DALLAS (NewsNation) — As tech giants such as Google and Anthropic invest tens of billions of dollars into new projects nationwide, concerns are rising that the AI boom could be a boondoggle in the making.
The market dominance of the “Magnificent Seven,” which includes Apple, Google’s parent company Alphabet, and chipmaker Nvidia, is worth a combined $22 trillion — nearly 40% of the entire S&P 500, according to investment research company Morningstar.
But momentum in those stocks appears to be slowing, fueling concerns an increase in artificial intelligence may lead to real risks.
Investors say AI is nearing bubble: Survey
Google recently confirmed a $40 billion investment in AI data centers and campus expansions across the Dallas area through 2027. Analysts say long-term AI contracts and massive demand for computing power are backing such projects.
At the same time, a Bank of America fund manager survey found more than half of major investors now believe AI stocks are in bubble territory, making an AI bubble the top risk to markets.
Top tech investors bet big against AI
Much of that concern centers around Nvidia, the chipmaker powerhouse at the core of the AI surge.
Michael Burry, an investor who famously predicted the 2008 mortgage crisis, has placed a $1.1 billion bet against Nvidia.
Tech billionaire Peter Thiel, best known for co-founding PayPal and Palantir Technologies, also revealed he sold his hedge fund’s entire stake in Nvidia.
For everyday investors with 401(k)s or IRAs, analysts say there are a few key things to watch:
- Earnings
- Nvidia reports its earnings Wednesday, and Wall Street is treating it as a referendum on the entire AI sector.
- Insider moves
- When high-profile investors like Thiel and Burry sell off or go bearish, the broader market pays attention.
- The physical buildout
- Companies investing billions argue the real risk is not building fast enough.
“The lesson of the dot-com is there was a bubble, it burst. We don’t think we’re in one now for AI. But companies didn’t stop spending on wi-fi, the internet, and technology,” said Bob Michele, chief investment officer for JPMorgan.
“Everyone seems to be in a race of trying to get as much as possible and secure that for the customers and things like that,” added Datuk Ts. Mahadhir Aziz, director of Johor Corporation.
Currently, money is flooding in while concerns grow that AI valuations may be running ahead of reality.
Over the next several quarters, whether new data centers fill and profits catch up will determine whether this remains a boom or turns into an AI bust.