Portfolio Manager Insights

Riding the burgeoning AI wave

Much like the internet boom of the late 1990s, the generative AI revolution is a technological mega-shift in the making, according to Fidelity’s Dan Kelley.

By: Daniel Kelley
Updated: 2/23/2026
  • Generative artificial intelligence has spurred new opportunities for investors who understand its potential and stay focused on business fundamentals, according to Fidelity Portfolio Manager Dan Kelley, who is particularly upbeat on what he calls AI “toll takers,” the companies providing the essential infrastructure that powers the transformative technology.
  • “The generative AI revolution is here, and it’s not just about futuristic concepts or flashy applications,” says Kelley, who manages Fidelity® Puritan® Fund. “AI is not a fad. Far from it, in fact. These fast-moving, groundbreaking technological advancements are reshaping industries, economies and the way we live.” 
  • The fund follows a classic balanced strategy, benchmarked to a composite index made up of 60% stocks and 40% bonds. In addition to helming the equity subportfolio, Kelley allocates assets to co-managers who independently oversee the fund’s investment-grade and high-yield debt sleeves.
  • To capitalize on AI, Kelley aims to distinguish between businesses genuinely harnessing the technology and those that merely claim to be.
  • ”About $400 billion in capital is expected to be invested in AI-related growth within the next year alone, making the technology not just a wave, but a tidal surge of innovation,” he says.
  • The portfolio includes several toll-taking businesses that generate an outsized proportion of revenue and profit by providing the essential tools, technology and services that make AI possible.
  • As an example, Kelley cites Nvidia, an AI-focused chipmaker and the fund’s top holding as of December 31, 2025. “As the leading provider of advanced graphics processors for generative AI systems, Nvidia is at the heart of this revolution,” he says, adding that the company designs and develops the graphics-processing rack systems that reside at the cutting-edge of advanced computing.
  • But the story doesn’t end there. Kelley’s toll-taker screen has led him to investments in cloud hyperscalers Microsoft, with its Azure offering, and Alphabet, based on its Google Cloud platform and Gemini application.
  • “Both firms have driven AI expansion by offering highly scalable and flexible computing solutions, as well as storage and networking services,” he explains. “Moreover, Alphabet’s suite of mobile applications gives it broad distribution capabilities.”
  • In addition, Kelley highlights memory businesses as a subset of the tech sector that appears well-positioned amid the AI revolution. He notes that AI inference models need a lot of memory to build upon their learnings and increase their utility to the end customer. 
  • In terms of the competitive landscape, Kelley notes the memory market has consolidated into just a few key players that are reluctant to add significant capacity given uncertainty about the duration of this investment cycle.  
  • As a result, he says demand has been notably outpacing supply, which has supported strong pricing power for companies such as Micron Technology, an illustrative holding.
  • Kelley contends that generative AI’s impact is not confined to technology. He’s also found compelling AI-driven investment opportunities in the industrials sector, where companies are positioned to meet the growing need for data centers. In particular, he notes two electrical and mechanical contractors, EMCOR Group and Dycom Industries, and equipment rental provider United Rentals.
  • “The generative AI revolution is here, and it’s moving fast,” concludes Kelley. “I believe those businesses that fail to adapt within the next year or two risk falling behind, most likely finding themselves at a major competitive disadvantage, whereas those that embrace AI should be positioned to thrive.”
 
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Fidelity Puritan Fund (FPURX)

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