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Warner Bros. Discovery is rejecting a debt-heavy takeover, AI chips are racing ahead at CES, and pressure on the Federal Reserve is becoming one of the most consequential economic risks of 2026. In this episode, we break down why Hollywood’s consolidation fight is really about broken business models, what Nvidia, AMD, and Google just revealed about the next phase of AI infrastructure, and why weakening central bank independence could carry far bigger consequences than most market headlines suggest.🎯 WHAT YOU’LL LEARNWhy Warner Bros. Discovery rejected Paramount’s bid and what the debt math really meansHow AI chip competition escalated at CES and why Nvidia is still the gravity wellWhat AMD, Intel, Qualcomm, and Boston Dynamics are signaling about AI’s next phaseWhy China remains the biggest unresolved risk in the global AI chip raceHow political pressure on the Federal Reserve could reshape inflation and marketsWhy central bank independence matters more now than at any point since the 1970s🔍 TIMESTAMPS00:00 Intro — Media deals, AI chips, and the Fed’s role in 202600:32 Warner Bros. Discovery Rejects Paramount — Debt, Valuation & Shareholder Risk01:51 Oracle, Ellison, and the Web of Corporate Debt02:15 Movie Theaters Push Back — A Broken Studio Model03:13 CES AI Updates — Nvidia’s Vera Rubin & Alpha Neo Chips04:14 AMD’s Strategy — Data Centers vs AI PCs05:28 Intel, Qualcomm, and the AI Catch-Up Problem05:56 Boston Dynamics + Google DeepMind — AI Meets Robotics06:23 China, AI Chips, and the Global Competition Question07:00 The Federal Reserve — Why Independence Matters08:23 Inflation Reality Check — How Prices Have Actually Changed10:18 How the Fed Was Designed to Resist Politics12:09 Emergency Powers, QE, and Crisis Management14:33 Why Politicizing the Fed Is a Serious Economic Risk16:06 Takeaway — What’s at Stake Heading Deeper into 2026👍 FOUND VALUE?Like, comment, and share so more leaders see this analysis.📚 SOURCES & DATA:Warner Brothers Rejects Paramount Deal Again: https://apnews.com/article/warner-bros-discovery-paramount-netflix-4e1950023fd5efe0db1bc9cda7074465CES Nvidia: https://www.businessinsider.com/announcements-coming-out-of-ces-nvidia-vera-rubin-autonmous-vehicle-2026-1 CES Updates: https://apnews.com/article/ces-nvidia-amd-lego-uber-a3e6e4e582ff83a4aa331d1791140369Oracle debt episode: https://youtu.be/pzxiAw9pBaQ Rivian AI chips: https://youtu.be/B84tYj0MCR8 AI chips giveaway to China: https://youtu.be/UphXmFOYUU8 Trump vs The Fed: Independence in Question – https://internationalbanker.com/finance/trump-puts-federal-reserve-independence-under-increasing-threat/Federal Reserve Overview: Structure & Mission – https://www.federalreserve.gov/aboutthefed.htmLatest U.S. Inflation Report (CPI Data) – https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htmWhy “Affordability” Defines the U.S. Economy Right Now – https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/24/affordability-is-a-buzzword-right-now-these-charts-show-why.htmlInside the Federal Reserve: Who We Are & What We Do – https://www.federalreserve.gov/aboutthefed/fedexplained/who-we-are.htmThe Fed’s 100-Year Story: Its History & Power – https://www.federalreservehistory.org/essays/federal-reserve-historyThe Fed Explained in Simple Terms – https://usafacts.org/articles/the-federal-reserve-explained/What Is the Federal Reserve? A Full Breakdown – https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/what-us-federal-reserveJust the Fed Facts: How the System Works – https://www.atlantafed.org/about/federal-reserve-system/just-the-fed-facts12 Things the Fed Actually Does – https://www.stlouisfed.org/open-vault/2019/november/what-does-federal-reserve-do-12-thingsEurozone Inflation Outlook: Inside the ECB’s 2025 Policy Blog – https://www.ecb.europa.eu/press/blog/date/2025/html/ecb.blog.20251223~aad70ce537.en.htmlCentral Bank Independence Under Threat? – https://www.imf.org/en/news/articles/2024/06/17/sp061424-central-bank-independenceFull list:

