The Global X Robotics and Artificial Intelligence ETF (BOTZ) from New York-based issuer Global X has celebrated its one-year anniversary whilst surpassing $450 million in assets.

Jay Jacobs, director of research at Global X.

BOTZ has become one of just eight US-domiciled ETFs launched since January 2016 to achieve this level of assets under management.

Jay Jacobs, director of research at Global X, commented: “We brought BOTZ to market to offer investors an efficient tool to access this technological revolution, and we’re pleased to see that the market has been receptive. As we continue to watch these emerging technologies change the world around us, we’re excited for what the future has in store.”

BOTZ was launched on 12 September 2016 and has seen rapid growth in recent months, having only passed $100m in AUM in May this year, displaying the strength of the trend in the macro theme of robotics and artificial intelligence, and thematic investing more broadly.

The ETF tracks the Indxx Global Robotics & Artificial Thematic Index, which tracks equities involved in the production and application of robotics and artificial intelligence. The robotics industry is expected to grow by 10% per year, passing $80 billion in market size by 2020. The AI market is expected to reach $5.1bn by 2020, from just $420m in 2014.

Jacobs continued, “While the robotics & AI revolution is a long-term theme that we believe will continue to play out over decades, industries across the globe are already embracing these technologies. Industrial manufacturing was among the first sectors touched by this burgeoning technology, but health care, defence, agriculture, and consumer products are all starting to adopt robotics and AI at an increasingly rapid pace.”

For more information on thematic investing please see our recent series on the topic, which includes an article on robotics and automation.