Artificial intelligence is consistently cited as a top investment theme. An article in Barron’s points to three variables supporting the technology.
- Data Available: “By 2030, humanity will amass enough bits to fill 610 iPhones, each with 128 gigabytes of storage, for every person on earth.”
- Data-Center Chips: The technology has advanced and allows machines to scour the information contained on these chips for insights.
- Profit: Large companies are already turning a profit using AI. Examples cited include Google’s search results and Tesla’s self-driving cars.
This is in contrast to two prior research booms, which the article pairs with the movies released as an indicator of the attention the subject was attracting: “In 1968, it was HAL in 2001: A Space Odyssey, and in 1984 it was Skynet in Terminator.” Per the article, however, this time AI technology has reached escape velocity.