Prediction markets are moving faster than the rules meant to govern them, and the consequences are starting to spill into courts, markets, and everyday risk. This episode breaks down why these platforms are headed for the Supreme Court, how new research reframes the Court’s economic influence, and why AI agents may be introducing security problems that can’t simply be fixed with software updates.🎯 WHAT YOU’LL LEARN- Why prediction markets are growing faster than sports betting and heading to the Supreme Court- What new research shows about wealth bias in Supreme Court economic rulings- Why AI agent browsers may create permanent security risks- How user AI chat data is being monetized without clear consent- What Nvidia’s largest acquisition says about the AI chip arms race- Why China’s tech exports and tax policies are shifting global competition- What the U.S. condo slump reveals about remote work and housing markets🔍 TIMESTAMPS00:00 Intro — Prediction Markets, AI Risk & Markets00:35 Prediction Markets — Regulation, Growth & Supreme Court Risk03:25 Venezuela Extradition & Market Timing Questions04:30 Supreme Court Bias — Wealth, Power & Economic Outcomes06:04 AI Agents — Prompt Injection & Browser Security Risk08:32 AI Data Privacy — Chat Data, VPNs & Consumer Exposure09:51 Nvidia Acquires Grok — IP Harvesting & Chip Strategy11:49 China AI Chips — IPOs, Export Controls & Competitive Gaps13:55 China Trade — Dumping, E-Commerce Taxes & Revenue Pressure16:13 U.S. Condo Market — Prices, Remote Work & Structural Shifts17:06 Takeaway — Risk Concentration Across Markets👍 Found value? Like, comment, and share so more leaders see this.📚 SOURCES & DATA:- Global Prediction Markets Boom: $40B Volume in 2025 https://yellow.com/news/prediction-markets-projected-to-hit-dollar40b-volume-in-2025-with-400-growth-rate- Inside the 2025 Prediction Market Surge https://decrypt.co/353137/year-in-prediction-markets-2025- Traders Bet on Maduro Capture in 2026 Prediction Markets https://www.axios.com/2026/01/03/maduro-capture-bets-trade-prediction-markets- Casinos Embrace Prediction Markets as Gambling Blurs https://www.axios.com/2025/12/08/gambling-prediction-markets-casinos- DraftKings Expands Into Prediction Market Trading https://www.barrons.com/articles/draftkings-prediction-market-sports-betting-c1011f2f- Prediction Markets Face New Federal-State Clash https://www.pymnts.com/markets/2025/prediction-markets-become-flash-point-between-federal-and-state-regulators/- Supreme Court Rules for the Rich (New Study) https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w34643/w34643.pdf- Supreme Court in Public Opinion: https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/09/03/favorable-views-of-supreme-court-remain-near-historic-low/ - AI Chatbots Scraping User Data Raises Privacy Fears https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/ai-chatbot-data-scraping- VPN Browser Extensions Quietly Collect AI Chat Data https://www.koi.ai/blog/urban-vpn-browser-extension-ai-conversations-data-collection#heading-9- OpenAI Battles Prompt Injection Threats in Atlas Update https://cyberscoop.com/openai-chatgpt-atlas-prompt-injection-browser-agent-security-update-head-of-preparedness/?- Empire of AI by Karen Hao: https://bookshop.org/p/books/empire-of-ai-dreams-and-nightmares-in-sam-altman-s-openai-karen-hao/de10c251433f34d2?ean=9780593657508&next=t - Nvidia Buys AI Chip Startup Groq in $20B Deal https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/24/nvidia-buying-ai-chip-startup-groq-for-about-20-billion-biggest-deal.html- Nvidia’s $20B Groq Deal Redefines AI Chip Race https://www.ft.com/content/7dec2189-f175-433b-b378-87d3c9e01ace- AI Top Market Trends For 2026: https://youtu.be/nIp8HGLQeNI- Why Are We Selling AI Chips to China? https://youtu.be/UphXmFOYUU8- China’s AI Chip Crisis: Why Huawei Still Trails Nvidia https://www.cfr.org/article/chinas-ai-chip-deficit-why-huawei-cant-catch-nvidia-and-us-export-controls-should-remainFull list: https://youtu.be/qSjUMWABeDc

