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Michael Dell, a Dot-Com Era Survivor, Has Tips to Beat an AI Bust

Dell says building products only when they are ordered, rather than borrowing heavily for long-term AI bets, is what has protected his company; no warehouse full of regret.

On air: Gloria Vance and Hank Ledger on The Midday Show
Published 12:25 PM ET, Friday, October 16, 2026

Photo: Village Global · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN

▶ As it aired · Your Money

Watch it as it aired: Gloria Vance and Hank Ledger on this story, from The Midday Show at 12:25 PM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are WSJ's, the jokes are ours.

Photo: Village Global · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN

Photo: Michael Dell — Photo: Village Global · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN

At a glance

First reported by WSJ: “Michael Dell, a Dot-Com Era Survivor, Has Tips to Beat an AI Bust”.
Covered on BBN on Friday, October 16, 2026, at 12:25 PM ET on The Midday Show, by Gloria Vance and Hank Ledger.
Topics: Dell, AI.
BBN covered this story before: Nvidia, AMD, Dell sink in global tech rout on AI funding worries (October 16).

The real story

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

WSJMichael Dell, a Dot-Com Era Survivor, Has Tips to Beat an AI Bust

What BBN said about it

Gloria Vance · World News AnchorThe Wall Street Journal reports that Michael Dell, who lived through the dot-com crash, has advice for surviving an AI bust.
Gloria Vance · World News AnchorMany tech companies are piling on debt for long-term AI projects, while Dell says just-in-time manufacturing cushions his company.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorJust-in-time. So he builds the laptop after you order it, not before.
Gloria Vance · World News AnchorThat is the idea. Less sitting around in warehouses, fewer bills for things nobody bought yet.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorTwenty-eight years, and I never knew I had a business plan. I buy groceries only when the fridge is a crime scene.
Gloria Vance · World News AnchorThat is not a business plan, Hank. That is a fridge.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorA lean fridge. Zero debt, zero leftovers, and a very strong position on mustard.
Gloria Vance · World News AnchorFor you at home, the point is simple: companies loaded with debt are the ones that get hurt when hype cools off.
Gloria Vance · World News AnchorYour next laptop price may care.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorSo I'm just-in-time at work too. I show up exactly when the red light comes on.
Gloria Vance · World News AnchorWe noticed.

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