BlackRock launches AIBF to target companies that use AI, not build it

The iShares Future AI Beneficiaries ETF launched on September 23, 2026 as BlackRock's latest statement on where the AI opportunity is heading. Rather than concentrating on the semiconductor makers, cloud platforms, and model developers that have dominated the AI trade so far, the fund targets the businesses adopting and deploying AI across their operations.

The framing reflects a view that the early-mover premium in AI infrastructure is becoming harder to capture, and that the next leg of gains sits with the industries being transformed by the technology. Healthcare, finance, logistics, and industrials are the kinds of sectors that thesis points toward.

The fund carries a net expense ratio of 0.40%, in the range typical for thematic equity ETFs. That cost matters over time for investors weighing it against broader, cheaper alternatives, though it is not unusual for a focused mandate with active screening criteria.

It was the only ETF BlackRock launched on that date, suggesting the firm is treating this as a deliberate, standalone product rather than part of a batch rollout. For investors who already hold AI infrastructure exposure, the fund offers a structurally different bet on adoption.