WSJ Tech News Briefing

Episode: TNB Tech Minute: Amazon Revs Up Car Sales Service With More Brands

Date: April 13, 2026
Host: Julie Chang for The Wall Street Journal

Episode Overview

This Tech Minute edition covers Amazon’s latest expansion into car sales, explores the surge in insurance opportunities linked to data centers, and discusses how AI is driving up America's trade deficit due to soaring semiconductor imports. Each topic highlights major shifts in tech, commerce, and policy as reported by WSJ experts.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Amazon Auto Expands Car Sales Service

[00:21 – 00:56]

• Amazon Auto, launched in 2024, scales up its online car sales platform.
• Newly added brands: Kia, Mazda, Subaru, Chevrolet, and Jeep.
• The program allows customers to browse and buy cars from local participating dealerships via Amazon.
• Dealers are charged a listing fee, but shoppers pay no extra costs beyond the car’s price.
• The service now operates in over 130 cities (including Los Angeles, Dallas, New York).

Notable Quote:

• “Amazon expanded its Amazon Auto's car sales service to include Kia, Mazda, Subaru, Chevrolet and Jeep... The service is active in over 130 cities, including Los Angeles, Dallas and New York.”
  — Julie Chang [00:21]

Insurance Industry Eyes Data Centers

[00:56 – 01:27]

• Data centers are becoming a major growth area for the insurance sector.
• According to S&P Global Ratings:
  • Data centers estimated to generate $10 billion in insurance premiums in 2026.
  • That figure doubles the insurance premiums paid by the entire aviation sector.
  • Overall, insured global data center assets are valued at $2 trillion, expected to grow by $300 billion by 2027.
• This is seen as a "huge growth opportunity" for insurers due to increasing reliance on the cloud and infrastructure security.

Notable Quote:

• “Data centers could generate $10 billion in insurance premiums this year, double the $5 billion paid by the entire aviation sector.”
  — Julie Chang [01:00]

AI’s Impact on U.S. Trade Deficit

[01:27 – 02:00]

• Despite higher tariffs on foreign products, the U.S. goods trade deficit has widened.
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) is identified as a key factor:
  • In 2025, the U.S. imported about $173 billion in semiconductors and related items (up from $138 billion in 2024).
  • AI-driven imports have a broader effect than just semiconductors, impacting overall import statistics.
• Working paper released by the National Bureau of Economic Research provides fresh analysis:
  • AI-related imports rose 73% from 2023 to 2025.
  • Non-AI imports only grew 3% over the same period.
• AI buildout is reshaping import/export flows, possibly outstripping the impact of trade policy changes.

Notable Quote:

• “Data shows that the effect of America's AI buildout on trade has been big. The US imported about $173 billion of semiconductors and related products last year. That’s compared with $138 billion in 2024.”
  — Julie Chang [01:33]
• “AI imports grew 73% from 2023 to 2025, while non AI related products increased just 3% over the same period.”
  — Julie Chang [02:00]

Memorable Moments & Additional Resources

• The coverage underscores Amazon’s deeper foray into physical retail (autos), with implications for both traditional dealerships and consumers in major urban centers.
• Insight into the growing insurance market for data centers highlights a significant tech-industry meta-trend: as digital infrastructure grows, so do the industries that surround and support it.
• The episode distinctly ties together the ripple effect of AI investment not just within the technology sector, but on broader American economic policy and foreign trade.

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Amazon Auto Expands: [00:21 – 00:56]
• Data Centers in Insurance: [00:56 – 01:27]
• AI and the Trade Deficit: [01:27 – 02:00]

This episode briskly summarizes three major tech and business trends, offering data-backed insights and expert analysis relevant to both industry insiders and the casual listener.