Artificial Intelligence (AI) ETFs: the best choices for 2026

Updated on 3 August 2026

The best artificial intelligence (AI) ETFs available to French investors in 2026 are six UCITS ETFs: Xtrackers AI & Big Data, iShares Automation & Robotics, L&G AI, WisdomTree AI, Amundi MSCI Robotics & AI and Global X Robotics & AI. None is eligible for the PEA (a French tax-advantaged equity savings account). This comparison sets out their fees and performance.

Key takeaways

• Ongoing charges on these ETFs range from 0.35% to 0.50% a year, for assets under management of €122 million to €7.2 billion.
• They can be held in a CTO (a French standard securities account) or as unit-linked funds inside a life insurance policy, with different tax treatment depending on the wrapper.
• A thematic AI ETF is more volatile than a diversified ETF such as an MSCI World tracker, because of its heavy concentration in the technology sector.
• The Xtrackers AI & Big Data remains the largest thematic AI UCITS ETF in Europe, with more than €7 billion in assets.
• Over the 12 months to end-May 2026, the L&G AI posted the best performance in the selection, at +50.93%.

Why invest in artificial intelligence in 2026?

AI, robotics and big data have become structural drivers of the global economy. Investing in the theme through ETFs gives exposure, in a single line, to dozens of companies active in these technologies, without having to pick individual stocks one by one.

The indices these ETFs track usually include companies such as Microsoft, Nvidia, Alphabet, Meta, ASML and TSMC, plus a long tail of robotics, cloud and semiconductor specialists.

The sector has several distinctive features:

• Expected growth: generative AI, industrial automation and large-scale data processing have been fast-growing markets since 2023.
• Innovation potential: companies exposed to these themes reinvest heavily in R&D, which can support share performance over the long run.
• Thematic diversification: an AI ETF gives exposure to several dozen companies spread across several regions, which limits the idiosyncratic risk of a single stock.
• ESG filters: some of these ETFs apply ESG (environmental, social and governance) criteria that exclude companies failing certain standards. To go further, see our selection of the best ESG ETFs.

Note: investing in thematic equity ETFs carries a risk of capital loss. The sector concentration of an AI ETF makes it more volatile than a diversified ETF such as an MSCI World tracker. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

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What are the best AI ETFs in 2026?

Here is our selection of six UCITS ETFs (exchange-traded index funds that meet the harmonised European standard) which can be held in a standard securities account, ranked by assets under management, largest first.

Xtrackers Artificial Intelligence & Big Data UCITS ETF (ISIN: IE00BGV5VN51)

Good to know: with more than €7 billion in assets, the Xtrackers AI & Big Data is the largest thematic AI UCITS ETF in Europe. Its index combines pure artificial intelligence names with big data players (data analytics, cloud), which gives it slightly broader exposure than pure AI ETFs. Its ongoing charges of 0.35% a year also make it the cheapest in the selection.

iShares Automation & Robotics UCITS ETF (ISIN: IE00BYZK4552)

Good to know: unlike the other ETFs in this selection, the iShares Automation & Robotics focuses on robotics and industrial automation rather than on pure AI. In practice the two themes are highly correlated (robotics companies are adopting AI on a large scale), which makes it a useful complementary exposure. It also holds the second-largest assets in the selection, a sign of liquidity.

L&G Artificial Intelligence UCITS ETF (ISIN: IE00BK5BCD43)

Good to know: the L&G AI posted the best rolling 12-month performance in the selection (+50.93% at end-May 2026), with concentrated exposure to companies that derive a significant share of their revenue directly from AI. Its ongoing charges of 0.49% a year are the second highest in the panel, just behind the Global X Robotics & AI (0.50%), so it only makes sense if you want pure, concentrated exposure rather than a broad thematic net.

WisdomTree Artificial Intelligence UCITS ETF (ISIN: IE00BDVPNG13)

Good to know: the WisdomTree AI posted rolling 12-month performance of +42.35% at end-May 2026, the second best in the selection behind the L&G AI. The Nasdaq CTA Artificial Intelligence index ranks companies by the intensity of their AI exposure (Enabler, Engager, Enhancer), as classified by the Consumer Technology Association, which produces a purer and more concentrated selection than the "Robotics & AI" indices. The constituent stocks are screened against ESG criteria.

Amundi MSCI Robotics & AI UCITS ETF Acc (ISIN: LU1861132840)

This ETF was previously known as the Amundi STOXX Global Artificial Intelligence. Its name and its benchmark index were changed when the Lyxor range was folded into Amundi.

Good to know: the only ETF in the selection domiciled in Luxembourg and denominated in euros, which makes tracking simpler for a euro-zone investor (no visible currency effect in the quoted unit). The MSCI ACWI IMI Robotics & AI ESG Filtered index applies ESG filters and covers both developed and emerging markets. It is the logical successor to the former Lyxor MSCI Robotics & AI ESG Filtered (LU1838002480), which is now closed.

Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence UCITS ETF (ISIN: IE00BLCHJB90)

Good to know: the European UCITS version (IE00BLCHJB90) should not be confused with the US-listed BOTZ ETF (US37954Y7159), which cannot be distributed in France. Assets in the UCITS fund remain modest (€122M), which may point to lower liquidity than its peers. Its ongoing charges of 0.50% a year are the highest in the selection.

