Seven articles and interviews from The Pinpoint Press, plus a Wall Street Journal report.
Today, I’m back at Leen’s Lodge for an autumn fishing trip in Maine with family and friends. You can see some of the lodge’s scenic views here.
I’m also delighted to share the terrific coverage Rick Newman of The Pinpoint Press produced from this same place during the most recent Camp Kotok gathering. If Camp Kotok is new to you, it is a fishing retreat that brings together colleagues, friends, investors, economists, entrepreneurs, and other guests for several days of conversation in Downeast Maine. For a quick primer, see my “Report From Leen’s Lodge.”
Rick returned for his sixth Camp Kotok gathering and turned those conversations into a timely series on artificial intelligence, politics, the labor market, the national debt, and the Federal Reserve.
I want to thank Rick for the reporting, interviews, videos, and many hours of work he devoted to sharing Camp Kotok with a wider audience. His articles captured both the serious questions being debated and the character of the gathering itself. I also want to thank Hannah Erin Lang for her Wall Street Journal report, which offers another perspective on Camp Kotok and the questions about artificial intelligence discussed at this year’s gathering.
Here is a guide to Rick’s Camp Kotok coverage in The Pinpoint Press.
Artificial Intelligence
Notes from Camp Kotok: The AI Boom Is Just Getting Started
The Pinpoint Press | August 7, 2026
Rick reports why attendees see the AI buildout as being in its early stages, while examining the risks of overbuilding data centers and the steep obstacles facing data centers in space.
Notes from Camp Kotok: 10 Ways To Exploit AI
The Pinpoint Press | August 8, 2026
A practical list of ways Camp Kotok attendees use AI, from challenging assumptions and triaging research to creating a personalized daily briefing.
Politics and David Kotok
Notes from Camp Kotok: Hegseth, go home
The Pinpoint Press | August 9, 2026
Rick reports the results of an informal survey of Camp Kotok attendees about five Trump Cabinet officials and shares a national-security discussion focused on Pentagon leadership.
David Kotok Vents: “The lousy, stinking politicians”
The Pinpoint Press | August 10, 2026
In a short video interview, I discussed fiscal policy, the unanswered question of returns on AI investment, immigration’s effect on business, and the concerns voiced by attendees.
Conversations with Jim Bianco
Jim Bianco On The Job Market: Get Used To Smaller Numbers
The Pinpoint Press | August 10, 2026
Jim explains why slower population growth may mean smaller monthly job gains can still be consistent with a low unemployment rate.
Jim Bianco on the National Debt: We’re Going Bankrupt Slowly, For Now
The Pinpoint Press | August 11, 2026
Jim explains why the debt problem may remain gradual until a recession or bond-market shock forces government borrowing costs sharply higher.
Jim Bianco on the Fed’s Forward Guidance: Let’s Get Rid of It
The Pinpoint Press | August 25, 2026
Jim argues that forward guidance can box the Federal Reserve into earlier signals and that markets can adapt to a less talkative central bank.
Wrapping It Up with The Wall Street Journal
To close, Wall Street Journal reporter Hannah Erin Lang offers a different view from Camp Kotok.
We Went to Wall Street’s Exclusive Wilderness Camp. Everyone Was Spooked by AI.
The Wall Street Journal | Hannah Erin Lang | August 23, 2026
Many have already read this piece when it was first published and expressed their support and encouragement and kind words to me about it. If you haven’t read it, her report captures finance veterans’ unease over the scale of AI investment, uncertainty about future returns, reluctance to step away from the trade, and quite a bit more.
Taken together, Rick’s series and Hannah’s report offer a lively record of the questions that shaped Camp Kotok 2026. Thank you both for bringing readers into the conversations at Grand Lake Stream.
And thank you, dear readers, for joining me today. Until the next update, tight lines!
David values thoughtful, reasoned, constructive responses from readers. To contact him, please send an email. The subject line should read “Response to [title of commentary].”
The complete Kotok Report archive can be found at www.kotokreport.com.
Disclosure:
The information posted on this website (including any related blog, podcasts, videos, and social media) reflects the personal opinions, viewpoints, and analyses of David R. Kotok. David R. Kotok is an independent contractor. He may independently receive payments from various entities for consulting, advisory and board functions, speaking fees, book royalties, advertisements in affiliated podcasts, blogs, and emails. Inclusion of such advertisements does not constitute or imply endorsement, sponsorship, or recommendation thereof, or any affiliation therewith, by the Content Creator or by David R. Kotok.
Nothing on this website constitutes investment advice. It should not be construed as an offer soliciting the purchase or sale of any security mentioned. Nor should it be construed as an offer to provide investment advisory services by David R. Kotok. The information provided on this website (including any information that may be accessed through this website) is not directed at any investor or category of investors and is provided solely as general information.
This content, which may contain security-related opinions and/or information, is provided for informational purposes only. Do not rely upon it in any manner as investment advice. It is not an endorsement of any practices, products or services. You should consult your own advisers as to legal, business, tax, and other related matters concerning any investment.
Any charts provided here are for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon when making any investment decision. As always please remember investing involves risk and possible loss. Any projections, estimates, forecasts, targets, prospects, and/or opinions expressed are subject to change without notice and may differ or be contrary to opinions expressed by others. Information in charts has been obtained from third-party sources believed to be reliable; however, David R. Kotok makes no representations about the accuracy of the information.
Thanks for reading The Kotok Report! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.
