For some of us, ChatGPT has already become an vital tool for navigating our daily lives. But how helpful is it to narrow down the top FTSE shares to consider buying for 2026?

To find out, I conducted a little experiment.

Bot in the top five

The AI ​​bot’s response targeted some of the UK’s largest and best-known companies:

• AstraZeneca
• National Network
• Barclays
• Aviva
• Rolls-Royce

Each of the above companies posted excellent returns in 2025. Even the “worst” performer – energy provider National Grid – still rewarded holders with 19% growth (as I write on December 30). This is the same as the index itself.

And let’s not forget that all of the above will also have dividends paid during this period.

The shining star of the FTSE

The inclusion of a Rolls-Royce wasn’t particularly surprising. Investors had another great year, with the share price almost doubling.

Still, the company’s stock is valued at an impressive 35 times projected 2026 earnings, which means a lot of the good news has already been factored into valuations. A ceasefire in Ukraine could cause a surge in short-term investors.

Is this where the music ends?

Probably not. There’s still a lot to like here. Demand for air travel remains steady, boosting engine sales (and the lucrative maintenance contracts that come with them). Whatever happens next in Eastern Europe, geopolitical shocks and higher defense spending by individual countries will not disappear overnight either.

Oh, and the balance sheet looks a lot more solid than it used to.

Put simply, stocks can go up even if they already look costly.

Not so speedy

But while the ChatGPT choice is compelling, there are a few things that bother me.

The bot only went to companies with FTSE100. This in itself is not bad. But this means that many other high-quality businesses further down the FTSE food chain have been ignored. And with enough strengthening, they could enjoy excellent/better returns next year.

Secondly, both Barclays and Aviva operate in the financial sector. Sure, in the event of an economic disaster, stock prices can drop massively. But spreading the risk across the market makes sense. So there could be more diversification here.

There were no last-minute twists or counter-plays. In other words, the bot was attracted to stocks showing positive dynamics. And yet it often happens that those who are most hated one year are the most popular the next.

Caution recommended

To be fair, ChatGPT is as retarded as we are when it comes to stock picking. Nobody really knows what will happen next year. Interestingly, we can be more confident about the long-term perspective.

I also only asked for five suggestions. Realistically, an investor would be brave to limit their portfolio to this number, especially if their goal was to generate passive income – which can never be guaranteed.

But these caveats (and my earlier concerns) are exactly why I think ChatGPT should be used with caution (if at all). At best, the bot might get lucky. At worst, it can cause financial problems, especially since he has no idea how the person urging it will react in the event of a market crash.

Whatever happens in 2026, I won’t delegate critical decisions to artificial intelligence.