AI vs. Semiconductor ETFs by the Numbers: Assets, Fees and Flows

By Adam Patti, Chief Executive Officer, VistaShares | Published November 13, 2026

AI ETFs and semiconductor ETFs often hold some of the same companies, but the two categories look very different in the numbers. Semiconductor funds are fewer, larger and cheaper on average, and they hold a narrow set of chipmakers. AI funds are more numerous, spread across many more companies and charge a wider range of fees. This page compares the two with dated figures on size, fees, holdings and flows.

Figure	AI ETFs	Semiconductor ETFs
Funds tracked by ETFIQ (Nov 12, 2026)	36	11
Largest single fund, net assets (Nov 11 to 12, 2026)	$11.9 billion	$65.1 billion
Fee range, lowest to highest (Nov 11 to 12, 2026)	0.35% to 1.32%	0.15% to 0.65%
Typical fund’s weight in S&P 500 stocks	59%, 5th highest of 54 themes	66%, 3rd highest of 54 themes
Different companies among the funds’ ten largest holdings	198, across the 33 funds ETFIQ can read	42, across 11 funds
Net flows, month to Nov 11, 2026	$290 million out, 14 of 36 funds counted	$10.1 billion in, 9 of 11 funds counted
Net flows, week to Nov 11, 2026	$211 million out, 14 of 36 funds counted	$1.9 billion in, 7 of 11 funds counted
Place in theme flow rankings, month to Nov 11, 2026	6th largest outflow among themes	Largest inflow, 83.7% of all theme inflows

Sources: counts, largest fund, fee ranges, S&P 500 weight and holdings, ETFIQ AI ETFs and ETFIQ semiconductor ETFs, data as of Nov 12, 2026, holdings filed Jun 30 to Nov 12, 2026; flows, ETFIQ flows by theme, as of Nov 11, 2026. Flows count only funds with daily share data.

What separates an AI ETF from a semiconductor ETF?

A semiconductor ETF holds companies that design, manufacture or supply chips and chipmaking equipment. The category is defined by industry, so its holdings are fairly consistent from fund to fund. An AI ETF is defined by a theme. Depending on the fund, it can hold chipmakers, cloud and software companies, data center suppliers, model developers or companies that use AI in their products.

That difference in definition drives most of the numbers below. Our article on what an AI ETF is describes the range of approaches, and the semiconductor supply chain explains the layers inside a chip fund.

How many funds are there, and how large?

ETFIQ tracked 36 AI ETFs and 11 semiconductor ETFs as of November 12, 2026. The largest semiconductor fund held $65.1 billion, more than five times the $11.9 billion in the largest AI fund. In the semiconductor category, the two largest funds alone held $65.1 billion and $44.7 billion, so a few large funds hold most of its money.

AI funds are more numerous and smaller. With three times as many funds, assets are spread more thinly. Morningstar counted 332 U.S. thematic funds holding $180 billion at the end of September 2025, up 50% over three years.¹

How do fees compare?

Fees for semiconductor ETFs ran from 0.15% to 0.65%, while AI ETFs ran from 0.35% to 1.32%, as of November 11 to 12, 2026. The wider AI range reflects the wider mix of strategies sold under the AI label, from index funds to actively managed portfolios and narrow sub-themes.

The fee that matters is the one on the fund an investor holds. The range shows how much choice exists; the prospectus shows the actual expense ratio.

How much do these funds overlap with the S&P 500?

The typical semiconductor ETF carried 66% of its weight in S&P 500 stocks, the third highest of the 54 themes ETFIQ measures. The typical AI ETF carried 59%, the fifth highest. Both themes overlap heavily with the large companies an investor in an S&P 500 fund already owns.

For a portfolio that already holds a broad index fund, that overlap means adding either theme may increase exposure to companies already held rather than add new ones. Our article on ETF portfolio overlap explains how to check.

How concentrated are their holdings?

The semiconductor funds’ ten largest holdings named only 42 different companies across all 11 funds, based on holdings filed between June 30 and November 12, 2026. The AI funds’ ten largest holdings named 198 different companies across the 33 funds ETFIQ could read.

A small set of names repeated across semiconductor funds means two chip ETFs often look alike. AI funds differ more from one another, so the choice of fund shapes the exposure more. Our article on ETF concentration risk covers what a narrow holdings list means for risk.

Where has money been flowing?

In the month to November 11, 2026, semiconductor ETFs took in a net $10.1 billion across the 9 of 11 funds with daily data, 83.7% of all money flowing into thematic funds that month. AI ETFs had a net outflow of $290 million across 14 of 36 funds. The pattern held in the week to November 11: $1.9 billion into semiconductor funds and $211 million out of AI funds.

Flow figures are estimated from daily changes in shares outstanding and cover only funds that publish daily share counts, so they are partial for both themes. Flows describe what investors did over the window, not what they may do next.

How should investors use these numbers?

Define the exposure first: a semiconductor fund is a bet on one industry; an AI fund can be a bet on chips, software, infrastructure or a blend.

Check the holdings: two funds with similar names can hold very different companies, especially in AI.

Compare overlap: both themes lean heavily on large companies already in the S&P 500.

Our guide on how to evaluate a thematic ETF lists more checks. More thematic articles are in the Thematic ETF Guide.

Frequently asked questions

Do AI ETFs hold semiconductor companies?

Many do. Chipmakers are often among the largest holdings of AI funds, which is one reason both themes carry a high share of their weight in S&P 500 stocks.

Why are semiconductor ETFs larger than AI ETFs?

A few semiconductor funds have gathered very large assets, while AI money is spread across more funds. On November 12, 2026, ETFIQ counted 36 AI ETFs and 11 semiconductor ETFs, and the largest semiconductor fund was more than five times the size of the largest AI fund.

Why do AI ETF fees vary more?

AI funds use a wider range of approaches, including active management and narrow sub-themes. As of November 2026, AI ETF fees ran from 0.35% to 1.32%, against 0.15% to 0.65% for semiconductor ETFs.

What does weight in S&P 500 stocks mean?

It is the share of a fund’s holdings in companies that are also in the S&P 500. A high figure means more overlap with a broad large-cap index fund.

Are fund flows a sign of future returns?

No. Flows show where investors moved money over a past window. They are not a forecast and do not indicate how a category may perform.

How many companies do semiconductor ETFs hold?

Each fund holds its own list, but across all 11 semiconductor ETFs, the ten largest holdings named 42 different companies, based on holdings filed between June 30 and November 12, 2026.

Adam Patti, Chief Executive Officer of VistaShares, is also the founder of ETFIQ. ETFIQ does not accept payment from ETF issuers, and its figures are calculated from public filings and market data.

Cite this page: Adam Patti, "AI vs. Semiconductor ETFs by the Numbers: Assets, Fees and Flows," VistaShares, updated November 13, 2026, https://www.vistashares.com/ai-vs-semiconductor-etfs-by-the-numbers/. Plain-text version.

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