AI Will Be the Main Driving Force of the New Growth Cycle

The next growth cycle for both the crypto market and the US stock market is likely to revolve around AI. In fact, the AI wave started at the end of 2022. But in the early stages, many people remained skeptical, thinking it was just a cyclical hype similar to previous Metaverse or NFT booms. By around 2025, that perspective began to change. AI is no longer just a standalone technology story but has become the centerpiece of technological competition among major powers, especially the US and China. Large tech corporations are continuously increasing their AI investments, turning this sector into a strategic growth driver. What makes this AI cycle particularly unique is its widespread adoption. From tech professionals to everyday internet users, even those who only watch short videos daily, everyone has heard of AI and understands that this is a long-term trend. However, each phase of the AI trend will focus on different aspects. Initial phase: explosion of large AI models (LLMs) and computing infrastructure. Next phase: development of AI Agents—systems capable of autonomous action and performing complex tasks. AI Agents are very likely to become the biggest story of 2026. Therefore, the key question for investors is no longer whether AI is a trend, but how to position their portfolios around the AI ecosystem. In the crypto AI space, some major projects attracting market attention include Bittensor (TAO), Virtuals Protocol (VIRTUAL), and Render (RNDR). These are all projects with strong positions in the Web3 AI story. However, if prices have risen too quickly in the short term, it’s better to avoid FOMO and wait for correction phases to secure better entry points. In a market where AI is becoming the main theme, the winners are often not the earliest buyers but those who understand the cycle well and patiently wait for the right timing. $TAO {spot}(TAOUSDT)