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Security tools miss what matters Identity. Sailpoint unifies identity, security and data by detecting threats in motion and responding in real time. Transform risk into resilience welcome to the new era of adaptive identity driven by Sailpoint.
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Here's your morning TNB Tech minute for Thursday, January 15th. I'm Julie Chang for the Wall Street Journal. Federal immigration agents targeted construction workers traveling to the site of a Meta Platforms data center being built in Louisiana. Thus, according local law enforcement, U.S. immigration and Customs Enforcement agents conducted traffic stops on their way to the site today, and per the sheriff's office, two drivers were arrested due to their immigration status. They were from Guatemala and Honduras. Meta is building a $27 billion data center in a rural area in northeast Louisiana in a joint venture with Blue Owl Capital. Meta declined to comment when asked about the arrests. The Department of Homeland Security didn't respond to requests for comment. We exclusively report that Amazon Web Services signed a two year supply pact with Rio Tinto's Arizona mine to get copper for the tech giant's AI data center needs. Last year, the mine became the first new source of US Copper in more than a decade. Tech companies are rushing to secure the power and critical materials necessary to build and operate AI data centers. The copper from Rio Tinto will satisfy only a sliver of Amazon's needs. The biggest data centers each require tens of thousands of metric tons of copper for all the wires, circuit boards and other electrical components housed there. A study published last week by S and P Global estimates copper demand for AI is projected to increase 50% by 2040, potentially leading to a 25% supply shortfall. And Spotify is raising the price of its premium subscription in the U.S. the company said today that the cost of a U.S. premium subscription will go up by a dollar, nearly $13 a month. A spokesperson said updates to pricing enables it to, quote, continue offering the best possible experience and benefit artists. The new pricing will take effect starting next month. Spotify previously hiked prices for its U.S. premium subscription in 2023 and 2024, and that's your TMB Tech Minute. We'll be back this afternoon with more security tools.
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Ms. What matters identity. They can't see who is accessing what, when, where, why, or at what risk level until it's too late. Sailpoint Adaptive Identity unifies identity, security and data detecting threats in motion and responding in real time because static security can't protect a dynamic enterprise. See what others can't stop threats before they spread. Transform risk into resilience welcome to the new era of adaptive identity driven by Sailpoint.
Episode Date: January 15, 2026
Host: Julie Chang
In this concise Tech Minute, host Julie Chang covers three of the day's top stories in tech:
Each segment provides exclusive reporting, industry context, and notable statistics related to broader tech trends.
Federal immigration agents (ICE) conducted traffic stops targeting construction workers en route to the Meta Platforms data center under construction in northeast Louisiana.
Local law enforcement reported that two drivers—citizens of Guatemala and Honduras—were arrested due to their immigration status.
The $27 billion data center project is a joint venture between Meta and Blue Owl Capital.
Both Meta and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security declined to comment on the arrests.
Quote:
“Federal immigration agents targeted construction workers traveling to the site of a Meta Platforms data center being built in Louisiana.”
— Julie Chang [00:20]
Insight:
This is a rare intersection of immigration enforcement and tech infrastructure, highlighting workforce vulnerabilities related to large construction projects in rural America.
Exclusive WSJ reporting: Amazon Web Services signed a two-year supply pact for copper with Rio Tinto’s Arizona mine—“the first new source of US copper in more than a decade.”
Tech companies are in a “rush” to secure materials like copper, indispensable for building and operating AI data centers.
The copper from this deal will meet only a fraction of AWS’s needs, signaling the enormous scale of material demand in the sector.
S&P Global study (published last week) projects a 50% increase in copper demand for AI by 2040, with potential for a 25% supply shortfall.
Quote:
“The biggest data centers each require tens of thousands of metric tons of copper for all the wires, circuit boards, and other electrical components housed there.”
— Julie Chang [01:44]
Insight:
Material supply is rapidly becoming a bottleneck for Big Tech’s AI ambitions as infrastructure and raw resource needs soar.
Spotify announced a $1 increase to its US Premium subscription, bringing the total to nearly $13/month effective next month.
The company stated the price hike is to “continue offering the best possible experience and benefit artists.”
This marks the third consecutive annual price increase after similar hikes in 2023 and 2024.
Quote:
“A spokesperson said updates to pricing enables it to, quote, ‘continue offering the best possible experience and benefit artists.’”
— Julie Chang [02:08]
Insight:
Frequent price increases suggest ongoing cost pressures and investment needs for major tech-enabled streaming platforms—often justified as benefiting both users and creators.
“Tech companies are rushing to secure the power and critical materials necessary to build and operate AI data centers.”
— Julie Chang [01:31]
“The copper from Rio Tinto will satisfy only a sliver of Amazon's needs.”
— Julie Chang [01:39]
This Tech Minute provides a succinct update on how global tech projects intersect with U.S. labor enforcement, raw materials sourcing, and shifting consumer costs in the streaming economy.