For much of last year, artificial intelligence (AI) stocks soared. As in the previous couple of years, investors piled into this investing theme to potentially bet on the next big innovation set to change the way the world operates. AI has already demonstrated its abilities to help companies gain in efficiency, and in the future, the technology may power fully autonomous vehicles, robots, and more.
AI stocks' gains were great for many early investors, but one negative element surfaced in recent months -- and that's the price of many of these stocks. Valuations have skyrocketed, and that's stoked concern about the possibility of an AI bubble forming. The idea is the prices of certain players have surpassed the actual value of their businesses -- and this situation may not be sustainable. This weighed on AI stocks in November, though many then rebounded in the later weeks of the year.
Against this backdrop, it's logical to wonder how retail investors really view the AI market these days. The answer is: They have a view that's similar to that of Jensen Huang, the chief executive officer of AI giant, Nvidia (NVDA 1.53%). Let's find out more.
Image source: Getty Images.
Nvidia's AI empire
First, it's important to understand why I'm singling out Nvidia and Huang among all of the AI players out there. This is because Nvidia is seen as a bellwether for the AI market. The company is the leading seller of AI chips and also offers a full portfolio of AI products and services. Nvidia has built an AI empire, and it continues to grow this position through innovation and acquisitions of key technology, and partnerships with others in the industry. This has resulted in revenue roaring higher to record levels quarter after quarter -- and strong profitability on sales too.
Nvidia's Huang is clearly confident about what's ahead for AI as we can see through his actions and words. "There's been a lot of talk about an AI bubble," he said during the company's latest earnings call. "From our vantage point, we see something very different."
Huang has focused on the long-term AI story and has said many times that we're in the early days of growth and that AI will extend across industries.
NASDAQ: NVDA
Key Data Points
A Motley Fool survey
Now, according to a Motley Fool survey, it looks as if retail investors are optimistic about the technology's long-term potential, just like Huang -- and this suggests they aren't overly worried about the possibility of a bubble.
The Motley Fool's 2026 AI Investor Outlook Report shows that less than 10% of investors surveyed consider cutting their AI positions over the coming year. And 60% are positive about AI stocks' returns over the long term. The Motley Fool interviewed 2,600 investors over a two-week period in November.
These trends are great news as they suggest that investors are viewing the AI opportunity as a long-term investing theme -- and not as a short-term bet to lock in quick returns. And if these and other investors ignore any near-term volatility and hold onto their positions, they may reap rewards over the long haul.
What does this mean for investors?
What does this mean for you? This may offer you reason to be confident about buying AI stocks in 2026, and even getting in on them on the dip during any potential declines. Jensen Huang has explained the usefulness of AI, and we've seen companies investing in the technology and others benefiting by applying it to their businesses. So the potential exists. It's important to, like Huang and the investors surveyed, focus on the prospects down the road and ignore temporary headwinds.
This doesn't mean you should forget about valuation and buy stocks at any price, though. Instead, search for opportunities to get in on solid AI players for reasonable prices in 2026 and plan on holding for at least five years. This will allow you to fully benefit as the next stages of this AI growth story unfold.
