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Matt Levin

Senior Reporter

SHORT BIO

Matt covers AI for Marketplace, where he tries to be as polite as he can to every chatbot he meets … because, well, he’s seen sci-fi movies. Matt also covers some crypto and housing, with a taste for stories that make you say: "huh, that's kinda weird.”

Before joining Marketplace Matt was a data and housing reporter for CalMatters, focused on California politics and policy. Before that he was a statistics jockey for a think tank, focused on poverty and inequality. And long before that Matt was a really terrible teenage cashier for Toys R Us.

Matt’s previous honors include awards from the Online News Association and regional Edward R. Murrow Awards and SPJ awards.

Latest Stories (301)

Americans continue to spend — even as credit card and student loan payments loom

by Matt Levin
Aug 15, 2023
The July retail sales report found that Americans are spending more than last year in most categories. Will that be a problem?
Retail sales climbed for the fourth straight month in July.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
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How rideshare drivers feel about robot competition

by Matt Levin
Aug 10, 2023
Among other issues, how does a driverless car deal with drunk passengers?
Waymo autonomous vehicles in a San Francisco parking lot. California will decide whether the company can expand operations in the city.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
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Why are some downtowns booming again?

by Matt Levin
Aug 7, 2023
Foot traffic in downtown Salt Lake City reached 139% of pre-pandemic levels in spring. And other cities can learn from its example.
A cheaper cost of living, beautiful scenery and a booming economy helped the Greater Salt Lake area grow by 51,000 people last year.
Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images
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For some bitcoiners, "a second passport is the ultimate hedge"

by Matt Levin
Aug 3, 2023
Instead of buying a new Porsche or a private jet rental, the mega-rich can drop $100,000 on a new citizenship — and the benefits that go with it.
Dominica offers two routes to citizenship: a one-time donation of $100,000 or a real estate investment of $200,000.
Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images
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AI likely to make voice assistants smarter

by Matt Levin
Aug 2, 2023
Google aims to “supercharge” Google Assistant with the same tech that underlies ChatGPT, which could boost communication.
Programs like Google Assistant, Amazon's Alexa and Apple's Siri still have problems understanding exactly what people say, but artificial intelligence may improve their functionality.
Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images
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Uber finally makes a profit off ride-sharing

by Matt Levin
Aug 1, 2023
Investors stuck with the company even when it was losing money, because they knew it had wormed its way into our everyday lives.
Uber became a verb before it became profitable.
Mario Tama/Getty Images
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How will AI companies make money?

by Matt Levin
Jul 25, 2023
The consumer-facing AI apps like ChatGPT and Google's Bard have been dazzling users, but ultimately, the big money in AI will be helping businesses work more efficiently.
While you can currently use ChatGPT for free, the most powerful large language model behind it costs users $20 a month.
Olivier Morin/AFP via Getty Images
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Actors strike kiboshes celebs' role in promotions

by Matt Levin
Jul 21, 2023
Union members won't be hyping their movies while the work stoppage continues. What will that do to the box office take?
Last week, Hollywood actors joined writers on strike, seeking better payment terms and new rules governing the use of artificial intelligence in the industry.
Mario Tama/Getty Images
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There's evidence that AI has downsides for the legal industry

by Matt Levin
Jul 19, 2023
Paralegals and lawyers worry about their job security. Visual and audio evidence could get more expensive to authenticate.
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, which makes ChatGPT, testifies before a Senate panel in May. Artificial intelligence may reduce employment in the legal field and disrupt how practitioners verify facts.
Win McNamee/Getty Images
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Accountant shortage has companies big and small struggling

by Matt Levin
Jul 11, 2023
It's a shortage that starts on college campuses, with more and more students opting for data analytics jobs in other sectors.
The number of students receiving accounting degrees dropped 9% over roughly the last decade.
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