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Freedom251 › Blog › AI investing

Best Ways to Invest in AI Without Picking Individual Stocks

By Freedom251 Team · · 9 min read

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The simplest way to invest in artificial-intelligence growth without choosing individual companies is to use diversified funds: keep a broad-market mutual fund or ETF as your core, then add a small AI-themed ETF only if you accept higher concentration and volatility. Funds pool investors’ money, but an “AI” label does not guarantee broad diversification. Compare holdings, fund structure, expenses, turnover, geography, liquidity and the fund’s actual definition of AI before buying.

What “AI exposure” actually means

Artificial intelligence is an industry-wide theme rather than a single sector. A fund can obtain exposure through several business groups:

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  • AI developers: companies building machine-learning models, applications or data platforms.
  • AI infrastructure and enablers: semiconductor designers and manufacturers, storage providers, networking companies, cloud infrastructure, software tools and specialist services.
  • AI-as-a-service providers: businesses selling computing, models or analytics to other companies.
  • AI adopters: companies in other industries that use AI in products, operations or customer services.
  • Adjacent technology: big-data businesses, automation and robotics firms that may benefit from AI spending but are not pure-play AI companies.

Those definitions produce very different portfolios. Two funds with “AI” in their names may own different countries, industries and company sizes. Read the strategy and holdings rather than relying on the label.

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Choose a portfolio role before choosing a fund

Broad-market core

A total-market or large-market index fund can be the foundation of a portfolio. It owns many companies across sectors, so you receive indirect AI exposure from technology firms and from businesses adopting AI without making the entire portfolio depend on one theme. This approach usually has lower concentration risk than a thematic fund. It also avoids having to predict which part of the AI supply chain will capture the most profit.

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Thematic satellite

An AI ETF can be a satellite position around that core. It concentrates your exposure in businesses that a particular index or manager believes will benefit from AI. The potential advantage is more direct participation if the theme outperforms. The trade-off is greater sensitivity to valuations, regulation, technology changes, competition and a small number of holdings. A thematic allocation should be sized so a disappointing AI cycle does not endanger essential goals.

Mutual fund or ETF

Both vehicles pool investors’ money and can spread it across companies or sectors, but diversification varies by product. ETF shares trade on an exchange at market prices during trading hours. A mutual fund processes purchases and sales at the next calculated net asset value (NAV). ETF investors also face the bid-ask spread and any brokerage charges. Fund expenses are deducted from assets and reduce returns over time.

Documented AI fund examples

Fund Approach AI coverage Concentration and cost information
Global X Artificial Intelligence & Technology ETF (AIQ) Rules-based index ETF tracking the Indxx Artificial Intelligence & Big Data Index AI developers, AI-as-a-service providers and AI hardware, including semiconductors and storage At least 80% of total assets in index securities; total annual fund operating expenses of 0.68% (Global X Funds, 2024)
Alger AI Enablers & Adopters ETF (ALAI) Actively managed ETF “AI Enablers” such as infrastructure, hardware, software and services, plus “AI Adopters” integrating AI into products or operations Normally at least 80% of assets in companies expected to benefit from AI; the prospectus identifies the fund as non-diversified. Portfolio turnover was 194.32% in the most recent fiscal year (Alger Family of Funds, 2026)

These examples illustrate why a prospectus matters. AIQ’s index rules determine eligibility and weighting, while ALAI’s manager selects companies and may hold a smaller number of issuers. ALAI’s non-diversified status means position-specific risk can be higher than in a legally diversified fund. Its reported turnover can also create more trading costs and potentially more taxable distributions in a taxable account. The figures above are from the cited prospectuses and can change; check the latest filings before investing.

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How to compare an AI ETF or mutual fund

1. Measure breadth and concentration

Open the current holdings file and record the number of positions, the largest holding’s percentage and the combined weight of the five or ten largest holdings. Check sector weights, country exposure and whether the fund is legally diversified. A fund with dozens of names can still be economically concentrated if a few companies dominate its assets or all holdings depend on the same semiconductor or cloud cycle.

