The Unemployment Spike Nobody's Talking About + Why the SpaceX IPO Doesn't Add Up

Alice Han and James Kynge break down the forces reshaping China’s economy and its growing influence in the global AI race. They start with the macro picture: China’s Q1 GDP came in stronger than expected, but the headline number masks a more uneven recovery — with infrastructure spending doing much of the heavy lifting, while consumer demand remains soft, property prices continue to fall, and auto sales stay under pressure. From there, they move into one of the most striking shifts in the global tech economy: China’s emerging advantage in AI. In particular, its rapid rise as a leading exporter of “tokens” — the computational units that power large language models and agentic AI systems. With lower costs, rapid scaling, and increasingly competitive open-weight models, Chinese AI firms are beginning to reshape global pricing and usage dynamics across the industry. They also examine Beijing’s expanding use of export controls — spanning rare earth minerals to advanced solar technologies — and how this evolving strategy fits into a broader effort to manage global supply chains and respond to rising economic decoupling. Finally, they turn to China’s domestic innovation boom, from unconventional consumer products like in-car toilets and water bikes to headline-grabbing advances in robotics, including a humanoid robot that recently completed a half-marathon ahead of human runners. Is this just spectacle, or a signal of deeper industrial and engineering momentum? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Scott Galloway explains why unemployment spiked among young women, breaks down the SpaceX IPO (and why it's not a good bet), and shares his take on the importance of maintaining old friendships. Want to be featured in a future episode? Send a voice recording to [email protected], or drop your question in the r/ScottGalloway subreddit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As read by George Hahn. https://www.profgmedia.com/p/moonshot Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Scott Galloway addresses concerns about muscle loss on GLP-1 drugs and explains why he's still bullish, unpacks the financial and emotional strain of supporting aging family members, and makes the case for putting the pedal down on your career before it's too late. Want to be featured in a future episode? Send a voice recording to [email protected], or drop your question in the r/ScottGalloway subreddit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara Swisher joins Scott Galloway to discuss her new CNN Original Series Kara Swisher Wants to Live Forever — and what she uncovered about the billion-dollar longevity industry. They explore why tech elites are obsessed with living forever, how trends like peptides and biohacking took off, and why most of it is noise. Plus, what actually works: the simple, unsexy factors that matter most for living longer, and why wealth and access may be the biggest advantages of all. Also, friendly reminder that we're live on Substack. Subscribe at profgmedia.com to get ad-free versions of all our podcasts, the full archive of Scott’s newsletters, and exclusive content including deep dives, livestream conversations, and subscriber Q&As. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Big news! We’ve just been nominated for a Webby Award for Best News & Politics Podcast! Now it’s time to bring it home — and we need your help.  Cast your vote HERE: ⁠⁠https://wbby.co/57448N⁠ Scott Galloway and Jessica Tarlov break down the escalating crisis following the Trump administration’s Iran blockade—and what it could mean for the global economy. As tensions intensify in the Strait of Hormuz and negotiations stall between the U.S. and Iran, markets are flashing warning signs that a broader economic shock may already be unfolding. Senator Chris Murphy joins the show to discuss the legality of the administration’s actions, Congress’s inability to assert War Powers authority, and whether the U.S. is being pushed toward a wider conflict without meaningful checks and balances. The conversation also explores growing international backlash, shifting alliances in Europe and the Middle East, and the potential fallout for global trade and energy markets. With the IMF warning of slowing global growth, rising inflation, and increased recession risk, the panel examines whether Trump’s Iran strategy could trigger a broader economic downturn—and what, if anything, can be done to stop it. Follow Jessica Tarlov,⁠ @JessicaTarlov⁠  Follow Prof G,⁠ @profgalloway⁠  Follow Raging Moderates, ⁠@RagingModeratesPod⁠  Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@RagingModerates⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What began as a fragile ceasefire has turned into a U.S.-led blockade of the Strait of Hormuz — and China is moving to capitalize. As tensions between the U.S. and Iran escalate, Beijing is quietly positioning itself as a global power broker — nudging diplomacy while sidestepping responsibility.  At the same time, Donald Trump is firing back with tariff threats, linking instability in the Middle East directly to U.S.–China tensions. Alice and James discuss whether or not the Chinese government is providing military aid to Iran, and explore why that’s such a fraught question. Plus — how China is playing both sides, and what it all means for global markets and oil prices. And then, author and China scholar Eyck Freymann joins the show to talk about Taiwan — and the looming military threats that a China-led “reunification” effort would pose. From Beijing’s outreach to Taiwan’s opposition, to the ramifications of a potential conflict on the global semiconductor industry, Alice, James and Eyck explore what the consequences of a direct confrontation over Taiwan could be — and whether, in the threat of a Chinese invasion, the U.S. would have what it takes to deter war. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Scott Galloway on why Talarico could reshape the 2028 Democratic race, how to think about a career pivot when one industry is all you know, and what to do when the job is great but the product weighs on your conscience. Want to be featured in a future episode? Send a voice recording to [email protected], or drop your question in the r/ScottGalloway subreddit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This post originally ran in Ed Elson’s newsletter, Simply Put. Subscribe here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Scott Galloway reflects on Robert Mueller as a role model for masculinity, explains why pricing is a signal and how to charge what you're worth, and weighs in on whether firing bad clients is a luxury or a necessity. Want to be featured in a future episode? Send a voice recording to [email protected], or drop your question in the r/ScottGalloway subreddit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices