AI gold rush: How tech boom created a record $20.1 trillion billionaire class

The global billionaire class has crossed a historic milestone. According to the latest Forbes billionaire rankings, the world’s billionaires are now worth a combined $20.1 trillion — the highest level ever recorded. The surge has been powered largely by the artificial intelligence revolution, which has transformed a handful of technology companies into some of the most valuable businesses in history. The scale of wealth creation is staggering. Global billionaire wealth jumped by roughly $4 trillion in a single year, rising from $16.1 trillion in 2025 to $20.1 trillion in 2026. At the same time, the number of billionaires climbed to…