In this episode of Financial Modeler’s Corner, host Paul Barnhurst welcomes Nico Christie, co-founder of Fundamental Research Labs and creator of Shortcut, the superhuman Excel agent. Nico shares insights into his fascinating journey, from being a professional athlete to leading groundbreaking AI projects. Together, they explain how AI is revolutionizing financial modeling and making Excel smarter than ever before. Nico also discusses his work at Fundamental Research Labs, where they aim to build digital humans using AI, and the development of Shortcut, which aims to streamline the way we use Excel for financial modeling tasks.

Nico Christie is the co-founder of Fundamental Research Labs and the CEO of Shortcut, a cutting-edge AI tool designed to supercharge Excel. Nico’s diverse background spans professional athletics, corporate finance, and AI research. His work at Fundamental Research Labs focuses on building AI that mimics human-like qualities, such as emotional experiences and consciousness. Nico has a passion for both technology and the real-world applications of AI in tools like Excel, making complex tasks faster and more intuitive.

Expect to Learn

• How Shortcut is revolutionizing Excel for financial modeling with AI.
• The process behind building digital humans at Fundamental Research Labs.
• Nico’s journey from professional dunker to AI innovator.
• How AI tools like Shortcut are transforming the financial modeling landscape.
• Insights on the future of AI in Excel and the response from companies like Microsoft.

Here are a few quotes from the episode:

• "I just think Excel is the most beautiful design software ever created by humans." - Nico Christie
• "The goal of the company is to build digital humans, giving AI all of the fundamental human qualities, not just intelligence." - Nico Christie
• "People who were initially afraid of AI are no longer afraid once they see how it can be used in software engineering." - Nico Christie

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• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicochristie/
• Twitter - https://x.com/nicochristie

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In today’s episode:

[02:15] - Introduction to Nico Christie

[02:38] - Worst Model Horror Story

[06:32] - Upcoming Projects and Exciting Roadblocks

[09:14] - The Journey to Dunking

[17:21] - The Power of Excel's Top Buttons

[20:17] - Reviewing vs. Starting from Scratch

[21:38] - Struggles with Formatting in Model Reviews

[32:35] - The Impact of AI Tools on the Profession

[37:26] - Favorite Excel Shortcut

[39:54] - Financial Models as Decision-Making Tools

[42:34] - Wrapping Up