Dave Lee on Investing

An outside team just spent 11 weeks inside Anthropic, the makers of Claude, to answer one question: is AI now speeding up the building of AI? Their answer: probably yes. Anthropic is now making about two years of AI progress every year, and most of that speed-up comes from AI itself. But much of the evidence was blacked out, the newest models are kept inside the company, and the tests used to measure progress are running out of room. What does it mean when the smartest AI is the one the public can't use? What do you think? Should the companies...

Democrats swept the House and the Senate in the 2026 midterms. But what was the real reason? Trump says it was the price of gas. JD Vance says it was the war. Tucker Carlson says it was betrayal. Democrats say it was prices and corruption. In this video, I go over what happened, the reasons each side is giving, and then look deeper: the "thermostat" effect, price shocks around the world, voters who no longer stick with one party, falling trust in Washington, and young people who feel locked out. Then the last time America flipped back and forth like this...

OpenAI says its AI solved one of the hardest problems in math. It’s a $1 million problem about how water moves, and nobody had solved it in 90 years. But two months later, nobody fully understands the answer. Not the mathematicians checking it, and not even OpenAI. 0:00 Intro 1:16 Can Water Explode? 2:38 The Spoon 3:51 Eighty-Eight Hours 6:09 Nobody Understands It 7:28 The Flood 8:10 What It Means 9:46 My take Voice: my real voice Tristan Buckmaster’s account of his meeting with OpenAI is his own. Sébastien Bubeck disputes it. Reporting drawn from Quanta Magazine, Scientific American, Science, The Conversation, TechCrunch, Tufts Daily, OpenAI, the Clay...

Anthropic, the maker of Claude, just told the SEC it “may imminently” reach the point where AI dramatically speeds up the building of AI itself. It’s called recursive self-improvement: AI building a smarter AI. So what do you think? Will we be able to control AI, or will AI control us? 0:00 AI building a smarter AI 1:06 The Last Invention 2:23 Claude Builds Claude 3:47 The Line 4:54 Why Put It in a Filing? 5:43 What Happens Next Voice: my real voice for entire video Social X - https://x.com/davelee 🎧 Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dave-lee-on-investing/id1493031991 🎙️Spotify https://open.spotify.c...

On November 1, 2026, Tucker Carlson posted that the Trump administration "may be within days of launching a nuclear strike on Iran," under pressure from Israel's prime minister. The target, he wrote, is Pickaxe Mountain, a tunnel complex next to Natanz that may be too deep for any ordinary American bomb. Is he right? And if not, why is anyone talking about it? This film looks beneath the post: the twenty-year contest between bigger bombs and deeper holes, what the National Academy of Sciences found about "nuclear bunker busters," the 81 years in which every president handed the nuclear option said no, and...

I’m experimenting with a new type of video format. This is more of a deep dive into recent events I think are significant and I think have big future implications. It is a lot of work to come up with the topic and angle and to fully produce it from start to finish. Fortunately AI is helping a lot with the process and it would be too laborious without its help. But just know I’m very involved in the entire process. I’ve experimented with recording my voice but also with using a cloned voice and there are clear...

Before Tesla’s Roadster event, Emmet Peppers and I recorded our drive from Austin to Waco. We started with his Cybercab rides—and ended up debating Tesla’s future, a possible SpaceX merger, and who wins the AI race. My view is that Tesla needs more than great hardware and manufacturing. As AI gets more capable, access to the best intelligence becomes increasingly important. That’s a big reason I think Tesla and SpaceX need to merge. Emmet pushes back on how quickly AI companies could compete with Tesla in the physical world, and we work through both sides. We also tal...

Emmet Peppers and I just left Tesla’s Roadster event in Waco, Texas. Seeing that demo in person was mind-blowing. But what can customers actually buy—and what does this tell us about Tesla’s future? On the drive back to Austin, we talk through the Roadster, a possible Tesla–SpaceX merger, Cybercab, and what could get Tesla’s business growing again. We also debate Cybertruck demand and whether Tesla should have done more to educate people about its vehicles. Then we get into Optimus and AI. I explain why I think a truly useful household robot is harder than most peopl...

