Artificial intelligence (AI) investing remains a primary driver in the market, fueled by massive capital expenditures in data centers by AI hyperscalers. There are numerous AI stocks that investors can consider right now, and this list can serve as a starting point for further research on which AI stocks appear to be great buys.
I've got 10 on my short list for top AI stocks to buy now, but there are likely many more beyond this.
Image source: Getty Images.
1. Nvidia
Nvidia (NVDA +1.73%) has been a leader in AI investing since its inception, primarily due to its industry-leading graphics processing units (GPUs), which have been widely utilized to train and run AI models. The company projects monster growth for its GPUs over the next five years, as it expects data center capital expenditures to rise from $600 billion this year to $3 trillion to $4 trillion by 2030.
NASDAQ: NVDA
Key Data Points
We'll see if this projection pans out, but there's still massive computing demand for AI, and Nvidia is the top provider in this segment.
2. Broadcom
Another company heavily involved in this sector is Broadcom (AVGO +4.27%). Broadcom has two major products being used in AI data centers: its connectivity switches and its custom AI accelerators. The biggest growth story for Broadcom is these custom AI accelerators, which are alternatives to Nvidia's GPUs that are designed in conjunction with the end user.
This could be a huge market for Broadcom, and makes me bullish on the stock.
3. Taiwan Semiconductor
Neither Nvidia nor Broadcom can produce chips themselves, so they outsource the fabrication work of their designs to Taiwan Semiconductor (TSM 0.84%). TSMC is the world's largest chip foundry and has established a reputation for continuous innovation and delivering best-in-class product yields.
It's slated to capitalize on the massive AI arms race spending, regardless of which companies are using computing devices, making it an excellent AI investment on the chip side of AI.
4. ASML
ASML (ASML +4.89%) is a key equipment supplier to chip foundries, such as Taiwan Semiconductor, as it holds a technological monopoly with its primary product: the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machine. This allows chip manufacturers to lay down microscopic electrical traces. Without ASML, none of the cutting-edge chip technology we know today would be possible.
NASDAQ: ASML
Key Data Points
With the stock down about 30% from its all-time high (at the time of this writing), it appears to be a tremendous opportunity to scoop up while it's on sale.
5. Alphabet
Moving to the AI hyperscaler side, Alphabet (GOOG +0.41%) (GOOGL +0.66%) looks like a strong investment. Although many assumed that Alphabet had fallen too far behind in the AI arms race to be a worthy competitor, it has emerged as one of the top players. Its generative AI model, Gemini, is one of the best available, and with Alphabet integrating it into its Google Search engine, it's easily one of the most used.
Alphabet still trades at a discount to its big tech peers despite its recent success, and that could be a prime opportunity to make a profit over the next five years.
6. Meta Platforms
Meta Platforms (META 1.18%), the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is also heavily investing in AI. It's spent a ton of money hiring the best AI talent possible, and now it has reached a point where it's focusing that all-star lineup on various AI goals.
Time will tell whether this is a winning strategy, but Meta is giving itself the best chance to succeed by equipping itself with the brightest minds to lead its various AI initiatives.
7. Amazon
Amazon (AMZN +0.55%) may not be the first company you think of when you hear AI, but its cloud computing business, Amazon Web Services (AWS), is a huge part of the AI build-out trend. Most companies can't afford to build out a massive data center specifically for AI, so they rent it from a cloud computing provider like AWS.
NASDAQ: AMZN
Key Data Points
AWS is a significant contributor to Amazon's profitability, generating 53% of Amazon's operating profits in Q2, despite accounting for only 18% of revenue. Cloud computing has a massive tailwind blowing in its favor, and investing in companies with this business is a genius idea.
8. Microsoft
AWS is the largest cloud computing provider, but Microsoft's (MSFT 1.33%) Azure is quickly gaining ground. Azure has grown rapidly over the past few years, with its Q4 FY 2025 growth rate (ending June 30) coming in at 39%. That's far quicker than AWS's 17% growth rate, making Microsoft an interesting stock to watch in this space.
9. SoundHound AI
SoundHound AI (SOUN 7.89%) is quite a bit smaller than nearly every company on this list, but it's growing at a rapid pace. SoundHound AI's technology combines AI with audio recognition, which can be used to automate millions of jobs. In Q2, its revenue grew at a jaw-dropping 217% year-over-year pace, providing an incredibly bullish outlook for the future.
Management believes they can deliver 50% organic growth for the foreseeable future, which would lead to an incredible stock performance.
10. The Trade Desk
Last on this list is The Trade Desk (TTD 2.15%), which has struggled lately. The stock is down over 60% from its all-time high because it's experiencing issues transitioning users from its old platform to its new AI-first platform, Kokai.
However, The Trade Desk is well-positioned to capitalize on the digital ad market. Once it gets the transition on track, it will become a leading competitor in a rapidly growing space.
