Top AI Stocks to Buy Now: Why These Three Deserve Your Attention

Generative artificial intelligence stands as the defining technology of the 2020s, reshaping how companies operate across every sector. When transformative technologies emerge—whether the internet, smartphones, or AI—investors who identify the right stocks early can capture extraordinary returns. Three companies stand out as top AI stocks positioned to capitalize on this wave right now, each trading at reasonable valuations despite their growth potential.

The common thread connecting these three? Each is already monetizing AI capabilities, showing tangible results, and management teams are backing their visions with significant capital deployment.

Meta Platforms: The AI-Powered Advertising Giant

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META) has perhaps the most direct path to profiting from advanced AI development. Nearly every business division—advertising, messaging, augmented reality—can leverage its generative AI breakthroughs. In the near term, advertising represents the biggest opportunity.

The company is developing AI agents that automatically create, test, and optimize ad campaigns across Facebook and Instagram. This isn’t just incremental improvement. By automating campaign management, Meta reduces overhead for advertisers while helping small businesses reach customers more effectively. Simultaneously, its machine learning algorithms determine which ads each user sees and when, maximizing advertiser return on investment.

The results are already visible. Ad revenue climbed 21% through the first nine months of 2025. Looking ahead, generative AI could drive engagement through smarter creator tools, personalized content recommendations, and enhanced augmented-reality interfaces. Management is betting aggressively on this future—they’ve signaled a capex increase of over $30 billion for 2026, potentially pushing total capital spending above $100 billion that year. While depreciation will pressure near-term earnings, Meta’s long-term growth trajectory remains intact. Trading at a forward P/E of just 22, the stock offers compelling value relative to its AI-driven potential.

Salesforce: Enterprise AI Agents Gaining Real Traction

Salesforce (NYSE: CRM) is embedding generative AI throughout its enterprise software suite, but the real story is Agentforce—its AI agent platform that automates business tasks using customer data stored within Salesforce systems. This represents a different kind of AI opportunity: enterprise automation at scale.

Agentforce momentum is accelerating. Annual recurring revenue for Agentforce and its supporting Data 360 product reached $1.4 billion as of October 2025, up 114% year-over-year. That’s starting from a small base, which signals room for explosive growth. More importantly, management reports that customers adopting Agentforce increase their overall Salesforce spending by 200% to 300% over time. At an October analyst day, the company showcased multiple customers who’ve already doubled their spending post-adoption.

These aren’t projections—they’re current customer outcomes. As adoption accelerates, Salesforce expects sales growth to reaccelerate alongside operating leverage. Management guides for $60 billion in revenue by 2030 with an operating margin around 40%, compared to roughly $41 billion this year with a 34% margin. Even if execution falls short of these targets, the directional thesis appears sound. With the stock trading at just 19 times forward earnings, Salesforce represents another top AI stock worth considering for long-term portfolios.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing: The AI Chip Supply Chokepoint

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (NYSE: TSM), commonly known as TSMC, controls the supply chain that powers the AI revolution. While others build AI software and algorithms, TSMC manufactures the advanced chips that run them. No other foundry has the technology or capacity to match demand for leading-edge GPUs and custom AI accelerators.

That market dominance shows in the financials. TSMC posted 35.9% sales growth in 2025 with gross margins expanding to 59.9%—a sign of genuine pricing power. The company captured 72% of contract chip manufacturing market share by Q3. Management isn’t taking chances on demand disappearing. They’re raising prices on advanced processes (7-nanometer and smaller chips, which represent roughly 75% of revenue) and maintaining plans for further hikes through 2029.

Capacity expansion backs this confidence. TSMC is increasing 2026 capex to between $52 billion and $56 billion (up from $40.9 billion in 2025), a 31% increase at the midpoint. Management guides for five-year compound annual revenue growth of 25% from 2024-2029, an increase from their prior 20% target. This implies 22.4% annualized growth over the next four years. With pricing power on advanced technology and strong demand visibility, TSMC should deliver earnings growth in the mid-20% range through decade’s end. Trading at 23 times forward earnings, it rounds out a compelling trio of top AI stocks for investors seeking exposure to this transformational technology shift.

Why These Three Make the Cut

Each of these companies has already begun capturing AI’s economic upside. Meta leverages AI to enhance its most profitable business. Salesforce is seeing customers fundamentally expand their software spending after adopting AI agents. TSMC controls the bottleneck in AI chip supply. None operate at sky-high valuations relative to their growth trajectories, making them attractive entry points for investors seeking top AI stocks with real earnings power behind them.