Ben Gran highlights AI's broad economic impact as S&P 500 companies report significant margin gains from automation tools.
A new report from 22V Research LLC, as highlighted by Ben Gran, indicates that artificial intelligence is moving beyond a mere experiment to become a core driver of profitability across the S&P 500. Analysis shows that 25 companies explicitly quantified AI's contribution during Q2 2026 earnings, reporting an average margin improvement of 180 basis points. These gains are not limited to the technology sector; they are appearing in diverse industries such as waste management, trucking, and financial services. To manage costs, many enterprises are adopting a multi-model strategy, routing simpler tasks to cheaper alternatives while reserving premium models for complex work. This shift suggests that the majority of organizations have moved past the pilot stage and are now focused on optimizing production environments. For long-term investors, these verified margin gains provide evidence that AI is fostering broad innovation and prosperity across the U.S. economy rather than just creating a bubble in a few major tech stocks.