Tesla, a titan of the automotive and tech industries and a fixture on the NASDAQ exchange, seems an unlikely candidate for a label once reserved for struggling mall retailers and video game stores. Yet, in financial discussions across Reddit, X (formerly Twitter), and TikTok, you'll frequently hear Tesla (TSLA) referred to as a "meme stock."

The first half of 2025 marked a historic inflection point for the technology sector, characterized by an unprecedented torrent of capital into artificial intelligence startups. Across North America, these companies attracted an estimated $145 billion, a 43% year-over-year increase that represents the highest half-year total in three years.