By many metrics, Meta is falling behind in the AI race. So CEO Mark Zuckerberg is building one of the largest data centers in the world — a facility the size of about 3,000 football fields in one of the poorest regions in the US.

On today’s Big Take podcast, host Sarah Holder sits down with Bloomberg reporter Riley Griffin, who traveled to Richland Parish, Louisiana, to hear from residents about the risks and opportunities they see as Meta comes to town. Will they reap the benefits? Or trade in one uncertain economy for another?

Read more: Meta Goes Big on the Bayou

We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer.

Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by Julia Press; Reported by Riley Griffin; Edited by Aaron Edwards.

Fact-checking by Laura Newcombe and Rachael Lewis-Krisky; Engineering by Alex Sugiura.

Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

By many metrics, Meta is falling behind in the AI race. So CEO Mark Zuckerberg is building one of the largest data centers in the world &mdash; a facility the size of about 3,000 football fields in one of the poorest regions in the US.
On today&rsquo;s Big Take podcast, host Sarah Holder sits down with Bloomberg reporter Riley Griffin, who traveled to Richland Parish, Louisiana, to hear from residents about the risks and opportunities they see as Meta comes to town. Will they reap the benefits? Or trade in one uncertain economy for another?
Read more: <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2026-meta-facebook-ai-data-center-louisiana/">Meta Goes Big on the Bayou</a>
We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/subscriptions/podcasts">Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer.</a>
Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by Julia Press; Reported by Riley Griffin; Edited by Aaron Edwards.
Fact-checking by Laura Newcombe and Rachael Lewis-Krisky; Engineering by Alex Sugiura.
Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

The Big Take from Bloomberg News brings you inside what’s shaping the world's economies with the smartest and most informed business reporters around the world. The context you need on the stories that can move markets. Every afternoon.

The Big Take from Bloomberg News brings you inside what’s shaping the world's economies with the smartest and most informed business reporters around the world. The context you need on the stories that can move markets. Every afternoon.

Big Take

Can AI Save This Failing Rural Economy?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/93586700-2ff6-46a4-a18c-b460015bda6b/transcript

President Rodrigo Paz ended 20 years of socialist rule in Bolivia with promises of unity, democracy and prosperity — and plans to tap the country’s mineral wealth. But when host David Gura went to Bolivia to interview the president, he found a harsher reality: demonstrators blockading La Paz’s streets to demand the president’s resignation.

On today’s Big Take podcast, Gura shows how centuries-old distrust of government is complicating President Paz’s efforts to persuade Bolivians – and investors – that this time is different.

We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer.

Hosted by David Gura; Produced by David Fox; Reported by David Gura and Sergio Mendoza; Edited by Jeffrey Grocott and Tracey Samuelson.

Fact-checking by Rachael Lewis-Krisky and Laura Newcombe; Engineering by Alex Sugiura.

Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

Special thanks to Simon Hampton, Javier Castaneda, Luke Mailander and Adonai Sierra.

President Rodrigo Paz ended 20 years of socialist rule in Bolivia with promises of unity, democracy and prosperity &mdash; and plans to tap the country&rsquo;s mineral wealth. But when host David Gura went to Bolivia to interview the president, he found a harsher reality: demonstrators blockading La Paz&rsquo;s streets to demand the president&rsquo;s resignation.
On today&rsquo;s Big Take podcast, Gura shows how centuries-old distrust of government is complicating President Paz&rsquo;s efforts to persuade Bolivians &ndash; and investors &ndash; that this time is different.
We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/subscriptions/podcasts">Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer.</a>
Hosted by David Gura; Produced by David Fox; Reported by David Gura and Sergio Mendoza; Edited by Jeffrey Grocott and Tracey Samuelson.
Fact-checking by Rachael Lewis-Krisky and Laura Newcombe; Engineering by Alex Sugiura.
Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.
Special thanks to Simon Hampton, Javier Castaneda, Luke Mailander and Adonai Sierra.