After experiencing Tesla’s Cybercab in Austin, I think the biggest thing people are missing is the zero-sum game built into Uber. Two people share one environment with different preferences. The driver wants the temperature at 66. I want 72. We have different preferences for music, volume, and whether the windows should be open. My comfort can come at the expense of his—and I don’t blame the driver. It’s his working environment. Cybercab removes that tug of war. I choose the temperature, play my Spotify, and settle in with my coffee. The car has no competing preferences. I can get comf...

Social 🐦 Twitter https://mobile.twitter.com/heydave7 🎧 Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dave-lee-on-investing/id1493031991 🎙️Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/2iin015s0k21Bt4ldep9XT?si=uBV4Ft8hQEu_GE4YSIDDGg 📸 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/heydave7 Dave Lee on Parenting, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWD9b1BZqi2G2u30sGYIFrA NOTE: Please don’t fall for scammers who might impersonate me or others in the comment section. I do NOT give out my number or ask people to contact me. 💁🏻‍♂️ Disclaimer: All content on this channel is for discussion and illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as p...

I took two rides in Tesla’s Cybercab in Austin, and I’m telling you — this thing exceeded my expectations. The legroom, quiet cabin, huge screen, and freedom to just sit back and enjoy the ride are incredible. But the biggest surprise was how natural it feels with no steering wheel or pedals. There’s no empty driver’s seat reminding you that someone is missing. It just feels like this is how getting from point A to point B is supposed to work. On my second ride, I reclined my seat and watched my own Cybercab video inside a Cybercab...

Tesla’s growth has slowed, and the affordable new model many people expected hasn’t arrived. Did Tesla abandon its high-volume ambitions—or choose a different path to get there? In this video, I share my theory about why Elon Musk went all in on Cybercab and FSD, what that decision may have cost Tesla in the short term, and how it could lay the foundation for an entirely new lineup of affordable, autonomous vehicles. I explore the tradeoff between building a cheaper conventional Tesla and designing a vehicle around the rider from the ground up. I also outline a six-st...

I attended Tesla’s Cybercab launch event in Austin and spent more than two hours speaking with Tesla engineers and examining the technical displays. In this video, I share what I learned about the Cybercab’s unboxed assembly process, plastic exterior, brake-by-wire system, interior design, thermal management, drive unit, crash testing, serviceable battery pack, AI hardware, and manufacturing line. Seeing these systems firsthand changed my perspective on Cybercab. This isn’t simply a new vehicle—it may form the foundation of Tesla’s manufacturing and autonomous-transport strategy for the next decade. I also discuss Tesla’s progress with FSD, the expected tra...

After Tesla's Q2 2025 earnings call, Elon Musk's comment that the new affordable model is "a Model Y" sent shockwaves through the community, leading to frustration and confusion. Many now believe Tesla's next big vehicle is just a cheaper, stripped-down trim of the current Model Y. In this video, I'll break down why I believe that's wrong. I'll argue that Tesla isn't just removing features from the Model Y. Instead, they are launching a new model on the same platform: a shorter wheelbase Model Y. This move, combined with the recently revealed longer "Model Y L" in China, points to a...

In this video, I break down why I think I'll be able to use unsupervised FSD in my own Tesla in Austin before the year is over. - How Tesla's geofenced Robotaxi network is the key. - Creating hyper-realistic simulations of cities like Austin to rapidly train and validate FSD. - The logical steps from safety-monitored Robotaxis to unmanned Robotaxis, and finally, to unsupervised FSD for personal vehicles in those same proven zones. - What "unsupervised" will likely mean at first (hint: you'll probably still be in the driver's seat, but without the nags!). Social 🐦 Twitter https://mobile.twitter.com/hey...

