Cathie Wood predicts end of US ‘rolling recession’ on AI, Bitcoin, and Tesla hype

Ark Invest CEO Cathie Wood, a vocal supporter of emergent technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), Bitcoin, and robotics, recently claimed the US was exiting a three-year “rolling recession” as signs of recovery begin taking hold in key economic sectors. 

Wood’s comments came during an exclusive interview with Andrew Ross Sorkin on CNBC’s Squawk Box. The discussion began with commentary on US president Donald Trump’s “interesting way of negotiating.” Wood stated that the current economic upheaval will result in lower global taxes, something she claims will be a net positive for the world economy.

The conversation quickly pivoted to focus on the US, which, according to Woods, is emerging from a so-called “rolling recession,” a period where certain industries experience growth while others wither. 

Wood explained, in the US, “the rolling recession we’ve been in for the last three years since the Fed upped rates” had proven cause for worry, saying “more people are getting concerned about an extended recession.” She cited a negative first quarter for 2025, leading into a turbulent second, but then added that there was cause for optimism.

“Amid all the uncertainty,” said Wood, “we actually think we’re at the end of this rolling recession … I think we’re going to see a lot more productivity-driven growth, which means inflation is going to be much lower than expected.” She added that this turn of events would be very “capital friendly.” 

Wood expressed unbridled bullishness for AI, Bitcoin, and Tesla

When asked about the primary drivers contributing to the end of the described rolling recession, Wood maintained her longstanding support for the technology sector with a primary focus on automation, Bitcoin, and Tesla. 

According to a recent filing, ARK Invest purchased 107,661 shares of Nvidia valued at approximately $12.2 million alongside increased investments in chipmaker AMD and science stock CRISPR. Alongside her bullishness for these firms, she reiterated her full-throated support for Bitcoin, citing an upside price target of more than one million USD. 

“We have always had a 2030 target,” Wood told Sorkin, adding that she viewed “the base case in the $700,000 to $750,000 range” and the bull case “in the $1.5 million range.”

Tesla expected to serve as the workhorse for US economic growth

The Ark Invest CEO saved her most bullish predictions for Elon Musk’s Tesla, which she touted as a three-pronged booster for economic growth. Per Wood, “the reason Tesla is ahead of the game is … the three platforms it’s already innovating on: robots, energy storage … and AI.

According to Wood, those three technologies will drive a massive market for robotics in the form of autonomous vehicles, energy storage (likely related to data clusters and AI infrastructure), and the artificial intelligence sector as a whole. 

“We think that’s a $26 trillion revenue opportunity,” said Wood. She added that the gains would be “split between home and industrial” and realized in the next five to ten years.

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