Want Exposure to the AI Revolution? This Brilliant Tech ETF Is All You Need.

By George Budwell | May 01, 2025, 7:00 AM

The artificial intelligence (AI) revolution promises to transform virtually every aspect of our economy. According to leading research firms, the economic impact could reach trillions of dollars annually as AI technologies boost productivity across industries. For investors seeking to capitalize on this technological transformation, selecting the right investment vehicle is crucial.

Among the surfeit of available options, one exchange-traded fund (ETF) stands out as a particularly efficient way to gain exposure to this revolution: the Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ: QQQ), which tracks the performance of the Nasdaq-100 index. Read on to find out more about this incredible tech ETF.

A humanoid robot working on a laptop.

Image source: Getty Images.

An AI powerhouse

While Wall Street analysts forecast this technology-focused ETF to deliver returns exceeding 15% for 2025, the Invesco QQQ Trust has, instead, declined 7.4% four months into the year, largely due to President Donald Trump's escalating trade war. This substantial pullback potentially presents a compelling entry point for investors with long-term perspectives.

The Invesco QQQ Trust's particular appeal for AI exposure lies in its concentrated holdings of technology leaders. The fund provides investors with direct stakes in companies at the forefront of developing and deploying advanced AI technologies across multiple sectors, positioning it uniquely within the investment landscape to capture the AI revolution's parabolic growth potential.

Performance that stands out

This fund's exceptional long-term track record illustrates the power of its laser focus on high-tech. Over the past 10 years, it has generated cumulative returns of approximately 370%. By comparison, the S&P 500's impressive 215% cumulative gain over the same period, while historically strong, significantly trails the Invesco QQQ's breathtaking performance.

QQQ Total Return Level Chart

QQQ Total Return Level data by YCharts.

Perhaps best of all, this market-beating performance comes with a reasonable expense ratio of 0.20%, so investors pay just $20 annually per $10,000 invested. Though the fund charges higher fees than most basic S&P 500 index funds, this cost is justified, given its focused exposure to high-growth technology companies positioned to deliver outsized returns for years to come -- potentially.

AI titans dominate the holdings

The fund offers investors concentrated exposure to the AI revolution through its significant holdings in technology leaders. Microsoft (7.8% of the fund) has become a frontrunner in enterprise AI following its multibillion-dollar investment in OpenAI. This strategic partnership has transformed Microsoft's product ecosystem, with AI capabilities now embedded throughout its cloud services and productivity applications, positioning the company to capture substantial value from the enterprise AI adoption wave.

Nvidia (7.4%) has emerged as perhaps the most critical infrastructure provider for the AI revolution. The company's specialized graphics processing units (GPUs) have become the industry standard for training and deploying sophisticated AI models, creating unprecedented demand from technology companies worldwide and driving exceptional revenue growth for this key fund holding.

Alphabet (2.4%) leverages AI to strengthen its core search business while exploring breakthrough applications across diverse domains. The company's DeepMind division has achieved landmark AI accomplishments in scientific research, while Google Cloud continues expanding its AI offerings for enterprise customers. Through these three companies alone, representing over 17% of its holdings, the fund provides investors with significant exposure to the bedrock of the AI revolution.

A single-ticket ride to the AI revolution

For investors seeking substantial exposure to the AI transformation without selecting individual winners, the Invesco Trust offers an elegant solution. Rather than betting on specific AI applications, investors gain access to the entire ecosystem -- from chip designers and cloud infrastructure providers to companies implementing AI solutions at scale.

As a result, the recent market pullback presents an attractive entry point for long-term investors. While current trade tensions may create volatility, the advancement of AI continues uninterrupted. As AI transforms industries from healthcare and finance to transportation and entertainment, companies leading this revolution will likely strengthen their competitive advantages further, and best of all, fatten their margins through efficiency gains.

With concentrated exposure to technology innovators, proven long-term performance, and reasonable fees, this Nasdaq-100 tracking fund represents one of the most efficient vehicles for investors seeking to participate in the next phase of the digital revolution.

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Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. George Budwell has positions in Microsoft and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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