AI Stocks Retail Investors Are Watching in Broadcom ServiceNow and Alphabet

ServiceNow, Inc.

ServiceNow, Inc.

NOW

0.00

Artificial intelligence is becoming a core building block of the global economy, from the chips that power large language models like ChatGPT to the cloud platforms and software that help businesses adapt to mixed growth, shifting inflation patterns, and changing policy signals. With services strength in some regions, manufacturing softness in others, and energy and food costs in flux, investors are looking for companies that sit at the heart of this AI transformation rather than on the sidelines. This article highlights 3 of the strongest AI Stocks screener picks and explains where each stock fits into the broader ChatGPT and AI story.

Broadcom (AVGO)

Overview: Broadcom is a digital infrastructure company that designs and supplies semiconductor chips and infrastructure software that keep data moving, stored, and secured across data centers, telecom networks, cloud platforms, and connected devices around the world.

Operations: Broadcom generates about US$47.8b from Semiconductor Solutions, including intellectual property licensing, and roughly US$27.7b from Infrastructure Software.

Market Cap: US$1.71t

Broadcom stands out in AI because it does more than sell chips; it supplies the custom silicon and networking that power large language models, plus the VMware and mainframe software that enterprises rely on to run and secure those workloads. Earnings growth has been strong, margins are high at around 38.8%, and analysts see fast revenue and earnings expansion supported by long term cloud and AI infrastructure demand as hyperscalers like Google, Meta, Anthropic, and OpenAI deepen their commitments. At the same time, the company carries high debt and there has been meaningful insider selling, which could matter if AI spending cools or expectations reset. For investors, the key consideration is how this mix of cash generation, software diversification, and AI exposure fits together over the long term.

Broadcom’s high margins and AI infrastructure role are only half the story; the real question is whether its cash generation and debt load still line up for long term investors, which the 5 key rewards and 2 important warning signs

NasdaqGS:AVGO Earnings & Revenue Growth as at Jul 2026
NasdaqGS:AVGO Earnings & Revenue Growth as at Jul 2026

ServiceNow (NOW)

Overview: ServiceNow helps large organisations run their day to day operations by putting IT, HR, customer service, security and other workflows on a single cloud platform, so requests, approvals and issues move through the business in a consistent and trackable way. Using its own AI tools and partnerships with companies like NVIDIA, IBM and major cloud providers, ServiceNow also aims to help enterprises control how AI is deployed, audited and secured across those workflows.

Operations: ServiceNow generates about US$14.0b in revenue from Internet Software & Services, with most sales coming from the United States and the rest from EMEA, Asia Pacific and other North American customers.

Market Cap: US$109.6b

ServiceNow attracts interest because it sits in the plumbing of the modern enterprise, where subscription revenue, high renewal rates and partnerships around AI governance give it a role in how companies actually use AI, not just talk about it. Earnings are forecast to grow 23.5% per year and revenue 15.6% per year, and recent commentary highlights strong AI related annual contract value, pricing power on AI tiers and an expanding web of alliances across big tech and consulting partners. The flip side is a rich P/E multiple, heavy reliance on external funding, slightly weaker margins and meaningful insider selling after a sharp share price drop, which together raise fair questions about risk. The key question for investors is whether that mix still justifies ServiceNow’s position as a potential AI “utility” for enterprises.

ServiceNow’s AI story is accelerating, but the real tension is how its rich P/E and reliance on external funding stack up against that promise, which the analyst forecasts for ServiceNow starts to unpack before raising a bigger question

NYSE:NOW Earnings & Revenue Growth as at Jul 2026
NYSE:NOW Earnings & Revenue Growth as at Jul 2026

Alphabet (GOOGL)

Overview: Alphabet is the parent company behind Google Search, YouTube, Android, Google Maps, Gmail and Google Cloud, earning most of its money from digital advertising while also selling cloud computing, AI tools and subscription services like YouTube TV and YouTube Music.

Operations: Alphabet generates about US$355.1b from Google Services, US$66.5b from Google Cloud and US$1.5b from Other Bets, with a small unallocated hedging loss of US$567m.

Market Cap: US$4,371.4b

Alphabet deserves a close look because it combines a highly profitable ad business with a fast growing cloud and AI platform where services like Vertex AI, Gemini and Google Workspace are tied directly to rising enterprise AI spending. Earnings growth has recently accelerated, margins and return on equity are high, and the stock is trading slightly below some fair value estimates even though the P/E sits above many peers. At the same time, heavy AI infrastructure spending, equity funding and intense regulatory scrutiny in the US and Europe, along with talent turnover in DeepMind, create real questions about how durable that edge is. The fuller picture shows how those strengths and risks intersect across ads, cloud and AI infrastructure, and what that might mean for long term shareholders.

Alphabet’s accelerating AI and cloud push could be masking the real trade off between its premium P/E and heavy AI infrastructure spend, which the analysis report for Alphabet quietly brings into focus before one critical twist investors often miss

GOOGL Discounted Cash Flow as at Jul 2026
GOOGL Discounted Cash Flow as at Jul 2026

The three AI stocks covered here are just the starting point, with the full screener surfacing more than 200 additional companies directly tied to chips, cloud, LLMs and enterprise software that could have equally compelling AI narratives through the Artificial Intelligence/ AI Stocks screener. Use Simply Wall St to identify, filter and analyze the specific catalysts that matter to you, so you can focus on the AI stocks where your own conviction is highest.

Take Control of Your Investment Journey

If Alphabet or any of these companies have caught your attention, register for FREE with Simply Wall St and add your companies to a Watchlist to monitor the share price against the fair value and track any new developments as they happen. Once you've made your move, manage your holdings with our Portfolio Command Center that filters out the noise to deliver only the most critical, actionable updates. Throughout your journey, our Community allows you to filter the best ideas from thousands of investor perspectives. By uncovering hidden catalysts and risks early, you'll accelerate your decision-making and stay one step ahead of the market.

Seeking Fresh Alternatives Beyond These AI Picks?

New opportunities can move from under the radar to fully priced quickly, especially when momentum builds and prices start flying. Scan these fresh stock ideas before the crowd and act now.

  • Spot companies with strong cash positions and low debt profiles by running the list of solid balance sheet and fundamentals (47 results), so you are not caught holding fragile balance sheets when conditions shift.
  • Ride potential income and price momentum by reviewing the curated 7 dividend fortresses that focus on resilient cash flows while yields remain attractive and before valuations start climbing.
  • Get ahead of the next materials story by scanning the carefully filtered 8 top copper producer stocks while they are still under the radar for now, before sector interest picks up.

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.