Lots of exciting things happening with Tesla this week. Here's what I cover in my video: 1. Elon Musk's America Party - Risk vs benefit. 2. Robotaxi Race: Waymo vs Tesla - Who will win? 3. Leadership Turnover - Bigger picture. 4. Model Y L for China - Why it's a great move and why I expect another smaller model. 5. xAI Investment - Should Tesla shareholders approve of a Tesla investment in xAI? 6. Bay Area Expansion - Will SF Bay Area get Robotaxi? 7. India Entry - What is Tesla trying to accomplish in India? Social 🐦 Twitter https://mobile.twitter.com/heydave7 🎧 Apple Podcast: https://podcas...

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I address the idea of requiring Elon Musk spend a certain number of hours per week on Tesla. I also critique the idea of required the Tesla board to oversee Elon Musk's political activity. Elon has proven himself over and over to be one of the greatest innovators and value-creators of all time. Yet some people want the Tesla Board to micromanage his hours and police his outside activity. This would be a terrible mistake. You don’t babysit Elon. You treat him like an adult and give him performance-based compensation tied to long-term ambitious milestones (like market cap, revenue/pr...

I took my wife on three Tesla Robotaxi rides and two Waymo rides in Austin, Texas. I learned a lot from her reaction. Social 🐦 Twitter https://mobile.twitter.com/heydave7 🎧 Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dave-lee-on-investing/id1493031991 🎙️Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/2iin015s0k21Bt4ldep9XT?si=uBV4Ft8hQEu_GE4YSIDDGg 📸 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/heydave7 Dave Lee on Parenting, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWD9b1BZqi2G2u30sGYIFrA NOTE: Please don’t fall for scammers who might impersonate me or others in the comment section. I do NOT give out my number or...

If you're interested in Tesla Robotaxi, Tesla AI or Tesla FSD, then you ought to know about James Douma. He's probably the one person who's done the deepest public dives on Tesla FSD and Tesla AI over the years. In fact, over the past 4 years I've published 40+ videos (!) with James Douma on Tesla AI/FSD (they are all on a playlist on my YouTube channel). I first discovered James Douma a long time ago (maybe almost 8-10 years ago?) on a web forum called http://teslamotorsclub.com . Back then it was one of the only places for early Tesla owners...

I had the chance to spend the day taking Tesla Robotaxi rides in Austin, Texas with James Douma. We discuss our experiences riding Tesla's driverless cars and the Robotaxi service, possible expansion, Waymo and competition, and more. Social 🐦 Twitter https://mobile.twitter.com/heydave7 🎧 Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dave-lee-on-investing/id1493031991 🎙️Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/2iin015s0k21Bt4ldep9XT?si=uBV4Ft8hQEu_GE4YSIDDGg 📸 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/heydave7 Dave Lee on Parenting, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWD9b1BZqi2G2u30sGYIFrA NOTE: Please don’t fall for scammers who might impers...

I spend two days with Emmet Peppers in Austin, Texas as we take multiple rides in Tesla's new Robotaxi service. Social 🐦 Twitter https://mobile.twitter.com/heydave7 🎧 Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dave-lee-on-investing/id1493031991 🎙️Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/2iin015s0k21Bt4ldep9XT?si=uBV4Ft8hQEu_GE4YSIDDGg 📸 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/heydave7 Dave Lee on Parenting, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWD9b1BZqi2G2u30sGYIFrA NOTE: Please don’t fall for scammers who might impersonate me or others in the comment section. I do NOT give out my number or ask people to...

Day 3. Finished 5 Tesla Robotaxi rides, 4 Waymo rides, and 1 Uber ride. (See 39-minute edited video below.) Uber is in a tough situation. Classic innovators dilemma. Autonomous ride-hailing clearly is the future, but if Uber invites Waymo then that's working against their human drivers which will hurt Uber's recruiting ability (which they need to keep density especially in suburban areas). But if they don't welcome Waymo, then Uber is toast because people want cheaper/autonomous ride-hailing. Also, if Uber welcomes Waymo and Waymo cars increase then Waymo can just bypass Uber with their own Waymo app. Uber's only "hope" would be if...

