Artificial intelligence (AI) stocks have powered the overall market higher in recent years, and signs are showing that the AI story is far from over. Cloud service providers continue to invest in infrastructure to keep up with demand from their customers, and the revenue of many companies developing or using AI keeps roaring higher.
I recently predicted that gains in AI stocks in 2026 may not be as broad as they were in recent years; instead, winners and losers may start to emerge. But this investing theme should remain strong, and certain AI stocks could contribute significantly to the market's momentum.
Considering this, here are my top five AI stocks to buy for 2026.
Image source: Getty Images.
1. Nvidia
Nvidia (NVDA 0.44%) has been the "go-to" AI stock for many investors in recent years for one simple reason: It's the leading seller of AI chips, the elements powering this technology revolution.
Though Nvidia's earnings and stock price have soared, the shares still trade at a reasonable level considering the company's market dominance and likelihood of remaining on top.
NVDA PE Ratio (Forward) data by YCharts
Nvidia has put the focus on innovation, launching updates annually, and demand for these new products has remained high. Meanwhile, the company also has acquired technology and forged partnerships to deepen its expertise and broaden its work across industries. Finally, in this era of infrastructure spending, Nvidia's chips are greatly needed -- so the company is well positioned to score yet another win.
2. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM +0.25%) is a great AI bet because the company manufactures the chips of not just one AI chip leader, but many. For example, TSMC produces the chips of Nvidia, Advanced Micro Devices, and Broadcom. This means the company benefits from the growth of all players -- and in a high-growth market such as AI, this is huge.
NYSE: TSM
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In the fourth quarter of 2025, the company beat analysts' profit and revenue estimates and spoke brightly about the future. TSMC said it has talked with cloud service providers and other customers, and the message is clear: Demand for AI chips is strong, and this trend is set to continue.
All of this makes TSMC a likely winner as this story unfolds -- and a great stock to buy now.
3. Amazon
Amazon (AMZN +0.49%) represents a fantastic buy for investors looking for a company that is involved in AI but doesn't greatly depend on it for revenue. This player built its e-commerce and cloud computing businesses well before the AI boom began. And these units have a long track record of delivering growth and billion-dollar revenue.
As AI emerged, Amazon jumped in, both as a user and a developer and seller of the technology. The company uses AI to gain efficiency in its e-commerce business. And its Amazon Web Services (AWS) business develops its own AI chips and tools for customers and also sells a wide range of other chips and products from leaders such as Nvidia. AWS recently reached a $132 billion annual revenue run rate thanks to its AI efforts.
NASDAQ: AMZN
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For this combination of safety and growth, Amazon is reasonably priced, trading at 30x forward earnings estimates.
4. Alphabet
Alphabet (GOOG 0.80%) (GOOGL 0.83%) is another option if you want AI growth but aren't too keen on risk. Like Amazon, Alphabet has built a business over time, and it doesn't depend on AI. The company's biggest revenue driver is advertising across its Google platform, and the second key source of growth is the Google Cloud business.
Both of these businesses helped the company reach a milestone recently: the first-ever quarter of $100 billion in revenue. Alphabet, like Amazon, has gotten in on AI. The company has developed products, such as its own large language model, and offers access to these and other AI tools via its cloud business. And Alphabet also uses AI to improve operations across the company.
NASDAQ: GOOGL
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Right now is an excellent time to invest in this solid tech company because it's dirt cheap, trading for only 29x forward earnings estimates.
5. CoreWeave
And now, a potential buy for aggressive investors who don't mind some risk. Meet CoreWeave, (CRWV +6.55%) a company delivering what AI customers need a lot of these days: capacity for workloads.
NASDAQ: CRWV
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CoreWeave offers customers the ability to rent graphics processing units (GPUs) as needed from its fleet of high-powered Nvidia products. This saves customers time and money as they don't have to build out or invest in infrastructure. The company works closely with Nvidia, and that's resulted in CoreWeave being the first to make the chip giant's systems generally available.
A risk for CoreWeave is that it must rely on debt to invest heavily to meet demand. And any potential dip in AI spending could hurt revenue and the stock price. But, if AI demand continues to soar over time and CoreWeave can turn revenue growth into profit, this company could score a major win for investors over time.
