AIS vs. FAI

Last updated Aug 2, 2026

AIS (VistaShares Artificial Intelligence Supercycle ETF) and FAI (First Trust Bloomberg Artificial Intelligence ETF) are both Artificial Intelligence funds. AIS is actively managed, while FAI is passively managed. Over the past year, AIS returned 119.85% vs 40.34% for FAI. Their correlation of 0.87 means they have usually moved in the same direction. AIS charges 0.75%/yr vs 0.65%/yr for FAI.

Performance

AIS vs. FAI - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in VistaShares Artificial Intelligence Supercycle ETF (AIS) and First Trust Bloomberg Artificial Intelligence ETF (FAI). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, AIS achieves a 68.71% return, which is significantly higher than FAI's 23.08% return.

AIS

• 1D: 0.47%
• 1M: -14.16%
• 6M: 49.61%
• YTD: 68.71%
• 1Y: 119.85%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 75.75%

FAI

• 1D: 2.93%
• 1M: -1.97%
• 6M: 21.54%
• YTD: 23.08%
• 1Y: 40.34%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 35.90%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
AIS VistaShares Artificial Intelligence Supercycle ETF	$37.93M	$45.10M	$51.04M
FAI First Trust Bloomberg Artificial Intelligence ETF	$1.56M	$3.03M	$3.57M

AIS vs. FAI - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
AIS VistaShares Artificial Intelligence Supercycle ETF	68.71%	58.35%	-4.74%
FAI First Trust Bloomberg Artificial Intelligence ETF	23.08%	33.37%	0.29%

Correlation

The correlation between AIS and FAI is 0.86, meaning they have usually moved in the same direction, including during past declines.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.86
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 3, 2024	0.87

The correlation between AIS and FAI has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.86 to 0.87 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

AIS vs. FAI — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

AIS

AIS Risk / Return Rank: 87
AIS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 92
AIS Sortino Ratio Rank: 83
AIS Omega Ratio Rank: 85
AIS Calmar Ratio Rank: 86
AIS Martin Ratio Rank: 89

FAI

FAI Risk / Return Rank: 48
FAI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 50
FAI Sortino Ratio Rank: 47
FAI Omega Ratio Rank: 45
FAI Calmar Ratio Rank: 53
FAI Martin Ratio Rank: 44

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

AIS vs. FAI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for VistaShares Artificial Intelligence Supercycle ETF (AIS) and First Trust Bloomberg Artificial Intelligence ETF (FAI). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	AIS	FAI	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.42	1.23	+1.19
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.72	1.71	+1.00
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.37	1.21	+0.15
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.35	1.91	+1.44
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	13.91	4.97	+8.94

AIS vs. FAI - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current AIS Sharpe Ratio is 2.42, which is higher than the FAI Sharpe Ratio of 1.23. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of AIS and FAI, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

AIS vs. FAI - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum AIS drawdown since its inception was -34.44%, which is greater than FAI's maximum drawdown of -27.82%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AIS and FAI.

Drawdown Indicators

	AIS	FAI	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-34.44%	-27.82%	-6.62%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-34.44%	-18.84%	-15.60%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-27.93%	-12.57%	-15.36%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.30%	-5.77%	-0.53%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	8.28%	7.22%	+1.06%

Volatility

AIS vs. FAI - Volatility Comparison

VistaShares Artificial Intelligence Supercycle ETF (AIS) has a higher volatility of 21.48% compared to First Trust Bloomberg Artificial Intelligence ETF (FAI) at 10.00%. This indicates that AIS's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than FAI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	AIS	FAI	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	21.48%	10.00%	+11.48%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	43.19%	24.66%	+18.53%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	47.78%	29.24%	+18.54%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	44.01%	31.30%	+12.71%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	44.01%	31.30%	+12.71%

AIS vs. FAI - Expense Ratio Comparison

AIS has a 0.75% expense ratio, which is higher than FAI's 0.65% expense ratio.

Dividends

AIS vs. FAI - Dividend Comparison

Neither AIS nor FAI has paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024
AIS VistaShares Artificial Intelligence Supercycle ETF	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
FAI First Trust Bloomberg Artificial Intelligence ETF	0.00%	0.00%	0.04%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both AIS and FAI in my portfolio?

AIS and FAI have a correlation of 0.86, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, AIS or FAI?

AIS has higher volatility (21.48%) compared to FAI (10.00%). In terms of maximum drawdown, AIS dropped -34.44% vs FAI's -27.82%.

Which ETF is better, AIS or FAI?

On 1-year performance, AIS leads with 119.85% vs 40.34% for FAI. On fees, FAI is cheaper at 0.65% per year. On volatility, FAI has been the lower-risk option at 10.00%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, AIS or FAI?

Over the 1-year period, AIS has performed better with a 119.85% return vs 40.34%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, AIS or FAI?

FAI is cheaper with a 0.65% expense ratio, compared with 0.75% for AIS.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, AIS or FAI?

AIS and FAI have nearly identical dividend yields, around 0.00%.

What is the main difference between AIS and FAI?

They also come from different issuers: VistaShares and First Trust. Their fees differ too: 0.75% for AIS and 0.65% for FAI.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

AIS currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.42 vs 1.23), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.