Here's my video from Day 2 of trying out the Tesla Robotaxi network in Austin, Texas. I took a total of 5 Tesla Robotaxi rides today and also 1 Waymo ride. Social 🐦 Twitter https://mobile.twitter.com/heydave7 🎧 Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dave-lee-on-investing/id1493031991 🎙️Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/2iin015s0k21Bt4ldep9XT?si=uBV4Ft8hQEu_GE4YSIDDGg 📸 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/heydave7 Dave Lee on Parenting, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWD9b1BZqi2G2u30sGYIFrA NOTE: Please don’t fall for scammers who might impersonate me or others in the comment section. I do N...

I took 5 rides in Tesla's new Robotaxi network in Austin, Texas today. Was very impressed! Social 🐦 Twitter https://mobile.twitter.com/heydave7 🎧 Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dave-lee-on-investing/id1493031991 🎙️Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/2iin015s0k21Bt4ldep9XT?si=uBV4Ft8hQEu_GE4YSIDDGg 📸 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/heydave7 Dave Lee on Parenting, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWD9b1BZqi2G2u30sGYIFrA NOTE: Please don’t fall for scammers who might impersonate me or others in the comment section. I do NOT give out my number or ask people to contact me. 💁🏻‍♂️ Discla...

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Tesla is doing something fascinating. They're using their auto business as a launching pad into two massive adjacent markets: AI transport and AI labor. Social 🐦 Twitter https://mobile.twitter.com/heydave7 🎧 Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dave-lee-on-investing/id1493031991 🎙️Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/2iin015s0k21Bt4ldep9XT?si=uBV4Ft8hQEu_GE4YSIDDGg 📸 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/heydave7 Dave Lee on Parenting, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWD9b1BZqi2G2u30sGYIFrA NOTE: Please don’t fall for scammers who might impersonate me or others in the comment section. I do NOT give out my numb...

Tesla shareholders overwhelmingly re-approved Elon Musk's 2018 compensation plan and the company's incorporation in Texas at the annual shareholder meeting last week. The vote shows strong support for Musk's leadership and the company's long-term focus on Full Self-Driving (FSD) and the Optimus humanoid robot, despite short-term challenges, and opens the door for a new compensation plan that could increase Musk's voting power to push forward with his aggressive AI and robotics plans.

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AI has the potential to radically increase the value of certain companies by embedding human-level intelligence into products and services. Two key opportunities to profit from this: creating or reinventing products and services with AI, and investing in companies that are leaders in bringing AI-powered value to their offerings. However, investing in AI companies also carries risks, as the competition to bring AI into products and services will be immense.

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Some investors argue that Tesla's potential robotaxi service should not be included in valuation models because other companies will quickly catch up once Tesla solves unsupervised FSD. However, the ride-hailing market has strong winner-takes-most dynamics, and Tesla's significant lead in generalized autonomous driving technology would give them a major advantage in establishing a dominant robotaxi network that would be extremely difficult for competitors to challenge.

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Once Tesla releases their unsupervised Robotaxi platform will adoption be slow or fast?

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In this video I want to focus on two specific things. First, the unique position of Tesla to make the best humanoid robot. And number two, why being first matters with humanoid robots.

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I talk with Alexandra Merz about Tesla’s upcoming annual shareholder meeting and the two main issues being voted on: 1) Re-approving the 2018 Elon Musk Compensation Plan, and 2). Redomestication of Tesla to the state of Texas.

Alexandra Merz on X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/TeslaBoomerMama

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I’m joined by James Douma as we discuss Tesla’s latest FSD v12 (supervised) release and how ti compares to previous FSD versions. We also dive into Robotaxi, Optimus, LLMs, and more.

James Douma on Twitter, https://twitter.com/jamesdouma
James Douma on AI playlist, https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfibpgBinf9R7KIedEU3y-YjrA63LSKHX

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📸 In...

I discuss why Tesla had to do a complete rewrite of FSD and more importantly, why it should allow them to improve faster and potentially solve autonomous driving.

Narrow Driving Intelligence (NDI) is an approach to autonomous driving where each unique driving challenge, or edge case, is solved individually with a specific solution or algorithm. However, this approach does not improve the vehicle's ability to handle new, unseen edge cases.

On the other hand, General Driving Intelligence (GDI) aims to develop a holistic driving intelligence that can handle a variety of situations and new edge...