Andy Hirschfeld
Andy Hirschfeld reports on how economic policy, technology and labour markets intersect, with a focus on the political and human stakes of business decisions. He covers the economy for the masthead’s digital operation and writes news and explainers that connect corporate actions, government regulation and everyday work.
AI industry and regulation
Hirschfeld regularly explains efforts to govern the artificial intelligence industry, focusing on the tension between rapid innovation and safety. He dissects agreements such as the White House AI accord, detailing internal controls, independent auditors and board committees that technology firms pledge to use in managing risks. He follows legislative pushes to restrict advanced AI and ban artificial superintelligence, breaking down proposals to pause development and establish a dedicated federal department overseeing the sector. His coverage highlights warnings from current and former researchers about extinction-level risks, translating technical concerns into clear policy questions for lawmakers and regulators.
US labour market and workplace policy
Hirschfeld closely tracks the US labour market, tying headline employment data to political timelines and the broader narrative of economic momentum. He reports on slower-than-expected job growth and downward revisions to prior figures, showing how they reshape expectations ahead of key electoral moments.
His work follows the harsh job market confronting recent college graduates, where funding cuts, war, tariffs and AI advancements intensify competition for stable employment. He explains proposals to end long-standing workplace race and gender reporting, outlining how changes to demographic data collection would affect monitoring discrimination trends.
He reports on enforcement actions such as New York City’s record settlement with DoorDash over underpaid delivery workers, quantifying the size of the settlement and the hundreds of thousands of workers affected. He extends this labour lens to major corporate decisions, including Meta’s sweeping global layoffs affecting 8,000 jobs, treating them as part of a wider story about how technology companies shape work and job security.
Energy markets and US-Iran tensions
Hirschfeld connects geopolitics to energy markets, showing how conflict between the United States and Iran moves prices and strains supply. He uses data on the Strategic Petroleum Reserve falling to its lowest level since the early 1980s to illustrate how past drawdowns constrain future responses to shocks. He examines potential US diesel export restrictions, explaining how even contemplated policy shifts can feed into global fuel prices and inflation. His reporting on oil price spikes amid strikes in the Strait of Hormuz describes the chokepoint’s role in carrying a significant share of global oil shipments and the market reaction when that flow is threatened. In his coverage of Gulf states’ US spending plans, he shows how war-related fiscal pressure complicates the delivery of multi-trillion-dollar economic commitments tied to “America First” agendas.
Political economy and elections
Hirschfeld treats electoral contests as economic stories, framing races through polling data and their implications for policy. His reporting on Texas Senate and governor campaigns uses public surveys to show Democratic candidates leading in a traditionally Republican state, describing the contests as turning it into a battleground ahead of midterm elections. In analysing Gulf spending plans under US political branding, he links foreign investment strategies and defence priorities to domestic economic commitments and the strain of ongoing conflict. Across this work he maintains a political economy lens, showing how decisions by legislators, executives and foreign governments converge on outcomes for workers, companies and public finances.
Explainers, exclusives and wider outlets
Hirschfeld frequently uses explainer formats to unpack complex economic mechanisms, from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to workplace demographic reporting and diesel export rules.
His author biography cites exclusives such as documenting Donald Trump’s failure to pay for his rallies, reflecting an interest in accountability within economic and political coverage. It also notes in-depth explainers on topics like AI in fashion and GPS spoofing in aviation, showing how he follows technology into industry-specific and infrastructure stories.
Beyond the masthead, his reporting has appeared in outlets including Fast Company, Bloomberg Businessweek, Slate, The Daily Beast and NPR, indicating a portfolio that spans business, technology and general news audiences. His professional presence in audio and newsletter formats reinforces this cross-platform focus while keeping the core of his work rooted in the economy and its intersection with technology and policy.
4 more business journalists.
Aaron Karp
Aaron Karp is distinct for connecting airline networks, airport infrastructure, air cargo and policy. He is a senior editor at Air Transport World and has covered aviation since 1999. He has also worked as an editor for cargo-focused and daily aviation publications. His real beat is how airlines and airports respond to growth, regulation, trade conditions, sustainability pressures and technology changes. He covers route planning, network development, airport capacity, infrastructure, cargo flows, trade lanes, safety, air traffic control and future technology. He reports through news, features, opinion pieces, briefings and podcasts. He uses data, executive insight and industry conference reporting to explain market changes. His work links cargo metrics and trade policy to carrier strategy, and connects infrastructure and sustainability decisions to resilience, costs and long-term growth.
Adrienne Roberts
Adrienne Roberts is a business journalist at the Detroit Free Press who covers how policy, regulation and corporate decisions affect Michigan’s cannabis market, jobs, universities and health systems. She has a sustained focus on cannabis taxes, licensing, sales, product rules, consumer safety and local tax revenue. She also reports on unemployment, worker protections, corporate settlements, hiring, higher education, student safety, housing, data centers, health care access and economic forecasts. Roberts joined the Detroit Free Press in 2020 after covering automotive retail, dealers and labor issues for The Wall Street Journal. She explains complex business and regulatory changes with data, legal detail and on-the-ground voices. Her stories focus on practical effects for workers, students, consumers and communities, showing both the numbers and the people behind them.
Alex Bronzini-Vender
Alex Bronzini-Vender is a business reporter who focuses on how economic forces and corporate decisions shape specific communities and industries. He covers business for the Washington Monthly, writing reported pieces at the intersection of commerce and public life. His work reflects the magazine’s emphasis on linking markets and money to power, policy, and everyday experience. He treats business not as balance sheets and deals but as choices that affect local realities. In “Fear and Loathing in Palo Alto,” he uses a city tied to the tech sector to examine how a powerful industry influences a community. He grounds his business beat in on-the-ground consequences rather than treating corporate and financial developments in isolation.
Alex DeMarban
Alex DeMarban stands out for tracking major energy projects over time while showing how economic shifts affect local businesses. He reports for the Anchorage Daily News on business, oil and gas, and general assignments. His coverage focuses on Alaska LNG, long-haul energy projects, mining, ports, transportation infrastructure, and the everyday businesses that keep the state running. He examines financing, tax legislation, labor agreements, regulatory approvals, timelines and costs, and connects government and corporate decisions to workers, communities and consumers. He also reports on restaurant closures, grocery stores, breweries, meaderies, parking and trade disputes. His past coverage includes an open-pit mine near the proposed Ambler road, federal port grants and competitive elections. He reports through dollar figures, project details, public records, business owners and affected workers, showing how policy and resource development play out on the ground.