2026 opens with a series of shifts that are already changing the landscape. Tesla has lost the EV crown, hybrid warfare is becoming a real-world risk, drug prices are rising again, and new research shows smartphones are hurting kids sooner than expected. We also examine rising AI debt and why some of the biggest tech players may be walking into the same traps they promised to avoid.🎯 WHAT YOU’LL LEARNWhy Tesla lost the EV crown to BYD and what it signals for global auto marketsHow hybrid warfare and Arctic competition are reshaping modern conflictWhy U.S. drug prices keep rising despite federal interventionWhat new pediatric research shows about smartphones and child mental healthHow corporate AI debt is quietly becoming a balance-sheet riskWhy enterprise AI agents may not deliver what was promised🔍 TIMESTAMPS00:00 Intro — 2026 Begins: EVs, War, Health Care & AI00:54 Tesla vs BYD — EV Leadership Shifts02:36 Tesla Autopilot — Safety Claims vs Reality03:07 Hybrid War — Climate, Arctic Routes & Security04:50 MI6 Warning — Cyber, Sabotage & Business Risk06:01 Drug Prices — New Increases in 202607:26 Why Americans Overpay for Prescription Drugs08:40 Health Care Costs — Public Frustration Peaks09:55 Smartphones & Kids — Mental Health Evidence11:32 AI & Corporate Debt — Oracle’s Risky Bet13:50 Meta & Enterprise AI — Lessons Unlearned14:49 Takeaway — What This Means for 2026👍 Found value?Like, comment, and share so more leaders see this.📚 SOURCES & DATA:Tesla Loses EV Crown 2025 Sales Drop: https://www.nbcnews.com/business/autos/tesla-loses-title-worlds-biggest-ev-maker-sales-fall-rcna251932BYD Beats Tesla EV Sales Record 2025: https://www.wired.com/story/byd-trounces-tesla-in-ev-sales-for-the-first-time/350 US Drugs Price Hike 2026 Trump: https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/drugmakers-raise-us-prices-350-medicines-despite-pressure-trump-2025-12-31/Trump Drug Deal Underwhelming Analysis: https://cepr.net/publications/the-art-of-the-underwhelming-drug-deal/US Drug Prices 278% Higher RAND Report: https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA788-3.htmlChina Arctic Military Push WSJ 2026: https://on.wsj.com/4sdpsmVMI6 Chief Russia Hybrid War BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgqzed1vjw5oAge 12 Smartphone Depression Obesity Risk AAP: https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article-abstract/157/1/e2025072941/205716/Smartphone-Ownership-Age-of-Smartphone-AcquisitionTeen Brain Screen Time Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/12/28/adolescent-brain-development-screen-time/Healthcare Costs Top US Concern Gallup: https://news.gallup.com/poll/699770/cost-leads-americans-top-mind-healthcare-concerns.aspxOracle Chip Backed Debt Prediction 2026: https://www.theinformation.com/articles/predictions-2026-cash-strapped-oracle-issues-chip-backed-debt Oracle Debt 108B AI Spending Fool: https://www.fool.com/investing/2025/12/11/oracles-debt-balloons-to-108-billion-as-ai-spendin/Oracle AI Debt Investors Worried CNBC: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/09/oracles-ai-fueled-debt-load-has-investors-on-edge-ahead-of-earnings.htmlMeta Buys Manus Chinese AI Startup: https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/how-metas-newest-acquisition-target-got-around-worries-over-its-ties-to-china-de2d24b6 

