Warren Buffett and artificial intelligence (AI) go together like... Well, they don't go together. The legendary investor has readily admitted in the past that he doesn't understand AI.
However, Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A +0.85%) (BRK.B +0.77%) portfolio includes three top AI stocks. And they could all be big winners in 2026.
Image source: The Motley Fool.
1. Alphabet
In 2017, Buffett told CNBC that he regretted not buying shares of Google's parent company, Alphabet (GOOG 1.03%) (GOOGL 1.03%), earlier. He recently remedied that mistake, loading up on the stock in the third quarter of 2025.
Alphabet is on a big-time AI-fueled roll. The stock has skyrocketed almost 70% year-to-date after sinking more than 20% by early April. I predict AI will continue to serve as a significant tailwind for Alphabet in 2026.
NASDAQ: GOOGL
Key Data Points
Google Cloud will almost certainly remain the company's primary growth driver. The successful launch of Google's Gemini 3.0 large language model (LLM) could make Google Cloud more attractive than ever to companies seeking to harness the power of AI.
Nvidia (NVDA 3.30%) might feel some heat next year from Google, too. Although Nvidia's GPUs are still the gold standard among AI chips, Google's most powerful Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) are garnering increasingly more attention. Meta Platforms (META 1.34%) is reportedly considering a multibillion-dollar deal to use Google's TPUs in its data centers.
Don't overlook the likelihood that Google's advertising profits will continue to rise steadily in 2026, thereby pushing its share price higher. The integration of generative AI through AI Overviews and AI Mode has been a hit, with search traffic increasing as a result.
2. Amazon
Buffett didn't make the initial decision to invest in Amazon (AMZN 1.80%) back in the first quarter of 2019. However, he's no doubt happy with the call now. Amazon's stock is up roughly 160% since the end of Q1 of 2019 – a stronger performance than Berkshire Hathaway.
Amazon hasn't delivered awe-inspiring returns this year. The stock is up by a meager single-digit percentage while the S&P 500 (^GSPC 1.07%) has soared. But I suspect Amazon will fare better in the new year.
NASDAQ: AMZN
Key Data Points
The company's underlying businesses remain strong. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy stated in the Q3 update that AI was driving "meaningful improvements in every corner of our business." These improvements were especially evident in Amazon Web Services (AWS), which saw sales jump 20% year-over-year to $33 billion.
Agentic AI could be especially important to AWS' growth in 2026. Jassy noted in Amazon's Q3 earnings call, "A lot of the future value companies will get from AI will be in the form of agents. AWS is heavily investing in this area and well well-positioned to be a leader." I think he's right. And I predict that we'll see the early fruits of the agentic AI investments next year.
3. Apple
It might seem like Buffett has soured on Apple (AAPL +0.04%), considering that he's drastically reduced Berkshire's stake in the consumer technology giant. However, Apple remains the largest holding in Berkshire's portfolio. Buffett's sales of the stock don't appear to reflect a change in his view of the company's business.
Apple's stock performance is lagging behind that of the S&P 500 this year. If you look closely, though, you'll see that Apple has trounced the S&P 500 in recent months. I think that momentum will roll over into 2026.
NASDAQ: AAPL
Key Data Points
The company reported iPhone sales of $49 billion for fiscal 2025 Q4, a record high for a September quarter. Counterpoint Research projects that the iPhone will be the top-selling smartphone in 2025, a spot it hasn't held in 14 years.
My hunch is that another device could be the big story for Apple next year, though. The company is expected to unveil its first smart glasses in late 2026. While the launch of the new product is likely to occur in early 2027, the anticipation of a sales catalyst could be all that's needed to send Apple's share price soaring higher.
