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

Summary

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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

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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.

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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]

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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]

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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]

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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.

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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]

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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.

Transcript

[Jessica Mendoza]

Hey, this is Jessica Mendoza, host of the Journal Podcast, our show about money, business and power. If you're looking for more deeply reported stories like we share every day, consider becoming a subscriber to the Wall Street Journal. Visit subscribe.WSJ.com TheJournal all lowercase to subscribe now,

[Julie Chang]

here's your afternoon TNB Tech Minute for Monday, April 13. I'm Julie Chang for the Wall Street Journal. Amazon expanded its Amazon Auto's car sales service to include Kia, Mazda, Subaru, Chevrolet and Jeep. Launched in 2024, the program lets customers browse and purchase cars from nearby participating dealerships. Dealers pay a fee to have their cars listed on Amazon, but shoppers don't incur additional costs if they pull the trigger. The service is active in over 130 cities, including Los Angeles, Dallas and New York.

[Wall Street Journal Reporter]

Insurers Stand to Gain big Business from Data centers In a report out today,

[Julie Chang]

S and P Global Ratings estimates data centers could generate $10 billion in insurance premiums this year, double the $5 billion paid by the entire aviation sector. With total worldwide insurance data center assets valued at $2 trillion and projected to grow by $300 billion in 2027, the firm calls this a huge growth opportunity for insurers.

[Wall Street Journal Reporter]

And although the Trump administration put substantial tariffs on foreign products last year, the

[Julie Chang]

goods trade deficit widened and AI might be to blame. 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. But the actual impacts might be even more substantial than just counting imports of obvious items like semiconductors.

[Wall Street Journal Reporter]

That's according to a new working paper

[Julie Chang]

posted to the National Bureau of Economic Research's website today, which estimates AI imports grew 73% from 2023 to 2025, while non AI related products increased just 3% over the same period.

[Wall Street Journal Reporter]

For a deeper dive into what's happening

[Julie Chang]

in tech, check out Tuesday's Tech News Briefing podcast.

[Wall Street Journal Announcer]

The Future of Everything is The Wall Street Journal's flagship live event, returning to New York City May 4th through 5th. Be there as CEOs, policymakers and innovators sit down with our journalists to answer the most pressing questions of the day. From finance, tech and economic policy to sports streaming and style, we're bringing together today's most compelling newsmakers for two days of conversations on what's ahead. Let's Listeners of this podcast can access exclusive discounted rates by visiting WSJ.com future. That's WSJ.com future.