As 2025 comes to a close, this episode steps back to assess the forces reshaping the global economy. We break down the real cost of tariffs, fragile deal markets heading into 2026, slowing international travel, rising sovereign AI strategies, and the quiet damage from deep cuts to science funding. Taken together, these stories show a world in transition, where short-term policy choices are setting long-term constraints that will shape markets, technology, and geopolitics in the year ahead.🎯 WHAT YOU’LL LEARNWhy tariffs delivered short-term revenue but long-term economic strainHow deal markets, IPOs, and M&A are diverging as 2026 approachesWhy international travel to the U.S. is still lagging pre-pandemic levelsWhat sovereign AI really means and why countries are racing to build itHow massive AI infrastructure spending is reshaping capital marketsWhy cuts to U.S. science funding may have lasting consequencesWhat the final liquidation of Sears signals about American commerce🔍 TIMESTAMPS00:00 Intro — Year-End Reset: Tariffs, Deals, Travel & AI00:53 Tariffs — Revenue Gains, Higher Prices & Legal Risk02:45 Consumer Impact — Higher Costs & Uneven Burden03:17 Supreme Court Outlook — Tariffs, Authority & Refund Risk05:06 Travel Slump — Fewer Visitors, Lost Revenue & 2026 Outlook07:07 Sovereign AI — National Models, Regulation & Geopolitics11:46 Market Outlook — IPOs, M&A & Valuation Gaps16:10 Deal Concentration — AI, Liquidity & Dry Powder18:17 Science Funding Cuts — Lost Research & Long-Term Damage20:05 Legacy Collapse — Sears and the End of an Era21:30 Takeaway — An Unsettled Transition into 2026👍 Found value?Like, comment, and share so more leaders see this.📚 SOURCES & DATAUS Trade Data Tracker – Tariffs & Exports: https://dataweb.usitc.gov/Yale Study: State of US Tariffs 2025: https://budgetlab.yale.edu/research/state-us-tariffs-november-17-2025Wharton Updates Effective US Tariff Rates: https://budgetmodel.wharton.upenn.edu/issues/2025/12/23/effective-tariff-rates-and-revenues-updated-december-23-2025US Capital Markets Outlook 2025 – PwC Report: https://www.pwc.com/us/en/services/consulting/deals/us-capital-markets-watch.htmlEY: Global IPO Trends Signal 2026 Rebound: https://www.ey.com/en_pt/insights/ipo/trendsData Centers vs Exits: https://pitchbook.com/news/articles/data-center-pile-in-shows-little-concern-about-exits? AI VC Trends: https://pitchbook.com/news/reports/q3-2025-ai-vc-trends? Travel Industry Recovery Dashboard 2025: https://www.ustravel.org/research/travel-recovery-insights-dashboardKorea’s Homegrown AI Ambition Expands: https://www.chosun.com/english/industry-en/2025/08/05/TYNCSW2PTRHAFOFQ24AD4QDQ3Y/The Diplomat: South Korea’s AI Autonomy Gamble: https://thediplomat.com/2025/07/south-koreas-sovereign-ai-gambit-a-high-stakes-experiment-in-autonomy/CSIS: South Korea’s AI Security Strategy: https://www.csis.org/analysis/ai-security-strategy-and-south-koreas-challengesSovereign AI in India: https://www.ey.com/en_in/insights/ai/agentic-ai-india/sovereign-ai EU AI Act: https://artificialintelligenceact.eu/Australia AI: https://www.finance.gov.au/government/public-data/data-and-digital-ministers-meeting/national-framework-assurance-artificial-intelligence-government Germany to Double Defense Spending by 2030: https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2025/06/26/germany-plans-to-double-its-defense-spending-within-five-years/Japan to Become World’s 3rd Biggest Defense Spender: https://www.euronews.com/business/2025/12/26/japan-on-track-to-become-worlds-third-largest-defence-spenderSears & Seritage: Lampert’s Final Gamble: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/26/business/sears-seritage-edward-lampert.htmlFull list: https://youtu.be/9nIucRY_4FA

