In this episode of “Numbers Scream,” Tom Ellsworth, also known as the Bisdoc, revisits his top 10 predictions for 2025, grading himself with the help of AI tools like Gemini and ChatGPT. He begins by reflecting on his first prediction that Elon Musk would acquire or control TikTok due to ongoing U.S. government scrutiny over data privacy. While Musk showed interest and held talks, no acquisition occurred, and Oracle appeared to be the frontrunner instead. The AI tools gave Tom a B-, though he personally felt it deserved a lower grade.

Tom’s second and third predictions focused on the financial markets, specifically the S&P 500 and Nvidia. He predicted the S&P would reach 6,600, which was nearly spot-on as it hit 6,580 at the start of 2026, earning him an A+ from the AI graders. For Nvidia, he forecasted a 25% increase rather than another doubling, correctly anticipating a mid-year dip followed by recovery. This accuracy also earned him an A+.

The next set of predictions addressed consumer finance and interest rates. Tom foresaw rising defaults in the Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) sector as consumer credit card balances soared past $1.1 trillion, leading to increased regulatory scrutiny. He also predicted that 30-year fixed mortgage rates would remain above 6.25% due to limited rate cuts and tighter banking conditions, both of which proved accurate and earned him A grades from the AI reviewers.

Turning to broader economic trends, Tom predicted inflation would remain stubbornly around 3%, rather than dropping to the Federal Reserve’s 2% target. He also coined the phrase “tariffs will be tactics, not taxes,” correctly anticipating that the Trump administration would use tariffs as leverage in trade negotiations rather than as permanent economic burdens. Both predictions were validated by events and received high marks from the AI tools.

Rounding out his list, Tom anticipated the rise of specialized AI tools beyond the initial hype, the restructuring (but not outright sale) of major cable news networks like MSNBC and CNN, and a nuclear energy boom driven by the power demands of AI data centers and electric vehicles. While his media prediction was only partially correct, his call on nuclear energy—specifically the adoption of small modular reactors by tech giants—was spot-on and earned him another A+. Overall, Tom received mostly A’s and B’s for his predictions, expressing satisfaction with his forecasting accuracy and promising to share his outlook for 2026 in the next episode.