Where Do Experts Think Tech Stocks Are Headed in 2026?
Written by
Vance Cariaga
Edited by
Zuri Anderson
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The technology sector has enjoyed a strong run on Wall Street so far in 2025, driven by heavy investment in AI and pushing the tech-heavy Nasdaq up by roughly 18% year-to-date.
But that run could be headed for a major speed bump next year. If that happens, it could spell big trouble for investors who believe the current AI surge has plenty of room to run.
What does 2026 hold for tech stocks? Here’s what a couple of experts had to say.
The AI Bubble Might Finally Pop
Wall Street will keep a close watch on AI in 2026 to see if its breakneck growth is sustainable. Among the doubters is Chad Cummings, an attorney and certified public accountant (CPA) at Cummings & Cummings Law who previously worked in finance and tax with American Airlines, PwC and J.P. Morgan Chase.
“The AI bubble will pop in 2026 — the only question is when,” he told GOBankingRates. “Valuations in AI infrastructure and service firms assume growth that cannot be sustained. Many are spending heavily… without stable revenue. A lot of consolidation will happen in 2026 at fire sale prices.”
He points to GPT 5, a language model developed by Open AI.
“GPT 5 is largely considered to be a failure, and this is the first crack in the ice,” Cummings said. “The artificial intelligence sector is inflating beyond fundamentals.”
But Some AI Stocks Should Be Fine
Edward Corona, founder of The Options Oracle AI Trade Manager, has a slightly more upbeat take on AI, though he also expects the sector to see a few hiccups next year.
“If 2025 was the year everyone piled into anything with ‘AI’ in the name, I think 2026 will be more about separating the real players from the pretenders,” Corona told GBR. “The easy money phase is probably behind us. Companies that actually build the tools — chips, infrastructure, cybersecurity — should keep growing. I’d keep an eye on names like AMD, Nvidia and Palo Alto Networks.”
Some of the pure-play AI story stocks could cool off next year because “a lot of those valuations are stretched, and investors will start asking tougher questions about profits,” he added.
Stocks Tied to AI Will Be Vulnerable
The growth of AI has also driven growth in other sectors — including commercial real estate and energy. It takes a lot of space and energy to house and power AI. If AI companies see a slowdown, stocks that depend on its business will see a slowdown as well.
“Commercial real estate is quietly collapsing beneath tech’s feet,” Cummings said. “This has been coming for some time, but now things are accelerating as many interest-only are coming to term and being refinanced at double the interest rate. REITs and tech platforms tied to leasing or co-working are also overexposed.”
What About Non-AI Tech Stocks?
Although AI has been the major tech story this year — helping drive stocks higher even at mainstream tech giants like Microsoft and Meta Platforms — it’s not the only story.
The tech sector has also seen growth in everything from semiconductors and robotics to medical technology. Many stocks in these spaces should be poised for decent growth in 2026.
“Tech isn’t done running — it’s just shifting gears,” Corona said. “The next leg up is going to favor the companies doing the heavy lifting behind the scenes, not just the ones with flashy headlines.”
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