China is escalating its standoff with the United States, markets are flashing mixed signals beneath record highs, and the AI compute race is exposing real cracks as costs surge and reliability falters. As we close out 2025, this episode breaks down rising geopolitical risk, fragile financial structures, what Salesforce’s pivot says about the limits of today’s AI, and why energy jobs may be one of the clearest growth stories heading into 2026.🎯 WHAT YOU’LL LEARNWhy China sanctioned U.S. defense firms and executives over TaiwanWhat private equity’s reliance on continuation vehicles signals for marketsWhy AI infrastructure debt is raising alarms despite massive investmentWhat Salesforce’s Agentforce rollback reveals about LLM limitsHow Big Tech’s compute spending is reshaping capital allocationWhy energy and grid jobs may dominate growth in 2026🔍 TIMESTAMPS00:00 Intro — China, Markets, AI & Energy01:13 China Retaliates — Taiwan, Sanctions & Defense Firms03:56 Market Signals — Record Highs, Hidden Stress04:17 Private Equity — Continuation Vehicles Explained06:06 AI Debt Boom — Infrastructure Costs & Risk07:10 Central Banks — Rate Cuts & Stagflation Fears08:49 Salesforce — AI Accuracy, Costs & Reality Check12:01 AI Compute Race — Google, Microsoft & Amazon CapEx13:52 Energy Jobs — Power, Grid & Workforce Growth15:13 Takeaway — Fragile Systems, Real Opportunities👍 Found value? Like, comment, and share so more leaders see this.📚 SOURCES & DATAChina Hits US Defense Firms After Taiwan Arms Sale: https://apnews.com/article/china-sanctions-us-companies-arm-sale-taiwan-31e1bdef85a4cae9a765b189497ca3bfChina Expands Sanctions on American Defense Firms: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/china-sanctions-20-u-s-defense-companies-and-10-executives-over-taiwan-arms-saleChina’s Retaliation: Symbolic Sanctions on US Firms: https://www.thehill.com/policy/international/5663607-china-sanctions-us-defense-firms-taiwan-weapons-salePrivate Equity’s ‘Rot’ Warning Shakes Wall Street: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/24/business/private-equity-continuation-funds.htmlContinuation Funds Boom as PE Seeks New Exits: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-10/continuation-funds-surge-as-private-equity-firms-seek-new-exit-pathsAI Borrowing Boom Raises Red Flags for Investors: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/26/business/ai-debt-investors.htmlAI Startups Load Up on Debt Amid Investor Frenzy: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/08/business/dealbook/debt-has-entered-the-ai-boom.htmlNvidia’s Financing Deals Show the New AI Economy: https://www.theatlantic.com/economy/2025/12/nvidia-ai-financing-deals/685197/Major Central Banks Deliver Biggest Rate Easing Yet: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/major-central-banks-deliver-biggest-easing-push-over-decade-2025-2025-12-23/Salesforce Shifts Strategy as LLM Trust Declines: https://thein.fo/3MPLLPlExecutives Admit Growing Doubt in Generative AI Models: https://www.theinformation.com/articles/salesforce-executives-say-trust-generative-ai-declinedSalesforce Quietly Hires 6,000 During AI Skeptic Shift: https://venturebeat.com/technology/while-everyone-talks-about-an-ai-bubble-salesforce-quietly-added-6-000Google Doubles CapEx to $93B for AI Infrastructure: https://thein.fo/48PalbKGlobal Energy Jobs Surge Twice as Fast as Overall Economy: https://www.iea.org/news/energy-employment-has-surged-but-growing-skills-shortages-threaten-future-momentumIEA: Energy Employment Tops 76 Million Despite Skill Gaps: https://www.iea.org/reports/world-energy-employment-2025Full list: https://youtu.be/fbk7ysg9WFc

