Major U.S. financial institutions are turning bullish on 2026, with projections showing stronger economic momentum than initially forecast. The chief executive of Bank of America recently outlined expectations for GDP growth to reach 2.4% next year, marking an upward revision from the previous 2% outlook.

What's driving this optimism? AI spending remains the key variable in the equation. Continuous investment and deployment of artificial intelligence infrastructure are expected to provide significant tailwinds for overall economic expansion. As enterprise and government spending on AI accelerates, it creates a positive feedback loop—supporting job growth, consumer spending, and business investment across sectors.

This outlook carries implications beyond traditional markets. Periods of robust economic growth typically support risk appetite in financial markets, including digital assets. Investors monitoring macroeconomic cycles should track whether this AI-driven growth narrative holds through 2026.