How do you invest in an artificial intelligence ETF?

Before buying an AI ETF, look at its holdings, how concentrated its index is, its ongoing charges and its assets under management (a fund that is too small may be at risk of closure). Also check how it handles income: most AI ETFs are accumulating, meaning dividends are reinvested automatically.

On the wrapper side, no UCITS AI ETF is currently eligible for the PEA, France's tax-advantaged equity savings account, because the indices they replicate are made up mostly of US and Asian shares. According to Service-Public.gouv.fr, a fund must invest "more than 75% of its assets in shares, certificates or units of commercial companies" headquartered in the European Union or the European Economic Area to qualify for the PEA, a condition that mostly US-based AI indices do not meet. To gain AI exposure inside a tax-efficient French wrapper, there are two options:

• Standard securities account (CTO): the most direct route. You buy the ETF through an online broker and gains are taxed under the flat tax (PFU) at 31.4% including social levies, the rate in force in 2026. See our full guide to the CTO.
• Unit-linked life insurance: some policies list thematic AI ETFs among their unit-linked funds. Life insurance taxation can become more favourable after 8 years of holding (an annual tax allowance on gains and reduced rates), but management fees are added on top of the ETF's own.

Good to know: to gauge precisely how life insurance taxation affects a withdrawal after 8 years, you can use Finary's life insurance tax simulator.

Here is a summary of the six ETFs covered and their PEA eligibility:

Worth remembering: no UCITS AI ETF is eligible for the PEA in 2026. PEA eligibility can change; check your broker's latest list before trading. If the PEA wrapper is a priority for you, see our selection of the best PEA ETFs instead, which covers the World and thematic ETFs that do qualify.

Once you have bought your ETF, you can aggregate your equity portfolio (PEA, CTO, life insurance, foreign brokers) in Finary to track the net performance of your AI exposure in one place. Diversification remains the golden rule: pairing a thematic AI ETF with a core holding such as a World ETF keeps sector concentration in check.

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Which AI ETF should you choose for your profile?

The right ETF depends on your goals, your risk tolerance and the weight this thematic sleeve will have in your overall portfolio. A few pointers to guide the choice:

• You want the cheapest and most liquid: Xtrackers AI & Big Data (TER 0.35%, €7.2 billion in assets).
• You want pure AI exposure, excluding robotics: WisdomTree AI or L&G AI (indices centred on companies deriving a significant share of revenue from AI).
• You prefer combined robotics and AI exposure: iShares Automation & Robotics, Amundi MSCI Robotics & AI or Global X Robotics & AI.
• You want a euro-denominated ETF to limit the visible currency effect: Amundi MSCI Robotics & AI (the only EUR-denominated ETF in the selection).
• You care about ESG filters: WisdomTree AI and Amundi MSCI Robotics & AI apply an ESG filter when building their index.

In every case, thematic AI exposure should complement a diversified core. To go further, see our full guide to investing your money in 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What is an artificial intelligence ETF?

An artificial intelligence ETF (or AI ETF) is an exchange-traded fund that replicates an index of companies active in AI, automation, robotics or big data. It gives exposure, in a single line, to several dozen players in the sector, without having to pick individual shares one by one.

What are the best UCITS AI ETFs in 2026?

The most widely followed UCITS AI ETFs among European investors in 2026 are the Xtrackers AI & Big Data (IE00BGV5VN51), the iShares Automation & Robotics (IE00BYZK4552), the L&G AI (IE00BK5BCD43), the WisdomTree AI (IE00BDVPNG13), the Amundi MSCI Robotics & AI (LU1861132840) and the Global X Robotics & AI (IE00BLCHJB90). Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Can you hold an AI ETF in a PEA?

No. No UCITS AI ETF is eligible for the PEA in 2026, because their indices are made up mostly of shares outside the eligible zone (United States, Asia). For AI exposure inside a tax-efficient French wrapper, a standard securities account (CTO) or unit-linked life insurance are the only options.

How risky is an AI ETF?

An AI ETF is more volatile than a diversified ETF such as an MSCI World tracker, because of its sector concentration in technology. It carries a risk of capital loss. Its historical volatility is generally higher than that of broad indices, and its performance can diverge sharply from the wider market over short periods.

How do you track an AI ETF's performance?

An ETF's performance can be followed on the issuer's fund page, on specialist platforms such as justETF or Morningstar, or directly in your broker's app. To track your whole equity portfolio and work out the net-of-fees performance of all your ETF holdings, you can aggregate your accounts in Finary.

Sources

justETF, Xtrackers Artificial Intelligence & Big Data UCITS ETF profile

justETF, iShares Automation & Robotics UCITS ETF profile

justETF, L&G Artificial Intelligence UCITS ETF profile

justETF, WisdomTree Artificial Intelligence UCITS ETF profile

justETF, Amundi MSCI Robotics & AI UCITS ETF profile

justETF, Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence UCITS ETF profile

justETF, Lyxor MSCI Robotics & AI ESG Filtered profile, fund closed

Service-Public.gouv.fr, shares and securities eligible for the PEA equity savings plan

AMF, white list of Crypto-Asset Service Providers, Finary SAS