Global spending on artificial intelligence (AI) is forecast to reach $2.5 trillion in 2026, up 44% year over year, according to the researchers at Gartner. A significant portion of that money is expected to be allocated to AI infrastructure and AI software as businesses race to deploy generative AI at scale.
Investors with $1,000 that they are ready to put to work in the market should consider opening stakes in technology companies such as Advanced Micro Devices (AMD 3.46%) and Palantir Technologies (PLTR +1.25%).
Here's why these two companies are well positioned to generate impressive returns in the coming years.
Image source: Getty Images.
The case for Advanced Micro Devices
On Feb. 3, Advanced Micro Devices reported impressive revenue and earnings results for its fiscal 2025 fourth quarter (which ended Dec. 27). Revenues rose 34% year over year to $10.3 billion, while non-GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles) net income was up 42% to $2.5 billion. Free cash flow soared by almost 91% to roughly $2.1 billion.
NASDAQ: AMD
Key Data Points
Despite that performance, the stock sank sharply after the earnings report, and remains down by nearly 13% (as of Wednesday morning). Investors seemed disappointed with the company's fiscal first-quarter revenue guidance of around $9.8 billion, plus or minus $300 million. Some investors expected a faster ramp-up of AI GPU sales, especially ahead of the launch of its MI450 Instinct GPUs. That pullback could be an opportunity for investors.
AMD's EPYC servers are in high demand as hyperscalers scale their AI infrastructure and enterprises upgrade their data centers. Cloud providers launched 230 new EPYC-powered public cloud offerings (cloud-based services) in the fourth quarter, increasing the number of EPYC instances by more than 50% year over year to nearly 1,600.
AMD's Instinct GPUs are already being used by eight out of the top 10 AI companies. MI450 GPUs and Helios rack-scale solutions (AI server systems integrating CPUs, GPUs, networking, and software) are also expected to start contributing revenues in the third quarter of 2026 and continue to ramp up in the fourth quarter.
With rising adoption of its CPUs, expanding strength in the AI GPU market, and improving cash generation, AMD is well positioned to benefit from continued AI infrastructure spending in 2026 and beyond.
The case for Palantir Technologies
Palantir is a data intelligence company that provides tools that allow enterprises and governments to apply AI to resolving real-world operational challenges.
NASDAQ: PLTR
Key Data Points
In the fourth quarter, the company's revenues were up 70% year over year to roughly $1.4 billion. Its domestic business accounted for 77% of these revenues and grew 93% year over year to around $1.1 billion. U.S. commercial revenues soared by 137%, indicating the company is rapidly penetrating the private sector as more enterprises move from AI experimentation to full-scale deployments.
Palantir closed $4.3 billion in total contract value bookings and reported a net dollar retention rate of 139% in the fourth quarter. This shows that it's benefiting significantly as its established customers expand their spending commitments with it. Its top 20 customers also spent an average of of $94 million with it in 2025, up 45% year over year.
Palantir's Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP) is helping accelerate customer conversions, reducing the amount of time it takes them to go from initial engagement to deployment, enabling faster expansion within existing accounts, and supporting larger, longer-term contracts.
Palantir trades at around 73 times forward earnings. However, considering its growth potential, the stock could continue to deliver solid long-term returns despite its already elevated valuation.
