More than half of Britons now use ChatGPT to help them with financial and investing guidance. I’ve decided to follow the herd and ask the artificial intelligence (AI) system for five FTSE 250 growth shares for me to buy in my portfolio.
I have no plans to put any actual money on the line. But my exercise will provide a valuable insight into just how well AI can identify credible growth opportunities. As someone who’s still sceptical about the accuracy and rationale of such systems, I’m curious to see whether ChatGPT’s logic holds up in the real world.
My plan is to track the performance of this FTSE 250 mini portfolio. And to make things interesting, I’ll compare the results to a selection of growth stocks I’ve chosen from the UK mid-tier index.
The two portfolios
For this exercise, I’ll be combining share price gains performance along with any dividend income to ascertain the total return of both portfolios.
Here they are:
| ChatGPT | Royston Wild |
|---|---|
| Softcat (25%) | Allianz Technology Trust (25%) |
| Foresight Group (20%) | TBC Bank Group (20%) |
| Cranswick (20%) | Chemring Group (20%) |
| QinetiQ (20%) | Endeavour Mining (20%) |
| Hill & Smith (15%) | IG Group (15%) |
I have to admit, there are a couple of ChatGPT stocks I might have added to my own portfolio, but I’m much less convinced about the others.
Softcat is a cloud computing and IT infrastructure provider with growth potential as the digital economy booms. Meanwhile, defence business QinetiQ could thrive as NATO countries rapidly rebuild their arsenals.
But reflecting this, I see better opportunities in other stocks. I’ve put the Allianz Technology Trust and countermeasures manufacturer Chemring in my own theoretical portfolio. I’ve also added gold stock Endeavour Mining and TBC Bank, which offers financial services in Western and Central Asia.
A FTSE 100 contender?
I’m pretty excited about IG Group (LSE:IGG), which runs online trading platforms across the globe. I’ve used it to round off my portfolio.
It’s currently in the FTSE 250, but having risen 12% in value in 2025, it’s now knocking on the door for inclusion on the FTSE 100. Its market cap stands at £3.8bn.
IG operates in a highly competitive market, bringing competitive threats from the likes of eToro and CMC Markets. But it enjoys considerable brand recognition, with a strong track record dating back to 1974 that resonates with customers.
As the public’s interest in trading takes off, IG is reaping the benefits. Average active customer numbers rose 3% organically in the August quarter, to 278,900 traders.
The company is rapidly expanding to give its growth prospects a shot in the arm too. In April it acquired UK investment platform Freetrade, and in September agreed to purchase Australian cryptocurrency exchange Independent Reserve. I’m expecting big things from IG over the near term and beyond.
And we’re off!
So our portfolios are now set up and ready to go. Check back soon to see how I’ve fared against the mighty AI machine.
Of course, five stocks don’t make a portfolio. That’s why I’ve got my eye on other exciting opportunities in the FTSE 250 too.