China’s vehicle export surge is colliding with U.S. tariffs, squeezing global auto jobs and supply chains. At the same time, new signs suggest advanced AI chips are still reaching China despite export controls. We also cover soaring healthcare costs, major VA staffing cuts, rising CEO turnover, and a telling consumer signal as America’s largest bourbon maker prepares to go dark in 2026.🎯 WHAT YOU’LL LEARNHow China’s auto export glut is disrupting global markets and U.S. manufacturersWhy tariffs are driving higher costs, logistics bottlenecks, and factory closuresHow AI chip smuggling is undermining U.S. export controlsWhy healthcare premiums are set to surge and what it means for consumersHow VA staffing cuts could worsen access for veteransWhy CEO turnover is rising even at high-performing companiesWhat falling demand for spirits signals about consumer behavior🔍 TIMESTAMPS00:00 Intro — Autos, Tariffs, AI, Healthcare & Leadership00:44 Auto Fallout — China’s Export Glut & Global Spillover01:57 Logistics Shock — Costs, Bottlenecks & Job Risk03:28 U.S. Impact — Tariffs, Chips & Sales Declines04:00 Europe Hit — Germany’s Auto Shutdowns05:21 Germany–China Decoupling — Trade & Investment Pullback06:01 Semiconductor Risk — Stockpiles & Production Delays07:15 AI Chips — Sanctions, Smuggling & Enforcement Gaps08:25 Healthcare Costs — Premium Hikes Ahead09:22 VA Cuts — Providers, Offices & Veteran Access10:18 CEO Turnover — Why Boards Are Resetting Leadership11:18 Consumer Signal — Jim Beam Halts Production12:15 Takeaway — What This Means for 2026👍 Found value?Like, comment, and share so more leaders see this.📚 SOURCES & DATA:China Gas Cars Flood Global Overcapacity Crisis: https://www.reuters.com/investigations/china-floods-world-with-gasoline-cars-it-cant-sell-home-2025-12-02/learningrevolutionChina EV Boom Hides Massive ICE Export Surge: https://www.carscoops.com/2025/12/chinas-ev-boom-is-hiding-a-much-bigger-ice-export-shock/bluehostAuto Logistics Q4 2025 Tariffs Supply Chain Crisis: https://www.automotivelogistics.media/supply-chain/automotive-logistics-and-supply-chains-q4-2025-cost-pressures-tariff-uncertainty-and-supply-chain-disruption-continues-to-plague-the-industry/2126758learningrevolutionAuto Plant Shutdowns 500K US Jobs Risked: https://www.urban.org/urban-wire/car-manufacturing-plant-shutdowns-could-cost-half-million-us-jobsbluehostVW Closes German Factory Europe Auto Crisis: https://www.ft.com/content/d7d0fbc8-2e92-49c5-be38-1412d8392fa9learningrevolutionVW Dresden Closure Steel Industry Hit Auto Slowdown: https://www.steelorbis.com/steel-news/latest-news/volkswagen-closes-dresden-plant-as-market-pressures-mount-1424818.htmkfflearningrevolutionGermany Dumps China Ties Europe Auto Decoupling: https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/why-germany-wants-a-divorce-with-china-0d59fb81learningrevolutionTariffs Wreck Autos: https://youtu.be/cM7Bu2DJvTw China Tencent Buys Nvidia Blackwell Chips Tariff Dodge: https://www.barrons.com/articles/china-tencent-nvidia-blackwell-chips-cloud-9d5e5998? US Sells Out AI to China for Nothing: https://youtu.be/UphXmFOYUU8Nvidia Partner Megaspeed Happily Smuggling AI Chips to China: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2025-12-22/nvidia-partner-megaspeed-draws-china-chip-smuggling-concerns-in-us  Ample AI Chip Smuggling Evidence: https://youtu.be/tFp6JtBTjao ACA Premiums Spike 26% 2026 Obamacare Shock: https://www.kff.org/quick-take/aca-insurers-are-raising-premiums-by-an-estimated-26-but-most-enrollees-could-see-sharper-increases-in-what-they-pay/bluehostVA Abruptly Cuts Thousands of Health Care Jobs: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/12/13/va-veterans-affairs-job-cuts-trump  VA Dramatically Cutting Back Regional Offices for Veterans Health Care: https://www.militarytimes.com/veterans/2025/12/17/va-to-launch-largest-reorganization-of-health-care-system-in-30-years/  Full list: https://youtu.be/fbOx5HsYMoo

