Is Now the Right Time to Buy AI Stocks? Top 5 Companies to Consider Through 2035

The artificial intelligence market is undergoing a fundamental transformation. Whether you should buy AI stocks right now depends on understanding which companies are positioned to dominate this expanding landscape. Research by Roots Analysis projects the AI market could balloon from approximately $270 billion today to more than $5.2 trillion over the next decade—a growth trajectory that creates compelling investment opportunities for those who identify the right players.

The challenge is that future AI winners may not yet be household names. Some are still privately held. However, several established technology giants have already positioned themselves at critical junctures in the AI ecosystem. These companies combine exposure to both the infrastructure powering AI and the applications that will monetize it. Here are five stocks that deserve serious consideration for long-term buy and hold portfolios through 2035 and beyond.

Understanding the AI Stock Opportunity: A Multi-Trillion Dollar Market Awaits

The explosion of investment into chips and data centers represents more than hype—it’s the foundational infrastructure for what comes next. Every dollar flowing into GPU clusters and computing capacity today is creating a competitive moat that determines tomorrow’s winners. The companies that control the essential tools and platforms will capture disproportionate value as the market expands tenfold.

This creates a unique window for investors. You can simultaneously hedge against the unknown by backing proven players while keeping watch for the next breakthrough. The five companies below offer exactly this balance: they’re industry leaders today, yet positioned to grow into significantly larger businesses as AI adoption accelerates through 2035.

Hardware Giants: Nvidia and Alphabet Lead the Chip Revolution

Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) represents the modern era’s most dominant infrastructure provider. Its accelerator chips operate as the computational backbone of AI training in data centers worldwide. Think of Nvidia as supplying the horsepower—the raw processing capability that everything else depends on.

The numbers tell the story: analyst estimates peg Nvidia’s GPU market share in data centers at roughly 92%. More impressive is the company’s moat. Virtually every major cloud provider—all the hyperscalers driving AI deployment—has invested heavily in Nvidia infrastructure. The switching costs alone prevent them from easily migrating to alternatives. Nvidia’s CUDA programming framework compounds this advantage. The company’s $500 billion order backlog reflects sustained momentum as AI adoption accelerates. For conservative investors seeking to buy AI stocks with proven track records, Nvidia remains central to any portfolio.

Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL, GOOG) presents a more diversified angle on the same opportunity. As Google’s parent, it operates consumer touchpoints reaching billions of internet users globally—YouTube, Android, the Google ecosystem itself. Beyond those services, the company runs Google Cloud and increasingly credible autonomous ride-hailing operations.

What makes Alphabet particularly interesting is its dual role: both major AI consumer and emerging competitor to Nvidia itself. The company designed its own Tensor Processing Unit (TPU), trained its Gemini AI model on custom silicon, and is now discussing TPU sales to other AI companies. Alphabet also holds approximately 7% of SpaceX, providing indirect exposure to Starlink’s satellite internet infrastructure. This combination of consumer reach, cloud infrastructure, and chip innovation makes Alphabet one of the most complete technology investments available for the 2035 horizon.

Cloud and Software Platforms: Microsoft and Amazon’s Strategic Position

Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) occupies a commanding position in enterprise AI adoption through Azure, the world’s second-leading cloud infrastructure business. But the real story is OpenAI. Microsoft owns approximately 27% of OpenAI, the creator behind ChatGPT—currently the most successful consumer AI application ever deployed.

This stake matters enormously. While OpenAI remains private, owning Microsoft stock provides direct exposure to the company’s growth. Azure is poised to become a primary beneficiary as AI workloads funnel through cloud platforms at accelerating rates. For investors seeking stability alongside AI upside, Microsoft also delivers. The company maintains mature, wide-moat software businesses centered on Windows and Microsoft 365. Investors receive an additional benefit: Microsoft has increased its dividend for 23 consecutive years, providing income alongside capital appreciation.

Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) follows a similar template with different accent marks. AWS—Amazon Web Services—operates as the world’s leading cloud infrastructure business by market share and revenue. The company works closely with Anthropic, an OpenAI competitor, holding an $8 billion stake in the company.

Owning Amazon stock is thus a straightforward way to gain exposure to Anthropic without directly buying private equity. Amazon’s existing cloud, e-commerce, and digital advertising businesses can drive long-term growth independent of AI trends. The Anthropic partnership and stake become the accelerant—icing on an already-sturdy cake. Few companies combine such diverse revenue streams with meaningful AI optionality.

Emerging AI Software: Why Palantir Deserves Your Attention

Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ: PLTR) stands out in the still-nascent world of AI software applications. The company specializes in developing custom software solutions on proprietary platforms. Since launching AIP—its AI-focused platform—in mid-2023, growth has accelerated noticeably.

Palantir is winning business from both government and corporate clients at a rapid clip. The primary concern remains valuation: the stock’s premium pricing could constrain future upside. However, the company serves fewer than 1,000 customers currently—an enormous runway for expansion remains. This customer acquisition pathway could sustain impressive growth for the next decade. Long-term investors should consider dollar-cost averaging into positions, maintaining dry powder for any market weakness. If the stock tumbles, such moments represent opportunities rather than setbacks.

Should You Buy These AI Stocks Now? A Practical Investment Decision

Whether you should buy AI stocks comes down to your investment timeline and risk tolerance. If you’re thinking in years rather than quarters—particularly through 2035—the case for these five companies strengthens considerably.

Historical context matters here. Consider Netflix. Investors who added shares on December 17, 2004, when recommended by Stock Advisor, saw their $1,000 investment grow to $509,470. Nvidia, recommended on April 15, 2005, turned a $1,000 position into $1,167,988. These weren’t anomalies—Stock Advisor’s average portfolio return has reached 991%, dramatically outpacing the S&P 500’s 196% return over comparable periods.

The current AI moment parallels these earlier technological inflection points. The infrastructure is being built now. The applications are emerging. The market is expanding. For buy-and-hold investors willing to own these positions through 2035, the risk of not owning quality AI stocks may ultimately exceed the risk of owning them. Start building positions when your risk tolerance permits, and let compound growth work its magic over the next decade.