A “rational bubble” in AI and a surge in corporate debt are creating a fragile economic environment where minor “accidents” could trigger a broader sell-off.
Distinguished economist Mohamed El-Erian warned in a conversation with Yahoo Finance Invest that while the aggregate value of AI is significant, the market has entered a “rational bubble” where overinvestment is common.
He cautions that while foundational models may succeed, many companies are simply attaching “AI labels” to their operations to attract capital. This speculative environment suggests that eventually “there will be tears” as investors face losses from these overvalued entities.
Moody's Analytics echoes this sentiment, noting that stock prices for AI companies appear “frothy” and potentially overvalued. In their “AI Falls Flat” scenario, a significant sell-off could evaporate nearly $20 trillion in shareholder wealth.
The ‘Magnificent’ Risk
Market leaders Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:NVDA) and Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT) sit at the epicenter of the “rational bubble,” according to El-Erian
While their stock prices are fueled by investor speculation, El-Erian argues it is rational to overinvest because the potential payoff of AI is so large that the cost of being left behind is greater than the risk of the bubble itself.
However, Moody's warns that this success is “highly concentrated,” with Nvidia alone holding a 92% share of GPU revenues, making the broader market dangerously dependent on the performance of a few hyperscalers.
‘Cockroaches’ And The Debt Surge
El-Erian differentiates between “termites” that eat at a system’s foundation and “cockroaches,” which represent unpleasant credit accidents that come in groups.
He expects the latter to emerge as loose financial conditions have led people to stretch for returns beyond their due diligence. A primary area of concern is the “stunning” rise in bond issuance by tech giants to finance expansion.
According to Moody's, the top 10 tech companies, including Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:META) and Oracle Inc. (NYSE:ORCL), issued $120 billion in bonds last year—nearly triple the previous decade’s average.
This reliance on debt, combined with “circular financing” where hyperscalers purchase services from one another, increases the risk of a self-reinforcing downturn if adoption rates slow.
Household Pressure
While the upper class thrives on market gains, El-Erian is deeply worried about the “bottom bit” of the K-shaped economy.
High debt and maxed-out credit cards for lower-income households could eventually “contaminate upwards” for the economy as a whole if they are forced to stop spending.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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