AIQ vs BOTZ: Two Different Bets Wearing the Same AI Label
AIQ and BOTZ are both Global X thematic funds, both charge 0.68%, and both market themselves around artificial intelligence. Under the hood they own different things. AIQ tilts toward AI software and data companies. BOTZ tilts toward robotics and industrial automation. The label is the same. The exposure is not.
AIQ (Global X Artificial Intelligence & Technology ETF) holds about 50 companies that develop or heavily use AI and big-data technology, which pulls it toward large US software and semiconductor names. BOTZ (Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF) holds about 45 companies in robotics, industrial automation, and AI hardware, which gives it more industrial and international exposure, including Japanese and European automation firms. Both charge 0.68% per year, roughly seven times the 0.10% you would pay for a broad technology fund like VGT. Their returns have diverged sharply: AIQ rode the AI-software surge harder, while BOTZ, weighted toward automation hardware, lagged over the past three years. Neither is a substitute for broad market exposure, and both carry the concentration and hype risk that comes with any narrow theme. If you want exposure to the AI-software story, AIQ is the closer fit. If you want robotics and automation, BOTZ is. Owning both mostly doubles the fee, not the diversification. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Whether the lower-cost fund suits your situation depends on your existing holdings, account type, tax situation, and how you use each fund. This is a cost comparison, not a personalized recommendation.
Both funds trade commission-free at every major brokerage. How the major brokerages compare →
📋 AIQ vs BOTZ: Key Facts Side by Side
| Metric | AIQ | BOTZ |
|---|---|---|
| Fund Name | Global X Artificial Intelligence & Technology ETF | Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF |
| Issuer | Global X | Global X |
| Tracks Index | Indxx Artificial Intelligence & Big Data Index | Indxx Global Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Thematic Index |
| Expense Ratio | 0.68% | 0.68% |
| Cost per $10K/yr | $68.00 | $68.00 |
| AUM | $10.3B | $3.3B |
| Holdings | 50 | 45 |
| Inception | 2018 | 2016 |
| 1-Year Return | +42.90% | +10.97% |
| 3-Year Return | +32.00% | +12.88% |
| 5-Year Return | +15.76% | +1.56% |
| Dividend Yield | 0.08% | 0.49% |
| Holdings Overlap | See holdings overlap → | |
| Avg Bid-Ask Spread | 0.05% | 0.06% |
Expense ratio, AUM, and returns updated Aug 17, 2026 from ETF BFF database. Returns are annualised. Not investment advice.
📊 AIQ vs BOTZ: Annualised Returns
Annualised returns (trailing, price-based). Past performance does not guarantee future results.
🎯 Which Fund Fits Which Investor?
- want the specific exposure defined by the Indxx Artificial Intelligence & Big Data Index
- want the specific exposure defined by the Indxx Global Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Thematic Index
💰 What the Fee Difference Actually Costs
Adjust the numbers for your situation. This models each fund's expense ratio compounding against your balance over time.
Assumes a constant annual return reinvested, with each fund's expense ratio deducted yearly. Illustrative only; actual returns vary. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
🧩 What AIQ and BOTZ Actually Hold in Common
Among their largest holdings, AIQ and BOTZ share no names in common. At the top, they hold genuinely different baskets.
- SK hynix Inc 6.3%
- Micron Technology Inc 5.6%
- Advanced Micro Devices Inc 5.1%
- Samsung Electronics Co Ltd 4.8%
- Cisco Systems Inc 4.2%
- Intel Corp 3.8%
- Apple Inc 3.4%
- Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd ADR 3.3%
- Broadcom Inc 3.2%
- Amazon.com Inc 3.1%
- Keyence Corp 10.6%
- ABB Ltd 9.3%
- Fanuc Corp 9.1%
- NVIDIA Corp 8.9%
- Intuitive Surgical Inc 5.8%
- SMC Corp 4.6%
- Shenzhen Inovance Technology Co Ltd Class A 4.2%
- Daifuku Co Ltd 3.2%
- Cognex Corp 2.5%
- Aurora Innovation Inc Class A 2.4%
Based on each fund's largest disclosed holdings. Names marked • are held by both. Weights shift over time. For overlap beyond the top holdings shown here, the holdings overlap tool shows the full picture.
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❓ AIQ vs BOTZ: Frequently Asked Questions
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