By 2025, artificial intelligence will once again become the undisputed leader of the stock market, according to Dan Ives. In 2026, there may be a new big winner in this field. The tech bull and Wedbush analyst named Microsoft, Apple, Tesla, Palantir Technologies and CrowdStrike as top picks heading into the new year. One stock noticeably absent is Nvidia, the chipmaker that has been leading the AI rally for the past three years. “This is about the ramifications of the AI revolution. This is what our theme is all about going into 2026. For every dollar spent on Nvidia chips, it’s multiplied by $8 to $10 across the rest of the technology,” Ives said in an interview on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on Tuesday. “That’s why I think these names are going to boom.” (Indeed, Ives wrote to clients that he remains bullish on Nvidia despite its delisting.) Here’s what Ives said about this top five AI stocks: Microsoft: Analysts point to Azure’s upside, writing in a note that Wall Street is underestimating the company’s growth potential. The stock has increased 15.6% since the beginning of the year. Apple: Ives noted that the company could accelerate its AI efforts. If that happens, “the AI monetization part could add $75 to $100 per share to Apple’s story over the next few years,” he said. Apple stock rose 9.3% in 2025. Tesla: Ives said 2026 will be a “monster year for Tesla and Elon Musk as the chapter in self-driving and robotics begins. The valuation of AI will begin to unravel.” The stock has soared 13.8% this year. Palantir: “The company is making strategic moves to remain at the forefront of AI, and we believe PLTR has a golden path to becoming a $1 trillion market cap company,” Ives said in a note. Palantir is the best performing stock of the bunch, up 143.5% this year. CrowdStrike: “We see CrowdStrike’s market share and mind share increasing among new and existing customers as the company’s product suite continues to expand across enterprise environments over the next 12 to 18 months,” Ives wrote. CrowdStrike stock price rose 39.1% in 2025.
