美股财报电话会现状：“AI风险”讨论翻倍，公司必须“自证清白”，投资者“先卖再问”

Core Viewpoint - Despite strong corporate earnings growth, the focus during the current earnings season has shifted to the threats posed by artificial intelligence (AI) [1] Group 1: Earnings Performance - S&P 500 companies reported a 12% year-over-year earnings growth in Q4, surpassing initial expectations of 8.4% [1] - Over 75% of companies exceeded earnings expectations, a figure above the historical average [1] Group 2: Market Reaction - The S&P 500 index has been stagnant, fluctuating between 6500 and nearly 7000 points since early September, with initial concerns about excessive AI spending by large tech companies evolving into fears about AI's potential impact on other companies' earnings [2] - Following comments about AI potentially reducing office space demand, CBRE Group Inc. saw a 20% stock drop within two days despite reporting better-than-expected earnings [1] Group 3: Sector Impact - Media, software, and human resources sectors are viewed as most vulnerable to AI disruption, with the trend now affecting broader sectors including finance and logistics [3] - A basket of stocks identified as at risk from AI has seen a decline of 40% to 50% over the past year, including companies like Salesforce Inc. and Unity Software Inc. in the U.S. and London Stock Exchange Group Plc in Europe [3] Group 4: Investor Sentiment - Investors are increasingly cautious, with a notable rise in short-selling interest in companies perceived to be at risk from AI disruption, particularly in Europe [5][6] - The average short interest in a basket of stocks affected by AI risks has increased from about 2% to over 5% in the past two years [6] Group 5: Capital Expenditure Trends - Despite concerns about AI disruption, major tech companies continue to increase capital expenditures, with projected growth of 72% by 2025 for the five largest tech giants [7] - A cooling of the recent sell-off is anticipated to occur if one of the major tech companies announces a reduction in capital spending [7]