U.S. corporate pretax profits have risen to 13.2% of GDP (gross domestic product), a level ARK Invest founder Cathie Wood said has not been seen in decades. In a post on X, Wood said the surge in profits was initially fueled by massive monetary and fiscal stimulus during the pandemic, but argued that the main support is now shifting toward AI (artificial intelligence) and other productivity-enhancing tools that companies are using to streamline operations and defend margins. She said markets are still in the early stages of assessing AI's impact on earnings, and that companies able to apply the technology effectively are likely to widen the gap with peers that fail to adapt. Wood added that AI-led productivity gains could become an important driver of continued profit growth, with the effects emerging gradually over the next several years.