The new year has meant a new slate of things for investors to worry about. Undoubtedly, geopolitical tensions have risen, and they’ve started to really rock the markets. While stocks have been so incredibly resilient in the face of such concerning headlines (the market seemingly moved on from the situation with Fed chairman Jerome Powell), I do think that sooner or later, the worrisome headlines are going to cause increased choppiness.
While things do feel a tad choppier to start 2026, especially for the Nasdaq 100, which has been wobbling quite a bit, going through two separate “mini-corrections” (dips of around 5%) in the past quarter, I do think that 2026 has the makings of another massive year for the AI revolution, especially as new impressive technologies look reignite enthusiasm while tempering fears of some sort of AI bubble. Right now, it seems like the impressive technology is back in the driver’s seat, thanks in part to agentic AI innovations and the advancement of the capabilities of AI coders.
With Anthropic’s Claude Code and its Cowork agent recently sparking a nasty implosion in various software-as-a-service (SaaS) stocks, the potential disruptive capacity of agents feels almost palpable. In many ways, it does feel like agents could bring forth another “ChatGPT moment,” like the one that kicked off the initial AI boom around three years ago.
Why tech could continue to lead in 2026 despite recent volatility
With anecdotal reports of Claude Code doing many months’ worth of work in a concise timespan, it’s hard not to be both excited and fearful (especially if you’re heavy in the tumbling SaaS stocks) over the disruptive wave, which, in many ways, seems to be coming in way too fast for the comfort of many.
If Claude Code is as capable as some developers leveraging the tool make it out to be, there’s a heck of a lot more than hype when it comes to the next generation of AI coders and agents, especially as firms across the board look aim to become more useful for those ready and willing to pay up, rather than simply hitting new benchmarks. Making a new watermark on some benchmark may come with bragging rights, but it’s the use cases that will allow for effective monetization.
In any case, tech might still be worth sticking with despite the increased choppiness, especially if AI seeks to silence its doubters this year, perhaps with greater clarity on the path forward and how such technologies can make money. If AI innovators can show us more about how they can make money, rather than act as a black hole for cash, perhaps 2026 could be another big year for tech, even if volatility is bound to stay heightened.
While the Nasdaq 100 is a great index to own for a double dose of tech and AI exposure, I do think that there are better ways to achieve more growth, especially if more shockers (like Cowork) will be in the cards through 2026.
Goldman Sachs Future Tech Leaders ETF
The Goldman Sachs Future Tech Leaders ETF (NYSEARCA:GTEK) is just one tech ETF that might be better than the Nasdaq 100. Why? It has exposure to the rising stars outside of the U.S. And, of course, the Goldman ETF provides investors with an active approach, which, I think, could be a key source of alpha as we enter more of a stock picker’s market.
While the Mag Seven are great, growth investors should be on the lookout for what could rise and become the magnificent stocks in the next five years or so. Going beyond the U.S. market and the mega-caps, I think, could be a wise idea, especially for investors who already have enough exposure to the tech giants, many of which have slumped of late. Either way, the Goldman Sachs Future Tech Leaders ETF is still a heavily U.S.-weighted portfolio, with around 44% of the portfolio allocated to the U.S. tech stars we all know and love.
With the rest in global names, some of which sport more compelling valuations and past-year momentum, I think Goldman’s active tech ETF is set for success in 2026 and beyond. Even without the active approach considered, I find the Goldman ETF to be far better balanced (smaller weights and global exposure).