We Went to Interview Bolivia’s President and a Riot Broke Out

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/dfb42ad2-9cad-4959-bbf1-b45f01685d34/transcript

For more than a decade, the towns north of Dallas, Texas – places like Frisco, Prosper and Celina – have seen an unprecedented housing boom, thanks in part to Indian workers drawn by skilled tech jobs and employers who sponsored their H-1B visas. But in the past year, the market for these houses has fallen and some of Texas’ biggest boomtowns have gone bust.

On today’s Big Take podcast, US housing reporter Prashant Gopal and host Sarah Holder unpack the forces underpinning a growing real estate crisis in Dallas-Forth Worth. They examine how changes to the H-1B visa program forced some residents to rethink their futures and what the dramatic pull back could mean for some of the newest suburbs.

This episode contains mention of suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, a global list of help lines is available at blog.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines/

We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer.

Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky; Reported by Prashant Gopal and Tanaz Meghjani; Edited by Jeffrey Grocott.

Fact-checking by Laura Newcombe; Engineering by Alex Sugiura.

Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

For more than a decade, the towns north of Dallas, Texas &ndash; places like Frisco, Prosper and Celina &ndash; have seen an unprecedented housing boom, thanks in part to Indian workers drawn by skilled tech jobs and employers who sponsored their H-1B visas. But in the past year, the market for these houses has fallen and some of Texas&rsquo; biggest boomtowns have gone bust.
On today&rsquo;s Big Take podcast, US housing reporter Prashant Gopal and host Sarah Holder unpack the forces underpinning a growing real estate crisis in Dallas-Forth Worth. They examine how changes to the H-1B visa program forced some residents to rethink their futures and what the dramatic pull back could mean for some of the newest suburbs.
This episode contains mention of suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, a global list of help lines is available at&nbsp;<a href="http://blog.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines/">blog.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines/</a>
We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/subscriptions/podcasts">Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer.</a>
Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky; Reported by Prashant Gopal and Tanaz Meghjani; Edited by Jeffrey Grocott.
Fact-checking by Laura Newcombe; Engineering by Alex Sugiura.
Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

How H-1B Restrictions Popped Dallas’ Housing Bubble

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/64fe1f3b-a6f8-4290-8369-b45e01527159/transcript

Samsung recently made headlines when it narrowly averted a strike by offering eye-popping bonuses to its chip workers. But the move has seemingly backfired—sparking deep resentment in other corners of the company and fueling a wider debate over wage equity in South Korea.

On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, host K. Oanh Ha and Bloomberg’s Yoolim Lee break down how the wage dispute took hold in South Korea and discuss its broader global implications as other tech giants weigh how best to share the spoils of their AI windfalls.

Read more: Huge AI Bonuses in South Korea Spark Fight Over Sharing Tech Wealth

Hosted by Oanh Ha; Produced by Yang Yang; Reported by Yoolim Lee; Edited by Patrick Hirsch, Edwin Chan.

Fact-checking by Naomi Ng; Engineering by Taka Yasuzawa

Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

Samsung recently made headlines when it narrowly averted a strike by offering eye-popping bonuses to its chip workers. But the move has seemingly backfired&mdash;sparking deep resentment in other corners of the company and fueling a wider debate over wage equity in South Korea.
On today&rsquo;s Big Take Asia podcast, host K. Oanh Ha and Bloomberg&rsquo;s Yoolim Lee break down how the wage dispute took hold in South Korea and discuss its broader global implications as other tech giants weigh how best to share the spoils of their AI windfalls.
Read more: <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2026-05-29/samsung-ai-bonuses-prompt-korea-debate-on-sharing-tech-wealth">Huge AI Bonuses in South Korea Spark Fight Over Sharing Tech Wealth</a>
Hosted by Oanh Ha; Produced by Yang Yang; Reported by Yoolim Lee; Edited by Patrick Hirsch, Edwin Chan.
Fact-checking by Naomi Ng; Engineering by Taka Yasuzawa
Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

Huge AI Bonuses Spark South Korea Tech Wealth Fight

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/f31e0b7a-3ba7-4496-9b4a-b45d014d2e2c/transcript

Can AI Save This Failing Rural Economy?

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