Subvolts take Understand how tariffs and global chaos impact business and trade. Jul 27, 2026 - Developers
- Understand how global policy shifts can impact the software development landscape.
- Business
- Learn how tariffs and geopolitical instability affect international trade and business operations.
This is a solid interview discussing the real world impact of policy decisions on business and trade.
Tariffs didn’t bring manufacturing jobs back to the US
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From Subvolts
Summary and analysis by Subvolts editorial, AI-assisted.
Decoder host Nilay Patel speaks with Altana cofounder and CEO Evan Smith about the impact of tariffs on global trade and software companies. They discuss the chaotic nature of current international relations, economics, and the challenges of running a business amidst shifting trade policies and geopolitical events.
This episode explores how government trade rules, like tariffs, affect international business and software companies. It explains why global trade is complicated and chaotic, impacting how companies operate.
This episode offers insights into the complex interplay of global trade policy, economics, and the software industry. It is for business leaders, policymakers, and anyone interested in how geopolitical events affect markets. While not directly about AI models, the discussion on agentic AI and chaotic policy environments provides context for how AI companies must navigate an unpredictable world, mirroring the challenges frontier labs face in deploying their technologies.
- HostNilay Patel
- GuestEvan Smithcofounder and CEO, Altana
- Guest: Evan Smith, cofounder and CEO of Altana
- Title: Tariffs didn’t bring manufacturing jobs back to the US
- Show: Decoder with Nilay Patel
- Length: 72 minutes
Evan Smith, cofounder and CEO of Altana, was last on the show in early 2025 to talk about how Trump’s first few waves of tariffs were starting to affect global trade. It was a very alarming and also very illuminating chat; Evan and I got into the existential weeds of international relations and economics almost immediately.
A year and a half later, and everything is somehow even more chaotic than it was the last time Evan and I talked — and that’s true about both trade and also the world of running a software company. Agentic AI, whack-a-mole tariff policy, war in Iran — we jumped right back into weeds yet again.
Read the full interview transcript The Verge.
Links:
- How Trump’s tariff chaos is already changing global trade | Decoder
- Skydio CEO Adam Bry on not drawing red lines for drone use | Decoder
- Trump imposes new global tariffs, drawing protests from trading partners | Reuters
- Greer: USMCA Talks Could Stretch Into Next Year | Wall Street Journal
- Trump hits Canada with new 50% tariffs | Associated Press
- Iran weaponized the Strait of Hormuz. Now neighbors are going around it | CNN
- The Iran war is testing Southeast Asia’s faith in the US | Politico
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Credits:
Decoder is a production of The Verge and part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.
Decoder’s producers are Kate Cox and Nick Statt. This episode was edited by Kabir Chopra. Our editorial director is Kevin McShane.
The Decoder music is by Breakmaster Cylinder.
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- agentic AI
- Evan Smith
- AI systems that can act independently to achieve goals
Questions people ask
- What is Altana?
- Altana is a company whose cofounder and CEO, Evan Smith, was interviewed on the show to discuss tariffs and global trade.
- What topics were covered besides tariffs?
- The discussion also touched on agentic AI, the chaos of running a software company, and geopolitical events like the war in Iran.
Page generated Oct 19, 2026. Summaries are Subvolts' own; the audio, artwork and notes belong to The Verge.