3 Unstoppable Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stocks That Are No-Brainer Buys for the Long Haul
David Jagielski, CPA, The Motley Fool
Tue, July 21, 2026 at 6:05 PM GMT+5:30
4 min read
There are loads of artificial intelligence (AI) stocks out there. Just about any company these days wants to convince investors that it’s a big player in AI and can benefit from the opportunities that emerge from that. It can be challenging to prove, and there are many pretenders out there
However, there are three AI stocks that I think are the real deals, and that can be excellent options for any investor looking for exposure to AI: Alphabet(NASDAQ: GOOG)(NASDAQ: GOOGL), Microsoft(NASDAQ: MSFT), and Amazon(NASDAQ: AMZN)
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a “Double Down” signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same “Total Conviction” signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
Alphabet
The initial fears about AI were that it would cripple Alphabet’s business and destroy its search engine. However, Alphabet has proven why it’s a top tech stock, turning what seemed like a risk into an advantage
The company’s AI overviews have changed the way its search engine works, allowing it to incorporate AI into the results. And while not everyone may be a fan of the AI-powered results, the numbers suggest that Alphabet’s search business is doing just fine; during the first three months of the year, Google Search and other related revenue rose by 19%, totaling $60.4 billion. Alphabet’s business is doing more than fine; it’s thriving due to AI, as its growth remains strong. Its AI chatbot, Gemini, is also proving to be more than just a formidable competitor to OpenAI’s ChatGPT but a real threat.
There are many ways Alphabet can incorporate AI into its business to add value, which is why this can be among the safest AI stocks to own. With a diverse business model and many growth opportunities, Alphabet still looks like a no-brainer buy despite soaring around 90% in the past 12 months. At 26 times its trailing earnings, this remains a reasonably valued growth stock to buy and hold
Microsoft
Investors seem less convinced of Microsoft’s AI capabilities, but I’m not. The company also has many opportunities to enhance its products with AI, including its popular Office software. With the help of Copilot, users can now generate forms and letters more quickly and create complex spreadsheet templates with greater ease
As businesses realize the value Copilot offers, it’ll be easier for them to justify upgrading and paying more for its AI-powered capabilities. There’s a lot of value there that I believe the market is overlooking; otherwise, this stock wouldn’t be trading at just 23 times earnings and be lumped in with other software stocks. Microsoft is a much safer option than most, as it has an underrated AI angle, making it a solid option today
