Alphabet’s 7% share price drop after losing two leading AI researchers has pushed questions about talent, research spend, and long term AI positioning to the front of investors’ minds. If Google faces more pressure around retention and AI direction, capital and confidence may shift toward other listed companies working with artificial intelligence and machine learning. Using an AI Rival Companies screener built around this news, this article walks through 3 stocks that could be positively exposed to these shifts. This may help you decide which opportunities might suit your own watchlist or warrant a closer look.

Zeta Global Holdings (ZETA)

Overview: Zeta Global Holdings operates a cloud based marketing platform that uses AI and a large consumer data set to help enterprises understand customers and automate targeted messaging across email, mobile, connected TV and other digital channels.

Operations: Zeta Global generates about US$1.44b in revenue from internet software and services, with roughly US$1.35b from the United States and about US$85 million from international markets.

Market Cap: US$4.71b

Zeta Global stands out as enterprises look for AI powered marketing tools that are less tied to Google. Its Athena platform, together with its consumer data engine, is built to turn trillions of signals into practical targeting decisions and intent scores. Revenue is firmly rooted in software and services, and recent results show higher sales alongside a smaller net loss. However, the company is still loss making and carries funding risk because it relies on external borrowing. At the same time, guidance has been raised, management experience is deep, and independent board oversight is strong. Investors watching the Alphabet talent story may see Zeta as a useful case study in how a focused AI marketing platform is positioned in this new phase of competition.

Zeta Global’s rising guidance and shrinking losses hint at a business that might be earlier in its story than the market assumes. The key question is what the numbers really say about that trade off. Start with the analysis report for Zeta Global Holdings

Palo Alto Networks (PANW)

Overview: Palo Alto Networks provides cybersecurity products and services that protect companies, governments, and cloud environments, using AI driven platforms like Prisma, Strata, and Cortex to secure networks, applications, data, and AI workloads across on premises and multi cloud settings.

Operations: Palo Alto Networks generates about US$10.61b in revenue from security software and services, with roughly US$6.59b from the United States and the rest spread across other Americas, Asia Pacific and Japan, and Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

Market Cap: US$234.54b

Investors watching Alphabet’s AI talent questions may find Palo Alto Networks interesting because it sits at the crossroads of AI adoption and cybersecurity, where every new model or cloud tool needs protection. Management highlights that AI is speeding up both attacks and defenses, and its AI focused platforms, including AI firewalls and Prisma AIRS, are built specifically to secure that new attack surface. The stock trades at a high P/S multiple and earnings margins have recently narrowed, so expectations are demanding and integration costs from acquisitions remain a risk. If you want to understand whether that trade off between AI security exposure and valuation risk stacks up, the full story on Palo Alto Networks goes a lot further than this quick overview.

AI security spending is accelerating, yet Palo Alto Networks’ rich P/S and narrowing margins leave a big question hanging over the stock’s risk reward trade off. Get the full context in the 1 key reward and 2 important warning signs

HubSpot (HUBS)

Overview: HubSpot provides a cloud based CRM platform that helps mid market businesses manage marketing, sales, service, content and commerce in one system, using AI tools like Breeze to automate outreach, generate content, score leads and streamline customer workflows.

Operations: HubSpot generates about US$3.30b in revenue from internet software and services, including around US$264m from Asia Pacific.

Market Cap: US$9.02b

HubSpot sits at the crossroads of CRM and AI, just as Alphabet’s talent questions are pushing customers to look beyond Google for practical, third party AI. Management reports that 100% of engineers use AI tools internally, Q1 2026 revenue was US$881m with GAAP profitability, and new AI agents and AEO products are built directly around changing search and buyer behavior. At the same time, the stock carries a very high P/E multiple, funding relies fully on external borrowing, and the customer base is exposed to macro slowdowns. For investors comparing AI platforms as Alphabet’s story unfolds, the key consideration is whether HubSpot’s AI first, multi hub model justifies those risks and the premium being paid for the stock.

HubSpot’s AI first CRM story, GAAP profitability and very high P/E suggest investors might be missing how growth, pricing and risk really line up, so it is worth reviewing the analyst forecasts for HubSpot

The three stocks covered here are only a starting point, as the full AI Rival Companies screener surfaced 24 more companies with equally compelling AI rival stories that could be worth a closer look. Use Simply Wall St to identify and analyze the exact catalysts, risk profiles and AI narratives that matter most to you, so you can focus on the highest conviction ideas across the group.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.