A surge in investor appetite for artificial intelligence exposure is driving a new generation of hedge funds targeting the sector, with several high-profile launches amassing multi-billion-dollar asset bases in record time, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal.

Among the most notable is San Francisco-based Situational Awareness, founded last year by 23-year-old former OpenAI researcher Leopold Aschenbrenner. Despite having no prior professional investing experience, Aschenbrenner quickly raised over $1.5bn, positioning the firm as what he calls a “brain trust on AI.”

The fund focuses on global equities set to benefit from AI adoption — including semiconductors, infrastructure and power — alongside select startup investments such as Anthropic. It delivered a 47% gain in H1 2025, far outperforming both the S&P 500 and tech hedge fund benchmarks.

Other recent entrants include Princeton-based Value Aligned Research Advisors, launched in March by ex-quants Ben Hoskin and David Field, which has already reached $1bn in AUM. Established players are also joining the race: Steve Cohen’s Point72-backed AI fund Turion, run by Eric Sanchez, now manages over $2bn after debuting last year.

While enthusiasm is high, the concentration of investable AI-related public companies has led many funds to cluster around similar holdings, such as power producer Vistra. Industry veterans caution that, as with past thematic booms like clean energy and ESG, investor sentiment can shift quickly — though proponents argue the long-term AI growth trajectory remains intact.