Why I'm Watching Tesla, AI Stocks — and the Bigger Race Between East and West

Why I'm Watching Tesla, AI Stocks — and the Bigger Race Between East and West

I'm not a financial advisor. I'm a Chinese-Canadian living in British Columbia, driving two Teslas, and watching one of the most consequential technology races in history unfold in real time — from a front-row seat that most English-language investors don't have.

I started AI Stock Notes because I couldn't find a place that brought together three things I care about: the rise of artificial intelligence, the long-term vision of Tesla, and an honest comparison between what's happening in Silicon Valley and what's quietly happening in Shenzhen, Beijing, and Shanghai.

I'm a Tesla owner first

I drive a 2018 Model X and a Model Y. Both have Full Self-Driving.

Living with FSD every day changes how you think about Tesla. This isn't a company selling cars — it's a company training a neural network on billions of real-world miles. When you feel the system improve over the air, handle an unexpected situation, make a decision that feels almost human — you stop reading Tesla the way Wall Street reads it, and start reading it the way an engineer would.

I'll be sharing real FSD driving experiences alongside market analysis. Because there's a gap between what people read about Tesla's autonomy progress and what it actually feels like from the driver's seat.

Tesla didn't just change how I get around. It fundamentally changed how I think about investing in technology.

The view from the middle

Here's what makes my perspective a little different.

I grew up with an understanding of Chinese culture, language, and the technology ecosystem that most Western investors don't have direct access to. I follow Chinese EV companies — BYD, NIO, Li Auto, Xpeng — not through translated headlines, but through a more direct lens. I understand how Chinese consumers think, how Chinese companies operate, and what the competitive pressure from China actually means for Tesla and American tech.

At the same time, I live in Canada, invest in US markets through TFSA and RRSP accounts, and think about these trends the way a North American long-term investor does.

That middle position — between East and West, between consumer and investor — is what this site is built on.

Why Tesla's future is worth watching closely

Full Self-Driving is only one piece. Tesla is simultaneously building Optimus, a humanoid robot that could redefine manufacturing and labor economics. It's running one of the largest energy storage businesses in the world. It controls a global Supercharger network that's becoming infrastructure.

Elon Musk is one of the most controversial figures alive. He's also one of the most consequential. Whether you admire him or not, his commercial instincts and long-term bets — from electric vehicles to space to neural interfaces — have an unusual track record of forcing the future to arrive ahead of schedule. Ignoring him as a market force is an analytical mistake, regardless of your personal opinion of him.

I'm fascinated by where this goes. Not in a fanboy way — in a "this is the most important story in technology and I want to understand it clearly" way.

Why AI stocks more broadly?

The AI transition is no longer a thesis — it's revenue. Nvidia, Microsoft, Google, and a growing list of players are posting real numbers. But the more interesting question, for investors who can see both sides of the Pacific, is: how does this race end? Who wins in semiconductors, in models, in applications, in autonomy?

China's AI development is real, fast, and systematically underestimated by Western media. Understanding both sides of this race is not just intellectually interesting — it's a genuine investment edge.

My approach: cautiously optimistic

I'm not a permabull. I watch valuations, risks, and macro conditions as carefully as I watch the technology itself. Great technology and great investment returns are not the same thing, and I try never to confuse them.

My goal here is to think out loud — rationally, honestly, with the benefit of a perspective that sits at an unusual intersection of cultures, experiences, and market knowledge.

What you'll find here

Everything here is my personal opinion. Nothing is financial advice. Always do your own research.

If you're looking for a perspective that goes beyond the usual Wall Street narrative — one that understands both the Silicon Valley dream and the Shenzhen reality — I think you'll find something here worth reading.

The stars are the destination. Let's figure out who gets there.

— AI Stock Notes