski:
  "It's going to be a huge leveler in terms of bringing up countries that were struggling to advance and now feel like they've got a cheat code." (08:34)

---

Episode Tone

The tone is brisk, informative, and slightly urgent due to the fast-moving nature of both breaking economic news and the evolving discourse on AI. The show maintains Marketplace’s signature blend of straightforward reporting with globally aware analysis, capturing both skepticism and cautious optimism.

---

For listeners who missed this episode, you’ll leave understanding the global economic tension points and how AI’s promise and peril are viewed through wildly different lenses, from America’s cautious skepticism to the keen optimism of developing nations.

Transcript

[LifeLock Advertiser]

The new year brings new health goals and wealth goals. Protecting your identity is an important step. Your info is in endless places that could expose you to identity theft leading to lost funds. LifeLock monitors millions of data points per second. If your identity is stolen, our restoration specialists will fix it, guaranteed or your money back. Resolve to make identity, health and wealth part of your New year's goals. With LifeLock, save up to 40% your first year. Visit LifeLock.com SpecialOffer terms apply.

[Tide Pods Advertiser]

You know that big bargain detergent jug is 80% water, right? It doesn't clean as well. 80% water. I thought I was getting a better deal because it's so big. If you want a better clean, Tide pods are only 12% water. The rest is pure concentrated cleaning ingredients. Oh, let me make an announcement. Attention shoppers, if you want a real.

[Samantha Fields]

Deal, try Tide Pods.

[Tide Pods Advertiser]

Stop paying for watered down detergents. Pay for clean. If it's gotta be clean, it's gotta be Tide pods. Water content based on the leading bargain liquid detergent.

[David Brancaccio]

We're watching financial markets on what could be an especially volatile news day for bonds, stocks and currencies. I'm David Brancaccio in Los Angeles. A US President interested in taking a piece of a NATO country. Greenland is part of the uncertainty that knocked the Dow Jones industrial average down 870 points yesterday 1 1/4%. The S&P fell 2.1%. The Nasdaq yesterday lost 2.4%. President Trump has begun his SPEEC at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland now, where early on he shared his view, not supported by the data, that inflation is virtually non existent now in the US I spoke this morning to Russ Mold, investment director at the UK based investment firm AJ Bell.

[Russ Mold]

To be fair, they're not very good at measuring geopolitical activity or risk because it's really, really hard to quantify and second guess what's going to come next. But we've certainly had a very soft start to the week after the American Martin Luther King Day on Monday. We've had US Markets start the week in the red and Asian and European markets have lost some of the momentum that they had this year and that they're in the red again today.

[David Brancaccio]

There is a sense of uncertainty that even our pros with all their market screens and information that they digest can't fully parse.

[Russ Mold]

One of the most intriguing things in the final quarter of last year, in the early stages of this year was the word tariff wasn't really being discussed by stock market or bond market strategists anymore. They felt that we knew where they stood with that, where markets stood with that. The possibly were factored in. And now this conversation starting again, which again I think is another reason why we have markets losing a bit of that early year positive momentum.

[David Brancaccio]

Now, I assume you're going to be paying close attention to markets as the live feed comes in from Davos. But that could shove markets to and fro.

[Russ Mold]

It could. Everybody has to listen to the most powerful leader in the world and the person who ultimately is in charge of the country. That's the world's biggest economic engine. It's home to its world's biggest bond market, biggest stock market and its reserve currency. So what the president has to say always matters. But under these circumstances, yes. Given that nobody's quite sure what he's going to say next.

[David Brancaccio]

Always good to catch up with Russ Mold. He's investment director at AJ Bell out of the U.K. thank you so much.

[Russ Mold]

Thank you.

[David Brancaccio]

Yesterday, U.S. and global bond markets took a dive with some traders talking of a return to what some dubbed the Sell America trading strategy. The US 10 year interest rate is at one point. Yesterday was its highest level in nearly five months as Trump speaks at Davos. At the moment, rates are steady with the 10 year at 4.5. U.S. treasury Secretary Scott Besant said he was, quote, unconcerned about yesterday's bond sell off. Besant also labeled as irrelevant news that a Danish pension fund will sell $100 million in U.S. treasuries given Trump's Greenland aspirations. Right now, Dow and Nasdaq futures are down 3, 10% each. The U.S. supreme Court will hear arguments in just a bit in the case of Lisa Cook, the Federal Reserve governor President Trump is trying to fire. Fed Chair Jerome Powell will be in the room. Marketplace's Nancy Marshall Genzer Fed Chair Powell's.

