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Security Comparison

AI vs AIYY: Which Is the Better Pick in 2026?

A head-to-head comparison of C3.ai Inc. and YieldMax AI Option Income Strategy ETF covering yield, cost, risk, and income potential.

Updated October 16, 2026

How these figures are calculated: methodology.

Best for

  • AIInvestors who want direct ownership of the underlying business, with no fund wrapper or management fee.
  • AIYYInvestors who want to maximize current income — roughly 63.81%, generated by selling options premium.

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Visual comparison

Key metrics

Projected income on $10K

Projections assume the current yield and share price remain constant. Actual results will vary.

Total returns

100% reinvested · ex-date convention. Period returns use this fixed assumption, independent of chart settings. YTD and 1Y are cumulative period returns; 3Y, 5Y, and 10Y are annualized. The shared Since-start window is annualized only when it covers at least one year.

AI has outpaced AIYY over the trailing twelve months, posting a -37.32% total return against -44.20%. Measured from Nov 2023 — the start of shared available history — AI has compounded at -28.41% a year versus -40.31% for AIYY. Figures are total returns: price change plus every distribution reinvested.

Total return and risk statistics by fund. Each row is one fund; each column is one period or statistic.
SymbolYTD cumulative1Y cumulativeSince Nov 2023Volatility Sharpe Sortino Max drawdown
AI-16.02%-37.32%-28.41%59.3%-0.86-1.13-57.9%
AIYY-29.20%-44.20%-40.31%47.9%-1.31-1.65-53.7%

Total return with all distributions reinvested on the ex-dividend date (a modeling convention, not the cash-settlement date), split-adjusted, as of October 16, 2026. YTD and 1Y are cumulative period returns; 3Y, 5Y, and 10Y are annualized. The shared Since-start window is annualized only when it covers at least one year. “Since Nov 2023” measures every fund from November 28, 2023 — the start of shared available history — so all funds share one comparison window. Volatility is the annualized standard deviation of daily total returns over the past year. Sharpe and Sortino divide the annualized return in excess of the risk-free rate by, respectively, that volatility and the downside deviation (both over the past year) — higher is better. Max drawdown is the largest peak-to-trough total-return decline over the same window — shallower is better.

Distribution rate, SEC yield and return of capital

MetricAIAIYY
Forward distribution rate—63.81%
Trailing 12-month yield—114.14%
30-day SEC yield—2.49%
Return of capital—96.35%

Total return (price change plus reinvested distributions) is the Total returns section above. Return of capital is the share of a recent distribution that was not income. A 30-day SEC yield can sit far from the headline distribution rate; both numbers are the fund's own published fields.

Not a distribution payer

AI (C3.ai Inc.) has no distribution rate on file and its distribution frequency is None. AI is not a payer. The blank yield is not a zero yield.

Side-by-side snapshot

Side-by-side snapshot. Each row is one metric; each column is one fund.
MetricAIAIYY
Full nameC3.ai Inc.YieldMax AI Option Income Strategy ETF
Issuer—YieldMax
Last Close$11.32 as of October 16, 2026$7.22 as of October 16, 2026
Distribution rate—63.81%
Trailing 12-month yield—114.14%
30-day SEC yield—2.49%
Distribution Safety Score™ —25
Safety-Adjusted Yield —15.95%
Expense ratio—0.99%
AUM—$48.5M
Distribution frequencyNoneWeekly
Underlying index—C3.ai (AI)
Objective—YieldMax AI Option Income Strategy ETF seeks current income while providing indirect exposure to the share price returns of C3.ai, Inc. common stock, subject to a limit on potential investment gains. The fund does not invest directly in C3.ai, Inc.; it uses a synthetic covered call strategy built from standardized exchange-traded options.
Asset classEquityEquity
Inception dateN/A11/27/2023
Beta2.0952.0011
Last dividend—$0.0886 payable today
Ex-dividend date—10/15/2026

Bottom lineChoose AI if you want direct ownership of the underlying business, with no fund wrapper or management fee. Choose AIYY if you want to maximize current income — roughly 63.81%, generated by selling options premium. There's no free lunch: AIYY's payout comes from selling options, which caps upside and can erode the share price over time, while AI keeps full price exposure.

How the risk works

Read this before the income numbers below: the strategy mechanics on this page shape what those payouts can cost you.

  • Capped upside and premium dependence. AIYY generates income by selling options, which trades away part of a strong rally in exchange for premium. Distributions can include return of capital, and a payout the underlying assets cannot sustain shows up as NAV erosion over time — the big yield number is not free.

Learn the mechanics: Return of capital, explained · NAV erosion, explained

Model this comparison:
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Income calculator

See how much monthly income a hypothetical investment would generate in each security at current yields.

YieldMax
ETFs62
Total AUM$10.0B

ETFs and AUM reflect what Dividend Vision tracks — the issuer's full lineup may be larger.

YieldMax is known for specializing in options-based and income-focused ETFs that emphasize yield generation through covered call strategies and other income-producing methodologies. The firm operates a diverse lineup of 63 funds organized across multiple families including covered call strategies, 0DTE (zero days to expiration) options, double distribution approaches, and various target-date and performance-based portfolios designed to generate regular distributions. Notable offerings span popular underlying assets like major technology stocks and broad market indices, with a particular emphasis on providing enhanced income solutions for investors seeking regular cash flows through options strategies and other tactical approaches.

