Adrian Ma is a host and reporter for NPR’s The Indicator from Planet Money, a daily podcast that helps listeners make sense of our ever-changing economy.

Adrian covers a wide variety of topics through the lens of economics, business, labor, and the law. One week, he might be explaining the rise of AI-generated merchandise or the market for human cells. Next, he may explore the economic impact of banning affirmative action or the blurry legal line between creativity and theft.

His goal is to understand how economic forces shape our lives — for better and for worse. At times, that’s meant riding shotgun with delivery gig workers or scaling a snow-covered construction site. Other times, it’s meant spending days at a struggling restaurant or combing through data to pinpoint which banks aren’t lending in Black neighborhoods.

Before joining NPR in 2021, Adrian reported for public radio stations in Boston, Cleveland, and New York City. He’s currently based in Washington D.C., though his reporting has occasionally taken him to places as far as Japan and China.