Swift Ventures has launched an AI company index that aims to differentiate between companies genuinely investing in AI technology and those using AI buzzwords without substantial commitments.
The index analyzes earnings transcripts, hiring data, and research contributions to provide a clearer picture of which public companies are making meaningful investments in AI. It tracks around 90 companies and uses three primary metrics to assess their AI engagement: investment in AI research and open-source contributions, AI talent density, and revenue derived from AI operations.
The index has shown a correlation between research investment and profitability, with companies that contribute to AI research and open-source models exhibiting higher gross profit margins.
The analysis also highlights a talent gap in the public markets, with only a small number of companies having a dedicated AI workforce.
Swift Ventures plans to make the index publicly available with quarterly updates and is considering launching an exchange-traded fund (ETF) based on the index. The launch of this index is significant for AI investment, as it helps investors distinguish between companies making meaningful AI investments and those merely adopting AI terminology. It could influence how companies allocate resources to AI development and how investors assess AI capabilities in public markets.