[Nancy Marshall Genzer]

Visit to the Supreme Court is highly unusual. But he won't be the first Fed chair to attend oral arguments there. Former Chair Paul Volcker sat in the gallery for a case back in the 1980s. Now, a source familiar with the situation has confirmed to Marketplace that Powell will attend Cook's case, which is about the ability of a president to fire a member of the Fed's Board of Governors. The Trump administration is accusing Fed Governor Lisa Cook of mortgage fraud. She denies the allegations. Powell's appearance at the court today is part of the Fed chair's new approach toward President Trump. For months, Powell generally refused to comment as President Trump repeatedly pressured him to lower interest rates. But earlier this month, Powell unveiled a new aggressive stance toward the White House with an extraordinary video in which he said the Department of Justice had served the Fed with grand jury subpoenas related to renovations of some historic office buildings. Powell said the threat of criminal charges was a pretext, a consequence of the central bank setting interest rates independently of what the president wanted. I'm Nancy Marshall Genser for Marketplace.

[Brian Halligan]

Ever wish you could sit in on a private conversation between the world's top CEOs? The podcast Long Strange CEO to CEO opens the door to the kind of candid behind closed doors discussions you won't hear anywhere else. Real decisions, real pressure, and real leadership. In each episode, Brian Halligan, co founder of HubSpot, speaks with leaders to unpack the real stories behind scaling their companies. Expect candid conversations about hiring, culture, communication strategy and staying resilient when the pressure hits. Learn from leaders like Vlad Tenev of Robinhood and Parker Conrad of Rippling. Whether you're an aspiring founder, a seasoned CEO, or simply curious about the stories behind CEOs on the long, Strange trip of building enduring, legendary companies, this is a show you can't miss. Tune in to Sequoyah's new show, Long Strange Trip to hear from some of the top CEOs who are defining the new CEO rulebook. Long strange Trip is available everywhere you get your podcasts. Listen to Long Strange Trip today.

[David Brancaccio]

Now to a global look at where people are okay using artificial intelligence. A new Ipsos and Google scientific survey finds Americans more leery about the technology than in some other countries. In the U.S. 40% of adults report using AI in, say, Nigeria, the United Arab Emirates or India. It's around 85%. Marketplaces. Samantha Fields has that a majority of.

[Samantha Fields]

Americans are more concerned about the risks associated with AI than they are excited about the possibilities.

[Marketplace Host]

What we know about the US is there are particularly acute concerns about how it's going to impact the economy or particularly jobs.

[Samantha Fields]

Alec Tyson, a lead pollster at Ipsos, says in some other countries Ipsos surveyed, including the uae, Nigeria, Brazil, in India, it's the opposite. Most people are excited.

[Marketplace Host]

I think there is a sense around the world that in many of the places survey there's a lot to gain from AI. Maybe the upside there is really clear in terms of closing some of the gaps to information or resources, whereas in.

[Samantha Fields]

The US the potential upsides are less clear. David Deming at Harvard's Kennedy School says, in these still early days of AI, it's not surprising that people who have less to begin with might feel they have more to gain.

[Marketplace Host]

I just think in General, people in middle income countries have less access to the global economy and AI is a great way to speed up their access. And so it turns out to be.

[Brian Halligan]

Much more beneficial economically for people who.

[Samantha Fields]

Are less connected and maybe less beneficial for people who are connected already and making good money in jobs that AI could potentially do either now or soon. Paul Kudrowski at the MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy says even before AI, people in the US were feeling increasingly pessimistic about the economy and their future prospects.

[Paul Kudrowski]

And this only accelerates that because there is this palpable sense that this won't make things better because it's not about access to resources and making it easier for people to become more skilled or become more successful. Whereas in other countries that didn't have the access to all of the things that made it easier for Americans to get to this position, this feels like a shortcut.

[Samantha Fields]

Kudrowski says both the optimism and the wariness around AI are warranted.

[Paul Kudrowski]

I think the disruption is going to be massive within countries. I think it'll lead pretty quickly to further inequality. But in terms of at the country level levels, it's going to be a huge leveler in terms of bringing up countries that were struggling to advance and now feel like they've got a cheat code.

[Samantha Fields]

And Kudrowski says that's a big part of why there is so much excitement about AI in other countries. I'm Samantha Fields for Marketplace and the.

[David Brancaccio]

CEO of the biggest bank JPMorgan Chase said at Davos today that the Trump demand that credit card rates get capped now at 10% would spell economic disaster. Marketplace morning reports from APM American Public Media.

[Marketplace Host]

Ready to make the most of your money? Sign up to receive weekly tips from Marketplace designed to help you make smarter financial decisions. Plus, you'll also be the first to know about exclusive Marketplace merchandise and local events. Text Marketplace to 80568 to sign up.