See our curated list of related YouTube videos on AIYY.

See all ETFs from YieldMax

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Quick verdict

AI (C3.ai Inc.) is a stock, while AIYY (YieldMax AI Option Income Strategy ETF) is an ETF — their trading structures differ.

AIYY currently shows a 63.81% distribution yield. AI has not yet established a full distribution history, so a comparable yield figure is not available.

Deep dive

Yield & income

On a $10,000 investment, AI has no reported distribution yield yet, so a cash estimate is not available, while AIYY would produce $122.71 cash per distribution, at current distribution rates.

AI yield—
AIYY yield63.81%

Cost & efficiency

AIYY charges a 0.99% expense ratio — roughly $990 over 10 years on $10,000 (simplified, not compounded). AI is a stock, not a fund, so it charges no expense ratio.

AIYY ER0.99%

Strategy & risk

AI is a stock, while AIYY tracks C3.ai (AI) with a covered call approach. Beta is 2.095 for AI and 2.0011 for AIYY, making AIYY the less volatile of the two by this measure.

AI beta2.095
AIYY beta2.0011

Security details

AI (C3.ai Inc.) is a stock. AIYY is managed by YieldMax (launched 11/27/2023) with $48.5M in assets.

AIYY AUM$48.5M
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Frequently asked questions

Which of AI or AIYY pays more dividend income?

AIYY currently reports a distribution yield, while AI has not yet established a full distribution history. A direct income comparison is not yet meaningful — check back once both funds have published several consecutive distributions.

What is the difference between AI and AIYY?

AI (C3.ai Inc.) is a stock, while AIYY (YieldMax AI Option Income Strategy ETF) tracks C3.ai (AI) with a covered call approach. They are issued by — and YieldMax respectively.

Can I hold both AI and AIYY?

Yes — nothing prevents holding both. Whether the combination actually diversifies depends on how much the underlying exposures overlap, which isn't fully measurable from the data on this page; review each security's holdings, sector, and strategy before treating them as complementary.

Which has lower fees, AI or AIYY?

AIYY charges a 0.99% expense ratio. AI is a stock, not a fund, so it has no expense ratio — owning it directly costs nothing in ongoing fund fees.

How much income does $10,000 in AI vs AIYY generate?

At current rates, AI does not pay distributions, so there is no cash income to estimate. The same in AIYY would produce about $122.71 cash per distribution ($6,381.00 annually).

Which has performed better historically, AI or AIYY?

AI has outpaced AIYY over the trailing twelve months, posting a -37.32% total return against -44.20%. Measured from Nov 2023 — the start of shared available history — AI has compounded at -28.41% a year versus -40.31% for AIYY. Figures are total returns: price change plus every distribution reinvested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

More comparisons to explore

AI vs AIYY — at a glance

Generated October 17, 2026.

Overview

AI is a stock in C3.ai, a software company focused on AI and enterprise applications, with no dividend. The key distinction is structural: one is direct equity ownership with no income, the other is a derivative overlay designed to harvest option premiums as regular distributions.

How they differ

The biggest difference is income generation. AI pays no dividend, while AIYY distributes 63.81% annualized, funded by selling call options against its C3.ai exposure. That covered-call structure caps upside—gains beyond the call strike are forfeited to option buyers—while downside risk remains largely intact. Both track the same underlying company, so their beta figures are nearly identical (AI 2.095 versus AIYY 2.0011), reflecting similar market sensitivity. The price differential ($11.32 for AI versus $7.22 for AIYY) reflects AIYY's fund structure and the call-option cap on upside.

Who each is best for

AI: Investors seeking direct exposure to C3.ai's growth potential without income obligations, willing to accept the stock's high volatility (beta 2.095) for the possibility of uncapped capital appreciation.

AIYY: Investors who prioritize current income over capital gains and are comfortable capping their upside in exchange for weekly distributions, or those using the strategy to systematically harvest option premiums from an otherwise volatile position.

Key risks to know

  • NAV erosion at extreme distribution yield. A 63.81% annual distribution rate is unsustainable if the underlying stock's total return—price change plus any dividends—falls short. Over time, this structure likely erodes principal unless the stock appreciates significantly each year.
  • Capped upside from covered calls. AIYY's call options limit gains beyond the strike price. If C3.ai rallies sharply, AIYY investors capture only the strike return while missing further appreciation; AI shareholders capture the full move.
  • High volatility and beta concentration. Both securities have beta above 2.0, meaning they amplify market swings roughly twice over. C3.ai is a single-name, technology-focused position with no diversification.
  • Weekly redemptions and timing risk. AIYY's weekly distribution frequency creates a built-in turnover and tax reporting complexity. The weekly rebalancing of the options strategy may also drag on returns during volatile or sideways market periods.
  • Leverage and options roll risk. The covered-call strategy depends on continuous option rolling. If implied volatility falls, the next sold calls may generate lower premiums, reducing future payouts—and investors cannot prevent that shift.

Bottom line

If you want uncapped upside and believe C3.ai's growth will outpace the tech sector, AI offers direct exposure with no cap. Past performance doesn't predict future results.

AI-generated analysis for educational purposes only. Verify important details independently; past performance does not guarantee future results.

Learn the method

The metrics behind this comparison, explained in the Academy.

How covered-call funds work How to read a fund's stats The covered-call opportunity cost

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These comparisons follow the Dividend Vision methodology.