Heading into 2026, market confidence is running strong on Wall Street. Yet beneath the optimism lies a critical question: can tech giants actually prove their massive AI investments are paying off? Investors and analysts are increasingly skeptical about whether the billions poured into artificial intelligence infrastructure are translating into tangible shareholder value. The gap between hype and hard returns has never been wider. Tech companies face mounting pressure to deliver concrete evidence that AI spending isn't just capital burn—it needs to move the needle on revenue, margins, and bottom-line results. Without measurable outcomes, expect the mood to shift fast.