This episode dives into a critical macro question: does DeepSeek signal the end of US exceptionalism in AI, thereby challenging the bull case for US AI stocks? The discussion highlights DeepSeek's impressive performance against models like GPT-4, Llama 3.1, and Claude Sonnet 3.5, its resource-efficient development approach, and its strategic workarounds on export controls. Further, the podcast covers portfolio strategies that emphasize systematic risk management over instinct, analyzes quantitative signals and market regimes from REFLATION to potential DEFLATION and INFLATION shifts, and assesses the risks and opportunities in the current investment landscape. Additionally, it touches on tariff rhetoric and its implications in global trade discussions.