2. Identify the method

An index fund follows published rules: the index provider decides which companies qualify, how they are weighted and when the portfolio is rebalanced. An active fund gives a manager discretion to select, sell or size positions. Active management may respond to changing technology or valuations, but it introduces manager, process and turnover risk. Read the stated investment process and the circumstances in which the manager can depart from the theme.

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3. Calculate the full cost

Start with the expense ratio, not just the trading commission. Include the ETF’s bid-ask spread, any account or transaction fee, and the effect of portfolio turnover. A 0.68% annual operating expense means that, before market performance and taxes, 0.68% of assets is charged each year under the AIQ prospectus cited above. Costs compound: a fund that is more expensive must deliver enough additional after-cost performance to justify the difference.

4. Define what counts as AI

Read the index methodology or the active fund’s prospectus. Determine whether the portfolio emphasizes model developers, chips and data centers, enterprise software, adopters, robotics or broad technology. “Enabler” exposure may benefit from industry-wide capital spending even when individual AI applications fail. “Adopter” exposure can provide companies outside technology but may make the AI link less direct. Neither definition is automatically better; it changes the source of risk and potential return.

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5. Check geography and liquidity

Global holdings can add companies unavailable in a domestic-only portfolio and introduce currency, political and foreign-market risks. Domestic funds may be easier to trade but can miss important suppliers elsewhere. Review average daily trading volume, typical spreads and the fund’s assets. Use limit orders when a spread is material, particularly near the market open or close.

6. Read the current documents

Before purchasing, read the latest summary prospectus and shareholder report. Confirm the expense ratio, holdings, turnover, index rules or active process, diversification disclosure, principal risks and whether the fund has changed strategy. Fund names do not establish how diversified a product is. A prospectus also explains the circumstances in which the fund can invest outside its central theme.

A practical implementation process

  1. Set the core first. Decide how much of your long-term portfolio belongs in a broad-market fund and keep emergency savings and near-term spending needs outside volatile investments.
  2. Set a thematic limit. Choose a maximum AI allocation based on your ability to tolerate a large drawdown, not on recent performance. Treat the amount as a satellite, not a replacement for diversification.
  3. Create a comparison sheet. For each candidate, record ticker, fund type, number of holdings, largest position, top-ten concentration, sector and country weights, expense ratio, turnover, assets, spread and the definition of AI.
  4. Verify the documents. Download the current prospectus and shareholder report from the fund sponsor or a regulator’s filing system. Make sure the figures are current for the share class and date you intend to buy.
  5. Use a regulated brokerage account. Retail ETF purchases require a brokerage account. Confirm the account supports the exchange and security, review the order preview and check the estimated spread before submitting.
  6. Choose an order type deliberately. A market order executes at available prices and can fill across a wide spread. A limit order sets the highest price you will pay (or lowest price you will accept when selling), though it may not execute.
  7. Automate contributions carefully. Regular purchases can reduce the temptation to time a theme, but they do not remove valuation or loss risk. Rebalance by a stated schedule or tolerance band instead of chasing whichever fund recently rose most.
  8. Review on a schedule. Recheck the prospectus, holdings, expenses and strategy at least annually and after a material fund change. A thematic fund can drift toward a different risk profile as prices and index constituents change.

Costs, taxes and trading details

ETF market prices can be above or below NAV during the trading day. The spread is an indirect cost paid when buying and selling. Mutual funds avoid intraday spreads but transact at the next NAV, so you cannot choose an intraday execution price. Both structures pass through operating expenses, and both can distribute taxable income or gains in a taxable account.

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Turnover deserves special attention in active funds. ALAI reported 194.32% portfolio turnover for its most recent fiscal year in the 2026 prospectus. That figure does not predict future returns, but it signals that trading and tax effects may be more significant than in a low-turnover index fund. Compare after-tax results for your account type rather than comparing gross returns alone.

