“It’s a one-way street”: The simple equation behind Blackstone’s bullish AI thesis

This interview was recorded on March 4, 2026

Think long term. It is the foundation of any investment philosophy, but remains the biggest challenge in building a portfolio. As humans, we are notoriously bad at predicting the future, a flaw that is reinforced by the barrage of headlines we are confronted with – whether about rising oil prices, the rise of AI or the pain it will inflict on entire industries.

But according to BXPE CEO Viral Patel, thinking in five- or 10-year horizons is the starting point for the company’s private equity investment process.

Blackstone was founded in 1985 by former Lehman Brothers executives Stephen Schwarzman and Peter Peterson. Today it is the world’s largest alternative asset manager with $1.3 trillion in AUM.

This scale provides access to insights and data that often paint a different picture than the headline of the day. Blackstone is invested in around 270 companies, owns 13,000…