RJ Hamster
The “Picks-and-Shovels” AI Playbook
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Own These 3 AI ETFs Heading Into New Year 2026
The artificial intelligence boom is still accelerating—but the shape of the opportunity is evolving.
The first phase of the AI market was about infrastructure: GPUs, networking, cloud buildouts, and the capex arms race. The next phase is increasingly about deployment: companies embedding AI into workflows, customer experiences, and cost structures. That shift matters, because it can broaden the pool of winners from a handful of “AI kings” into a much larger slice of the market.
That’s why ETFs can be a smart way to stay exposed. Instead of betting everything on one ticker (or one earnings call), you can own diversified baskets that capture multiple layers of the AI stack—hardware, platforms, software, and increasingly, automation.
Also, keep in mind: forecasts for AI market size vary widely depending on definitions (core AI software vs. AI-enabled products/services, hardware included vs. excluded). But the direction is clear: major industry research firms project the AI market expanding into the multi-trillion-dollar range by the early-to-mid 2030s. For example, Grand View Research projects growth to about $3.5 trillion by 2033. Fortune Business Insights projects about $2.48 trillion by 2034.
So, how can investors stay in the AI story—even after the big momentum?
A practical approach is to own three complementary AI ETFs that each target a different “layer” of the theme: (1) broad AI and big data, (2) robotics and automation, and (3) generative AI.
ETF: Global X Artificial Intelligence & Technology ETF (SYM: AIQ)
The broad “core AI” basket across the full ecosystem
AIQ is built as a diversified, thematic way to own the AI and big data trend without having to pick the single best winner.
- Expense ratio: 0.68%
- Number of holdings: 85
What makes AIQ useful as a “core” position is that it doesn’t limit you to one segment of AI. It’s designed to hold companies that benefit from AI development and utilization—everything from the infrastructure side to the software/app side.
That matters because AI leadership can rotate. One quarter, the market rewards chips. Next quarter, it rewards platforms. Then it rotates into enterprise software adoption. With a broader ETF, you’re not forced to constantly guess which AI lane the market will reward next.
What you’re effectively buying: a cross-section of the AI economy—cloud and compute exposure, large-cap beneficiaries, and a set of global names tied to the buildout. AIQ’s top holdings list includes major AI bellwethers like Nvidia and other large-cap tech leaders.
Why it can work into 2026: if we see continued AI adoption across industries, the “AI stack” expands beyond just GPUs. AIQ is positioned to benefit whether the market’s next leg is driven by infrastructure upgrades, enterprise deployment, or AI-enabled consumer platforms.
Risk to respect: broad AI funds can still be tech-heavy. AIQ’s sector exposure shows a large allocation to information technology. That’s great when tech is leading, but it also means you should expect volatility if rates rise or if the market rotates away from growth.
Current price reference: AIQ recently traded around $52.69.
Edge on the Street
JPMorgan Sees Gold Pushing Toward $5,000 – Leverage Forms Early
JPMorgan believes gold prices will move significantly higher in the coming years. When forecasts reach this level, capital doesn’t wait – it looks for early-stage projects with scale and upside. One company is positioning for that scenario now.
Discover the gold story aligned with this outlook >
ETF: Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF (SYM: BOTZ)
The “embodied AI” and automation lever
If AI is the “brain,” robotics is the “hands.”
BOTZ focuses on companies tied to robotics, automation, and AI-enabled industrial transformation. That gives you exposure to the next frontier: AI moving beyond screens and software into physical-world productivity (manufacturing automation, logistics, precision tools, medical robotics, and more).
- Expense ratio: 0.68%
- Number of holdings: 50
BOTZ’s holdings skew toward global industrial automation leaders and robotics innovators. Its top holdings list includes names such as Nvidia, ABB, Fanuc, Intuitive Surgical, and Keyence.
Why this matters for 2026: as the market matures, investors increasingly care about AI ROI—real productivity gains, cost reductions, and output improvements. Robotics is one of the cleanest pathways from “AI capability” to “AI payback,” because it can reduce labor bottlenecks, improve throughput, and increase precision.
How BOTZ complements AIQ: AIQ is the broad AI umbrella. BOTZ is the “automation torque” sleeve. If the market narrative shifts from “AI spend” to “AI productivity,” robotics and automation can become a favored category.
Risk to respect: robotics/automation can be cyclical. If global manufacturing slows, industrial capex can pause. BOTZ also has international exposure, so currency moves and overseas growth can influence returns.
Current price reference: BOTZ recently traded around $37.02.
Banyan Hill Publishing
This 4-Letter Ticker Unlocks Pre-IPO Access to
America’s Most Secretive Tech Company
This company already has $26 BILLION in contracts with the Pentagon…
But it’s still private. So it’s off limits for most investors…
However, there’s a little-known ticker symbol that could get you in before the IPO boom — starting with just $20.
ETF: Roundhill Generative AI & Technology ETF (SYM: CHAT)
The GenAI-focused sleeve for the productivity wave
Generative AI has become the most visible “application layer” of the AI cycle—tools and platforms that automate knowledge work, accelerate content and code creation, and reshape how companies run back offices and customer-facing systems.
Roundhill explicitly positions CHAT as the first ETF globally focused on generative AI, and it is actively managed.
- Expense ratio: 0.75%
- Number of holdings: 45
Because it’s GenAI-specific, CHAT tends to concentrate exposure in the major GenAI infrastructure and platform winners (think: the companies enabling model training, inference, and AI-enabled services). Its fact sheet lists top holdings like Alphabet, NVIDIA, Microsoft, and Meta, among others.
Why it can work into 2026: if 2026 becomes more about adoption than capex acceleration, GenAI can be the bridge—because it directly targets productivity and workflow changes that show up in financial statements over time.
Risk to respect: GenAI is crowded. When a theme becomes consensus, it can overreact to any disappointment—product delays, regulation, shifting AI spend, or margin pressure. Also, active management means outcomes depend on the manager’s security selection.
Current price reference: CHAT recently traded around $62.82.
Wyatt Investment Research
How to Claim Pre-IPO Shares of SpaceX
Elon Musk is rushing to take Space Exploration Technologies public.
The mega IPO could value the company at $1.5 trillion. The transaction could raise $30 billion in capital to fund Elon’s new Space Master Plan.
Silicon Valley venture capital firms, Wall Street banks, and tech giants are rushing to invest BEFORE the stock starts trading on NASDAQ.
I’d like to send you important details inside this special report:
Inside the SpaceX Pre-IPO
Here’s a link to download now (email required).
Are there any other AI stocks you’ve got your eye on right now? What other sectors of the market are you currently interested in? Hit “reply” to this email and let us know your thoughts!
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