US stocks ended lower on Thursday in volatile trading, as investors reacted to mixed corporate earnings and renewed concerns over artificial intelligence (AI) disrupting the software sector, according to Reuters.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 179.71 points, or 0.36%, closing at 49,310.32. The S&P 500 dropped 29.50 points, or 0.41%, to settle at 7,108.40, while the Nasdaq Composite declined 219.06 points, or 0.89%, ending at 24,438.50.

Market sentiment remained uncertain as investors assessed earnings reports that showed uneven performance across sectors. Concerns that rapid advancements in AI could impact traditional software companies also added pressure, particularly on tech-heavy stocks.

Trading activity was slightly below average, with total volume on US exchanges reaching 17.41 billion shares, compared to the 20-day average of 18.33 billion shares.

The market reflected cautious investor behavior, with technology shares leading the decline amid growing uncertainty around the impact of AI on the industry.