A MFTROU Update, Cognitive Offloading Versus Cognitive Surrender, and Live Portfolio Cohorts
April 1, 2026·7 min
David opens by explaining he is taking time off and writing his next book, so there is no regular episode this week. He notes that newly published books grew 33% in the past year versus a 2% decline in 2024, and new iOS apps grew 24%, attributing both largely to AI assistance. He frames these trends as a content glut and states his editorial response: fewer podcast episodes, more depth. He introduces the tension between cognitive offloading and cognitive surrender as the conceptual spine of the update. He cites Ezra Klein's New York Times reporting from San Francisco, where individuals share extensive personal data with AI to make it more effective and to act on their behalf. David says he finds this oversharing and is more selective. He then pivots to concrete examples of his own AI use in preparing the portfolio cohorts. He used Claude's code interpreter to expand an asset allocation spreadsheet to include non-US small cap stocks, managed futures, and portfolio-level volatility derived using correlations aligned with modern portfolio theory. He also experimented with uploading brokerage statements into Claude for automatic asset categorization and found the results accurate. He developed AI prompts that allow any LLM to run Python-based Monte Carlo simulations projecting portfolio values over a 10-year horizon. He emphasizes that controlling the expected return assumptions is where human expertise remains essential. He also notes that identifying AI errors still requires human judgment. He argues that combining AI productivity with personal knowledge will make the portfolio workshops more valuable. He describes the cohort format: a May 5th session capped at 25 investors, focused on people 10 or fewer years from retirement. The format is participatory, walking investors through classification, Monte Carlo modeling, rebalancing, and asset location decisions. He will answer questions freely but will not give specific investment advice. A fall cohort for retirees is planned. Listeners can join the waitlist at moneyfortherestofus.com/cohort for early access and a $200 discount. He closes by noting his next regular episode is in two weeks and that a detailed investment strategy report on oil and energy markets is coming for Plus members.