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Risks that are easy to underestimate

Thematic concentration

Many AI funds own companies exposed to the same cloud, semiconductor, data-center or enterprise-spending cycle. A portfolio can therefore fall together even when it contains many tickers.

Valuation and hype

Excitement can push expected future growth into current prices. Strong technology adoption does not guarantee strong investment returns if a fund buys expensive companies or if competition reduces margins.

Technology and regulation

Model performance, computing costs, copyright rules, privacy requirements and export controls can change quickly. A company that benefits from one generation of hardware or software may lose that advantage.

Index and manager risk

An index may use eligibility rules that include companies with only an indirect AI connection. An active manager can make incorrect selections, hold large positions or trade frequently. Review both the stated process and the actual holdings.

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Liquidity and market structure

Less-traded funds can have wider spreads and larger price deviations from NAV. Avoid assuming that an ETF is liquid merely because its underlying companies are well known.

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Avoid AI-investment scams

AI enthusiasm attracts unregistered platforms, guaranteed-return claims and pump-and-dump promotions. The SEC, NASAA and FINRA warn investors to be cautious about using AI-generated information to make investment decisions or to predict the market’s direction or a security’s price. Treat a chatbot, social-media post or promotional video as an unverified lead, not as investment research.

  • Do not send money to a platform that cannot show registration, custody arrangements and a verifiable legal entity.
  • Reject promises of guaranteed or unusually consistent returns, secret algorithms or urgent “before it is listed” opportunities.
  • Verify an investment professional’s registration and disciplinary history through Investor.gov or the relevant regulator.
  • Confirm that a fund’s ticker, prospectus and exchange listing match the security you intend to buy.

When an AI fund may not be appropriate

A thematic fund may be unsuitable if you need the money soon, cannot tolerate a substantial drawdown, already have heavy technology exposure through employment or existing holdings, or have not established a diversified core. It may also be unnecessary if your broad-market fund already provides the amount of AI exposure you want. The decision is about portfolio fit, not about finding the most exciting AI story.

Questions to answer before placing an order

  • What percentage of my total portfolio will depend on AI-related earnings?
  • How much of the fund is in its largest five and ten positions?
  • Is the fund diversified under its legal structure, or does its prospectus say it is non-diversified?
  • What exactly qualifies a company as an AI developer, enabler or adopter?
  • What are the expense ratio, spread, turnover and likely tax consequences?
  • Are the geography, currency and liquidity risks acceptable?
  • What specific event would make me reduce or sell the position?

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I invest in AI with one diversified fund?

Yes. A broad-market mutual fund or ETF can provide indirect exposure to AI companies and adopters while spreading investments across sectors. An AI-themed fund is optional and adds concentration risk.

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Is an AI ETF automatically diversified?

No. Diversification depends on holdings, weights, sector exposure and the fund’s legal status. ALAI’s prospectus, for example, identifies it as non-diversified.

What is the difference between AIQ and ALAI?

AIQ is a rules-based ETF tracking the Indxx Artificial Intelligence & Big Data Index, with at least 80% of assets in index securities and 0.68% total annual operating expenses in the 2024 prospectus. ALAI is actively managed, normally invests at least 80% in companies expected to benefit from AI, separates enablers from adopters and is identified as non-diversified in its 2026 prospectus.

Do I need a brokerage account to buy an AI ETF?

Yes. Retail ETF purchases require a brokerage account, and ETF shares trade at market prices during exchange hours.

Why does turnover matter?

Higher turnover can increase trading costs and taxable distributions. ALAI reported 194.32% turnover in its most recent fiscal year, although that historical figure does not predict future activity.

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The Bottom Line

Use a diversified broad-market fund as the foundation, and treat an AI ETF as a measured satellite allocation only after checking its holdings, definition of AI, concentration, expenses, turnover, liquidity and current prospectus. That approach provides AI exposure without making your financial plan depend on selecting one company.

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