Nova Safo

California

Correspondent at Marketplace

Co-Host at Marketplace Minute

Correspondent at public radio’s Marketplace. Contact: signal @novasafo.42 / insta @novasafo

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Articles

California seeks new guardrails on automated AI systems

5 days ago | marketplace.org | Nova Safo |Nancy Farghalli |Daisy Palacios |Daniel Shin

Jun 23, 2025The state's Senate recently passed SB 420, a bill that would regulate high-risk automated decision systems. Kate Brennan, associate director at AI Now Institute, says this bill will also require consumers to be notified when such tool is used in a way that directly affects them. AI is deployed in what are known as automated decision systems, or ADS.
The current reconciliation bill will raise the deficit. Could it pass anyway?

1 week ago | marketplace.org | Kimberly Adams |Nova Safo |Daisy Palacios |Courtney Bergsieker

This week, we’ve looked at the budget reconciliation bill and its effects on student debt, taxes, health care and social programs. The bill is currently moving through the Senate. Today, we discuss the reconciliation bill and the national deficit. And we dig into other proposals such as AI regulation ban and private foundation taxes. Plus, we play a special budget round of Half Full/Half Empty. Here’s everything we talked about today:Got a question for the hosts?
Bytes: Week in Review – Trump's mobile venture, online data brokers used to target MN victims, and an OpenAI-Microsoft breakup

1 week ago | marketplace.org | Nova Safo |Nancy Farghalli |Daisy Palacios |Daniel Shin

Jun 20, 2025Natasha Mascarenhas, reporter at The Information, joins Marketplace’s Nova Safo on “Tech Bytes: Week in Review.”OpenAI and Microsoft are reportedly caught up in protracted behind-the-scenes negotiations that are in danger of boiling over into public conflict. Plus, prosecutors say the man accused of assassinating a Minnesota Democratic lawmaker used online data brokers to help target his victims.
Online coverage of anti-ICE protest split by political lenses

1 week ago | marketplace.org | Nova Safo |Nancy Farghalli |Daisy Palacios |Daniel Shin

Protests in Southern California and around the country over raids targeting undocumented immigrants played out differently on social media depending on the person or the platform. They’re peaceful — look at the family-friendly atmosphere. They’re violent — Los Angeles is in flames. These competing narratives underline the hyper-siloed nature of online discourse and the power of misinformation.
The various contracts Palantir has with the federal government

1 week ago | marketplace.org | Nova Safo |Nancy Farghalli |Daisy Palacios |Daniel Shin

Palantir makes software that looks for patterns in data — and various federal agencies have relied on it for years. But the contracts are growing in number, just as the Trump administration is reportedly trying to construct a centralized database on Americans' personal information, combining data from various agencies. That's brought Palantir renewed scrutiny. Joseph Cox has been following all of this at the tech news site 404 Media.
Crypto crime gets physical

1 week ago | marketplace.org | Nova Safo |Nancy Farghalli |Daisy Palacios |Daniel Shin

Jun 16, 2025There’s been a noticeable rise in cryptocurrency “wrench attacks,” where criminals extort people’s cryptocurrency with direct, physical violence. Ari Redbord, Global Head of Policy with the blockchain intelligence firm TRM Labs, explains why wrench attacks are going up and what cryptocurrency holders can do to protect themselves.
Bytes: Week in Review - Apple WWDC 2025, a tentative AI contract for video game actors and pioneering designer Bill Atkinson dies at 74

2 weeks ago | marketplace.org | Nova Safo |Nancy Farghalli |Daisy Palacios |Daniel Shin

Jun 13, 2025Anita Ramaswamy, columnist for The Information, joins Marketplace’s Nova Safo for “Tech Bytes: Week in Review.”Today on “Marketplace Tech Bytes: Week in Review,” we're looking at Apple's latest software and operating system updates. Also, there's a tentative labor deal between video game actors and studios. And we'll remember legendary Apple software engineer Bill Atkinson, who died at the age of 74.
Brazil wants its consumers to control their digital data - by monetizing it

2 weeks ago | marketplace.org | Nova Safo |Nancy Farghalli |Daisy Palacios |Daniel Shin

Jun 11, 2025Gabriel Daros, contributor at the online news site Rest of World, says Brazilians are piloting a digital wallet where their data is stored and could then be sold to online companies. There's a trial run taking place over a type of digital wallet for data. Consumers are in control, and they can sell their data to the highest bidder. This trial run is taking place in Brazil, the first country to try something like this on a national scale.
Companies are betting on deep sea mining for critical minerals

2 weeks ago | marketplace.org | Nova Safo |Nancy Farghalli |Daisy Palacios |Daniel Shin

Jun 10, 2025Marketplace contributor Daniel Ackerman says deep-sea mining companies are innovating for how to efficiently mine rare Earth minerals — but scaling this work is still a big question. The International Energy Agency projects the global market value of critical minerals could reach almost $800 billion by 2040. That's because we must have them for the electrified future. And right now, China is a dominant supplier.
A federal judge ruled AI chatbots don't have free speech protections — for now

2 weeks ago | marketplace.org | Nova Safo |Nancy Farghalli |Daisy Palacios |Daniel Shin

There’s a lawsuit right now that’s testing the question of whether AI chatbots are protected by the First Amendment. But before we get into it, a warning that our story today includes discussion of suicide. Last year, 14-year-old Sewell Setzer III took his own life, after having months of conversations with a chatbot powered by Character.AI. Its parent company, Character Technologies, operates a bunch of character-driven chatbots.