Much of what drives the U.S. economy has changed over the past couple of decades. For example, energy stalwart ExxonMobil and industrial bellwether General Electric were the two largest publicly traded companies by market cap in 2005, valued at $375 billion and $362 billion, respectively. Fast forward 20 years, and technology companies -- particularly those well-versed in artificial intelligence (AI) -- lead the list. In fact, nine of the world's 10 most valuable companies have clear ties to AI.

Only four companies have earned membership in the ultra-exclusive $3 trillion club, and each is a powerhouse in its own right. Chipmaker Nvidia tops the charts at $4.5 trillion (as of this writing), with iPhone maker Apple nipping at its heels at $4.1 trillion. Search pioneer Alphabet

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