BlackRock taps into AI frenzy with two new ETFs

(Reuters) - Asset management giant BlackRock on Tuesday launched two new exchange-traded funds (ETFs) aimed at giving investors exposure to the booming market for artificial intelligence.

Generative AI, designed to create human-like interactions by processing vast amounts of data, has taken the world by storm and is expected to be integrated into virtually all industries in the coming years from technology to financial services.

"As an investing theme, BlackRock views AI as a mega force with broad investing implications both now and in the long term," the world's largest asset manager said.

Asset managers have been rolling out thematic ETFs to capitalize on the popularity of certain themes, sectors or trends, unlike traditional products that track broad market indexes.

Demand for these products, however, has been mixed in recent months as investors have been opting for funds linked to stock market benchmarks, which are hovering near record highs.

BlackRock's iShares A.I. Innovation and Tech Active ETF will invest in global AI and technology stocks across market capitalizations.

Its iShares Technology Opportunities Active ETF shares a similar investment objective, aiming for long-term capital appreciation by investing in global technology companies across sectors like semiconductors, software and hardware, among others.

"These active ETFs can help investors seize outsized and overlooked investment opportunities across the full stack of AI and advanced technologies," said Tony Kim, BlackRock's head of the fundamental equities technology group.

Earlier this month, the asset manager beat Wall Street estimates for third-quarter profit and its assets under management (AUM) hit a record high as a U.S. stock market rally boosted inflows.

As of Sept 30, its iShares business - with over 1400 ETFs - had $4.2 trillion in AUM.

(Reporting by Manya Saini in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'Silva)