TikTok finally has a deal, the Oscars are moving off broadcast TV and onto YouTube, and the AI boom is starting to show real stress as the White House pushes to block states from regulating it. At the same time, the jobs report is weakening, manufacturing and younger workers are feeling the pressure, and falling inflation isn’t bringing the relief many expected as we head toward 2026.🎯 WHAT YOU’LL LEARN* How TikTok’s U.S. deal works and why it may still fail regulatory tests* Why the Oscars moving to YouTube signals a deeper media power shift* What Warner Bros. Discovery’s board sees as red flags in Paramount’s bid* Why AI valuations are slipping and legacy innovators are collapsing* How the White House is trying to stop states from regulating AI* What the latest jobs and inflation data really say about the economy🔍 TIMESTAMPS00:00 Intro — Jobs, Inflation, TikTok, AI & Media00:33 TikTok Deal — Ownership, Algorithms & China Approval02:41 Media Shift — Oscars to YouTube03:14 Warner Bros. vs Paramount — Financing & Foreign Ownership05:43 AI Market Stress — CoreWeave, Oracle & Broadcom07:07 iRobot Collapse — Tariffs & Industrial Fallout08:38 AI Regulation Fight — White House vs States10:48 Jobs Report — Rising Unemployment & Revisions12:45 Inflation Update — Cooling Prices, Rising Risks13:38 Takeaway — A More Fragile Economy👍 Found value?Like, comment, and share so more leaders see this.Subscribe for fact-based, board-level insights.📚 SOURCES & DATA:Oracle, Silver Lake, MGX Circle TikTok Deal: Is a US Takeover Finally Here?: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/25/oracle-silver-lake-mgx-tiktok.htmlkffTikTok Deal Signed: https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/18/tech/tiktok-signs-us-sale-deal TikTok Creates New US Joint Venture: https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/cpi-report-today-inflation-stock-market-12-18-2025/card/tiktok-signs-deal-to-create-new-u-s-joint-venture-Mx6mQFbq3hIrloXa1I2k?mod=hp_lista_pos2 Paramount + WBD in Trouble? Why Old-School TV Networks Are Overpriced in the Streaming Era:https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/paramount-wbd-overvaluing-tv-networks-cnn-tbs-netflix-deal-1236604301/kffWarners Board Rejects Paramount Offer: https://www.reuters.com/legal/transactional/warner-bros-discovery-board-rejects-rival-bid-paramount-2025-12-17/ Roomba Maker iRobot Near Collapse: Can the Robot Vacuum Pioneer Survive Tariffs and Amazon’s Exit?:https://www.barrons.com/articles/irobot-roomba-bankruptcy-stock-price-amazon-c55c5435#:~:text=Intense%20competition%20from%20abroad%20and,george.glover@dowjones.comkffTariffs Crush Roomba: How Trade Wars Pushed iRobot to the Brink of Bankruptcy:https://www.npr.org/2025/12/15/nx-s1-5644772/tariffs-roomba-irobot-bankruptcykffBreaking Jobs Data: New US Employment Report Shows Where the Labor Market Is Really Cooling:https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htmkffInside the Latest Jobs Report: November 2025 Employment Data and What It Signals for the Economy:https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/empsit_12162025.htmkffWall Street Reacts to November Jobs: What the New Employment Numbers Mean for Rates and Recession Risk:https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/16/jobs-report-november-2025-.htmlkffLabor Department Jobs Breakdown: The Official Government View on November’s Employment Shake-Up:https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/economicdata/empsit_12162025.pdfkffHot CPI Alert: Latest US Inflation Report: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htmkffAI Executive Order: https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/11/tech/ai-trump-states-executive-order Trump’s New AI Order: How Washington Plans to Regulate Artificial Intelligence and Reshape Big Tech:https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/11/technology/ai-trump-executive-order.htmlkff

