Episode summary
Bloomberg Businessweek Weekend: May 8th, 2026 | Bloomberg Businessweek
Bloomberg Businessweek Daily
· · Hosts: Carol Massar, Tim Stenovec
Summary
The special weekend edition from the Milken Institute Global Conference centered on how major investment themes are converging: artificial intelligence, space, crypto, infrastructure, and the changing economics of sports and education. The host’s first conversation with Cathie Wood argued that technological convergence is accelerating, with Tesla, SpaceX, xAI, and vertical integration reshaping supply chains, autonomous driving, and even the idea of orbital data centers. Wood also said the market is underestimating CPUs alongside GPUs and that deregulation is helping crypto gain traction in the US.
John Hope Bryant framed inclusive capitalism as a business strategy, not just a social one. He argued that women, Black and Latino Americans, immigrants, and retiring baby boomers all represent major economic power, and that companies ignoring those markets are missing growth. Suzanne Clark of the US Chamber of Commerce made a related case for permitting reform, saying supply constraints are a core driver of affordability and that businesses need a longer-term policy horizon.
The final stretch turned to sports and academia. US Ski and Snowboard leaders described the funding pressures behind Olympic competition and the growth opportunity in women’s sports, while NASCAR executives pointed to media deals and new OEM interest as fuel for expansion. Dartmouth president Sian Beilock defended the university’s free-expression rules and said clear boundaries have helped preserve open debate on campus.
Key takeaways
- Cathie Wood said Tesla’s vertical integration could drive robo-taxi costs down to 25 cents per mile, far below current ride-hailing economics.
- Wood argued that orbital data centers are part of a real technology cycle, not a 1999-style bubble.
- John Hope Bryant said women, Black and Latino Americans, and immigrants represent major untapped market demand, not just social causes.
- Suzanne Clark said permitting reform is the biggest near-term lever for easing affordability pressures and unlocking 3% growth.
- NASCAR executives said new media partners like TNT and Amazon Prime are helping the sport reach younger audiences and support growth.
Notable quotes
“the seeds that were planted in the 20 years that ended in the bubble, they've been germinating for 20, 25 years, and now they're flourishing”
“what some people see as social, I see as market development”
“we really believe a lot of the root of the affordability problem is a supply constraint”
“we've got some great characters and storytelling and rivalries”
How the episode opens
Bloomberg Audio Studios. Podcasts, radio, news.
This is Bloomberg Business Week Daily, reporting from the magazine that helps global leaders stay ahead with insight on the people, companies, and trends shaping today's complex economy. Plus, global business, finance, and tech news as it happens. Bloomberg Business Week Daily with Carol Massar and Tim Stenovec on Bloomberg Radio.
Hi everyone. Welcome to a special edition of Bloomberg Business Week. This hour we're bringing you highlights from our coverage of the annual Milken Institute Global Conference held in Beverly Hills, California.
The conference now in its 29th year. Tim is out this week, so I was lucky enough to be joined by Bloomberg Balance of Power co-host Joe Matthew. Coming up, some of the biggest names in business, finance, and politics.
Later this hour, our conversation with the US Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Suzanne Clark. Plus, Operation Hope chairman John Hope Bryant on how inclusive capitalism can restore American greatness. First up though, we begin with our conversation with the founder of ARK Invest.
She's also CEO and CIO. We are, of course, talking about Cathie Wood. We chatted about artificial intelligence and orbital data centers, as well as got her outlook for SpaceX's IPO.
So, this is why I founded ARK Invest. Uh we knew that the seeds that were planted in the 20 years that ended in the bubble, they've been germinating for 20, 25 years, and now they're flourishing. And uh what we're seeing is 15 different technologies evolving, and they're all converging.
And Elon, about 6 months ago, uh and we've been using the word convergence for a long time, he said, "You know what? I think my companies are converging more than even I understood. Uh and so we're seeing of course SpaceX, xAI, rumors about Tesla.
From the episode’s captions: roughly the first two minutes, lightly cleaned. Keep watching on YouTube →
Topics
- business news
- finance
- global technology
- politics
- economics
Companies and tickers mentioned
- Bloomberg
Watch the episode
Watch “Bloomberg Businessweek Weekend: May 8th, 2026 | Bloomberg Businessweek” on YouTube
Summary, takeaways and quote selection by Octagon. Quotes are short excerpts; the full conversation is in the episode.
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