In this riveting episode recorded in late December 2025, we dive deep into the seismic shift happening in the world of artificial intelligence. As we went to publish in January 2026, the landscape had already transformed dramatically - Alibaba's Qwen family of LLMs has skyrocketed to approximately 700 million downloads on Hugging Face, all while being released as open-source models under permissive licenses.

The numbers are staggering: in December 2025 alone, Qwen's downloads surpassed the combined single-month downloads of tech giants like Meta (Llama), DeepSeek, OpenAI, Mistral, Nvidia, Zhipu.AI, Moonshot, and MiniMax. This isn't just a story about one company's success - it's about a fundamental power shift in AI development.

Special guest Dr. Warren Jackson joins us as we explore how China's open-source approach is challenging US-dominated proprietary models like ChatGPT, creating unprecedented value for users worldwide. We predicted this competition would benefit AI users, and the data is already proving us right. The democratization of AI is accelerating, and the implications for developers, businesses, and everyday users are profound. Don't miss this timely analysis of the new global AI race where open-source is emerging as the unexpected champion.

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Join Lori Zager, Lisa James, and special guest Warren Jackson as they explore the world of AI. In this episode, they compare the Intelligence Revolution to the Industrial Revolution and discuss how to asses the various AI-related investment opportunities. Dr. Jackson is a physicist who first started studying AI as a principal scientist for PARC ten years ago. Currently, he is a consultant for DARPA.

Have a listen!

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Join Lori Zager and Lisa James as they explore the evolving landscape of bonds and their role in modern investment strategies. In this engaging episode, they discuss the historical significance of bonds in portfolio management and explore why traditional approaches might be shifting.

Discover the factors influencing the effectiveness of bonds as a hedge against market volatility and gain insights into alternative investment strategies that could complement or replace bonds in your portfolio. From gold and energy to the potential risks of treasuries, Lori and Lisa offer a balanced perspective on the current investment climate.

Tune in to learn about the various types of bonds and their potential roles in different investment scenarios, and hear real-world examples that illustrate the complexities of modern portfolio management. Whether you're a seasoned investor or just starting, this episode provides a thought-provoking discussion on the future of bonds and their impact on your financial journey! 📈💰

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Every recession or bear market is driven by a unique mix of factors, and the investment strategies that work best depend on the specific circumstances behind each downturn. In this episode of Nest Egg, Lori Zager and Lisa James break down the complex web of rising tariffs, soaring national debt, and shrinking policy options that are currently challenging investors.

Join them as they explore actionable portfolio strategies designed to prioritize capital preservation in a landscape marked by recession risks and the looming threat of stagflation—where slow growth, rising unemployment, and higher inflation collide. Whether you’re a seasoned investor or just building your financial knowledge, this episode offers valuable insights to help you protect your wealth in uncertain times.

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In this episode of Nest Egg, Lisa and Lori dive headfirst into the stormy world of politics, exploring how the Trump agenda is shaking up the economy. From market volatility to real-world financial impacts, they break down the ripple effects of a news cycle that never seems to slow down.

Why are investors on edge? How are businesses reacting to policy shifts? And what does all this uncertainty mean for your personal finances? Lisa and Lori tackle these questions with sharp analysis, offering insights on how to protect and grow your nest egg even when the world feels chaotic.

Whether you’re a seasoned investor or just getting started, this episode will help you understand the bigger picture — and how to navigate it. Tune in for a thoughtful, no-nonsense look at the intersection of politics and your financial future.

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2024 seems oh so long ago, but this episode of the Nest Egg! was broadcast in conjunction with the 2x Wealth Group’s 4q 2024 Investment Letter.

In this episode, Lori and Lisa explain what was behind the 25% rally in the S&P 500 in 2024 and why they thought history was unlikely to repeat itself in 2025. There is also a discussion of the recent excitement in Deepseek, a Chinese-made artificial intelligence model and the ramifications for a cheaper AI model.

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Lori and Lisa discuss how Trump’s proposals may affect the economy and dig deeper into his pick for Treasury Secretary: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Have a listen!!

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Lisa and Lori take a look at how politics in China has affected the Chinese stock market. Find out if they believe their recent statements about encouraging business growth and, on the flip side, hear what we think might impede China’s success. We provide a general U.S. market commentary at the end.

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