Artificial intelligence (AI) investing continues to be a huge theme on Wall Street as we turn the calendar to 2026. Although some investors may be getting tired of it, the reality is that it's here to stay. So if you're looking for investment ideas now, I think these 10 stocks belong on your short list.
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1. Nvidia
Although this list is not in order of best to worst, I'd still rank Nvidia (NVDA 1.53%) as my top artificial intelligence stock to buy for 2026. It sits at the core of the AI infrastructure buildout, and its graphics processing units (GPUs) remain the best and most popular parallel processing option available.
As long as AI hyperscalers continue to spend huge amounts on their data center buildouts, Nvidia will be fine. Its management believes that global data center capital expenditures will rise to $3 trillion to $4 trillion by 2030. If that proves true, Nvidia should not only be a great stock to hold in 2026, but also for the next five years.
2. Broadcom
Tech giant Broadcom (AVGO 1.63%) is taking a different approach to AI computing hardware. Instead of designing general-purpose GPUs like Nvidia, it has focused its chip segment on developing application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) to meet the needs of its clients. These processors are not well suited to handle a wide variety of tasks, but for the particular workloads that they're designed around, they can outperform GPUs at a lower cost.
NASDAQ: AVGO
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That trade-off -- sacrificing flexibility for performance and cost-savings -- is worth it in many cases for hyperscalers that expect their chips to see a specific type of workload for their entire useful lives. Broadcom should experience huge growth in this business unit in 2026 and beyond.
3. AMD
AMD (AMD 3.46%) has been in second place to Nvidia in the GPU business for a long time. Its initial AI accelerator offerings whiffed, and were only viewed as valid alternatives to Nvidia's products at cheaper prices. However, AMD's GPUs are gaining momentum, and they could start to see more adoption because Nvidia's GPUs are currently sold out.
AMD is forecasting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 60% from its data center division revenues over the next three to five years, and a CAGR of more than 35% companywide. If it can live up to those expectations, it will be a great stock to own in 2026 and beyond.
4. Taiwan Semiconductor
None of the companies mentioned above actually manufacture their own chips. They do the design work, but outsource production to foundry operators -- and particularly, to Taiwan Semiconductor (TSM 4.96%), the world's leading third-party chip manufacturer. Without TSMC's cutting-edge foundry capabilities -- the best on the market -- AI technology wouldn't look the same, and TSMC's success will remain tied to the strength of the AI buildout.
Nvidia, AMD, and Broadcom are all bullish on the five-year outlook for this industry, which makes Taiwan Semiconductor a great neutral way to play this unprecedented buildout.
5. Alphabet
A year ago, Alphabet (GOOG 1.69%) (GOOGL 1.66%) wasn't expected to be as successful in 2025 as it was, but now that it has flipped the script, it's again a force to be reckoned with. The tech megacap has resources that most generative AI companies can only dream of, and that's starting to show with the performance of its large language model, Gemini.
NASDAQ: GOOGL
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Alphabet's core businesses are also doing quite well thanks to the strength of the advertising market, and I'd expect that momentum to continue throughout 2026.
6. Meta Platforms
Meta Platforms (META 2.52%) owns social media sites including Facebook and Instagram. It's investing heavily to bring AI capabilities to these platforms and boost ad conversion. However, perhaps the most exciting project that Meta is working on is creating new products like AI-enabled glasses that could bring generative AI away from the computer or smartphone screen.
If Meta can accomplish this task and deliver a new product that achieves mainstream adoption, that will provide it with a revenue stream that investors haven't factored into its stock price yet. Even if it doesn't, Meta's social media platforms are still dominant and are huge cash cows.
7. Amazon
Amazon (AMZN 1.52%) stock underperformed the market in 2025, only rising by 5% for the year. However, I believe that 2026 could be a better year for the company as its key business unit is gaining momentum: Amazon Web Services (AWS).
Amazon's cloud computing platform provides companies with the computing power they need to train and run AI models. Its acceleration in growth is a great sign, as it shows that more companies are using it for their AI workflows.
8. SoundHound AI
The next three companies are all smaller, riskier investments, but that also gives them potentially greater upsides. SoundHound AI (SOUN 4.11%) blends generative AI with voice recognition technology. This is useful in multiple applications, such as drive-thrus, customer service, or to serve as an interface for digital assistants in vehicles.
SoundHound AI's top line is growing quickly, and its offerings are gaining momentum. If they are adopted widely, the upside for this stock could be massive.
9. Nebius
Nebius (NBIS 3.53%) is a data center operator that is focused on the AI market, purchasing large quantities of Nvidia GPUs and renting out their processing power to clients that need it. Management expects monster growth in 2026. As of 2025's third quarter, it had an annualized revenue run rate of $551 million -- that figure is expected to reach $7 billion to $9 billion by the end of 2026.
NASDAQ: NBIS
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Nebius has incredible upside potential and could deliver even better performance if management's guidance ticks up throughout the year.
10. Applied Digital
Applied Digital (APLD 3.61%) is also a data center company, but its model is a bit different from Nebius'. After it builds its data centers, it leases space in them to clients that install their own servers. This makes Applied Digital more of a real estate play, but the 15-year leases that it's signing give investors long-term visibility into its earnings.
Applied Digital has more operating space coming online each month in the data centers that it has constructed, which will steadily grow its revenues. Its stock is a different way to play the AI buildout, but it's a solid option for a less risky pick with huge upside potential.
