Wall Street is buying insurance against AI companies going bust, the same move that made billions in The Big Short in 2008. In this episode I break down why the AI boom looks like the credit crunch, who really pays when it pops, and five things business owners can do this week to come out stronger.
The cost of insuring CoreWeave’s debt has more than doubled in a year. Oracle is sitting on around $160bn of debt. And the five biggest tech companies are spending more on AI than they bring in, with the gap borrowed. If this goes bang, it won’t be the tech giants left holding the bill. It’ll be small businesses, through higher rates, tighter credit and squeezed customers.
But a crash is also a reset. Airbnb, Uber and WhatsApp were all born in the last one. Here’s how to make sure you’re ready to build when it clears.
In this episode:
Why Wall Street is betting against AI, and what a credit default swap actually is
Who paid in 2008, and why it’ll be the same this time
The three ways the AI bubble lands on your desk
Five things to do this week: stress-test your debt, build a cash buffer, don’t rely on one AI tool, get closer to your customers, and get ready to go shopping
Chapters
0:00 Is AI the next 2008?
0:45 The Big Short is happening again
3:39 Who pays when the AI bubble bursts
6:20 How to protect your business from rising interest rates
9:01 Why a crash creates opportunity
9:32 Recap
Every Friday I break down the five biggest business stories of the week in plain English. Subscribe so you don’t miss it.
Do you think AI is a bubble? Tell me in the comments. I read every one.