Washington just reversed course on AI chip exports, letting Nvidia sell advanced GPUs into China again. On paper it’s a “vetted customers” program with a 25% revenue cut for the U.S. government. In practice, it hands China a major compute upgrade and raises real questions about whether Washington is trading long‑term AI leadership for short‑term chip sales. We break down what the Nvidia deal actually does for China’s AI power, how it affects the U.S.–China tech rivalry, and why many national security experts think this move could backfire.🎯 WHAT YOU’LL LEARN (SHORT & EXECUTIVE)Why the U.S. is now allowing Nvidia’s H200 into China after years of export bansHow this changes China’s biggest AI weakness: access to high-end computeWhy “25% of sales to the U.S. government” may be far less meaningful than it soundsHow China’s copy-and-conquer playbook, domestic fabs, and energy edge amplify this moveWhat this means for Nvidia’s dominance and rising rivals like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft🔍 TIMESTAMPS00:00 Intro — AI Chips, China & A Wild Policy Reversal00:36 U.S. Approves Nvidia H200 Sales — 25% Revenue Share & “Vetted” Buyers01:26 National Security Risk — Export Controls, AI Arms Race & Military Concerns01:47 China’s AI Ambition — More Threads IPO, Ex-Nvidia Leadership & Sanctions02:41 Compute Gap — Huawei Ascend vs H200, U.S. 70% of Global AI Compute03:33 How One Chip Matters — Networking, System-Level Risk & U.S. Advantage04:19 Tariffs vs Tech — Why This Undercuts a Year of Trade Pain04:52 Nvidia’s China Exposure — 15% Revenue, Weak H200 Forecasts & 25% of “Not Much”05:38 Smuggling & Shadow Access — Grey Markets, Domestic Bans & Blackwell Angle06:46 Copy & Conquer — Forced Tech Transfer, Joint Ventures & Decoupling Risk08:04 China’s Structural Edge — Fabs Expansion & 500 GW of New Power vs U.S. 40 GW09:32 Zero-Sum Rivalry — Trade Truces, Tariffs & Strategic Drift11:12 Nvidia’s Moat Under Fire — TPUs, Trainium & Microsoft’s Fast-Follow Strategy12:04 Takeaways — Have We Just Helped Our Main Rival Catch Up?👍 Found value?Share this with someone on your board, investment committee, or exec team who is thinking about AI strategy, China risk, or national security exposure.📚 SOURCES & DATAUS OKs Nvidia Chip Sales to China: https://www.semafor.com/article/12/09/2025/trump-says-nvidia-can-sell-h200-ai-chips-to-chinaChina Limits Access to Nvidia H200 Despite US Export Approval: https://www.ft.com/content/c4e81a67-cd5b-48b4-9749-92ecf116313dNvidia Expands China H2000 Exports: https://www.wsj.com/tech/nvidia-china-exports-h2000-chips-5943aa48From Chips to Security, China’s Getting What it Wants: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/12/world/asia/nvidia-china-trump-security-japan.html CFR: AI Chip Exports Backfire on U.S.: https://www.cfr.org/expert-brief/consequences-exporting-ai-chips-chinaExporting AI Chips Risks U.S. Lead: https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/dispatches/why-exporting-advanced-chips-to-china-endangers-us-ai-leadership/U.S. Chip Export Loopholes Exposed: https://democrats-foreignaffairs.house.gov/2025/11/export-control-loopholes-chipmaking-tools-and-their-subcomponentsExperts Slam 25% U.S. Nvidia Cut: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/12/us-taking-25-cut-of-nvidia-chip-sales-makes-no-sense-experts-say/AI Market War: U.S. vs. China Chips: https://youtu.be/nIp8HGLQeNIAI Chip Smuggling Exposed: https://youtu.be/tFp6JtBTjaoData Centers Face AI Compute Crunch: https://youtu.be/NTSwKZXtD1kFord’s China Sales Collapse: https://youtu.be/2RJ9v-ZyZgEInside China’s New 5-Year Plan: https://youtu.be/3F_zislTiKIChina Leads AI Power Expansion: https://www.wsj.com/tech/china-ai-electricity-data-centers-d2a86935?mod=hp_lead_pos7China’s Moore Threads Challenges Nvidia: https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3335900/chinas-moore-threads-unveil-ai-chip-road-map-rival-nvidias-cuda-systemChina IP Theft & Tech Ambitions: https://www.nbr.org/program/commission-on-the-theft-of-intellectual-property/Full list: https://youtu.be/UphXmFOYUU8