The Motley Fool's George Budwell has compiled a list of 10 AI stocks that he would buy «without hesitation.» AI has reached an «inflection point» where it's no longer an experimental technology but a necessity for businesses, Budwell argues. This creates a «rare window for investors to position themselves before the masses recognize AI's full potential.» 

The list ranges from tech giants to small- and mid-cap players. However, each stock is said to offer strong fundamentals, defensible market positions, and clear paths to sustainable growth. Overall, they represent, Budwell believes, compelling long-term opportunities for patient investors.

Motley Fool's list (by market cap) 

- BigBear.ai (market capitalization $1.10 billion) applies AI to defense and commercial analytics, with expertise in computer vision and predictive modeling for mission-critical applications. The company has orders from players in the defense sector, where accuracy matters most. 

- Lemonade ($2.62 billion), an «AI-powered insurance disruptor,» uses AI throughout insurance operations to slash costs and improve customer experience, with 70% of claims processed instantly without human intervention.

- Applied Digital ($2.87 billion) builds and operates purpose-built data centers for high-performance computing, designed specifically to handle AI workload requirements. 

- SoundHound AI ($3.80 billion) provides voice AI technology to major automotive and restaurant brands. In late May, investment bank Piper Sandler initiated coverage of the stock with an «overweight» rating.

- Oklo ($6.56 billion) develops small modular reactors to meet the energy needs of AI data centers. They have a compact design and use recycled fuel, translating into economic advantages over traditional nuclear power.

- CoreWeave ($64.82 billion) specializes in GPU-accelerated cloud computing. Budwell says it has carved out a «defensible niche» in the fast-growing AI infrastructure market.

- ASML Holding ($260.68 billion) manufactures the only extreme ultraviolet lithography machines capable of producing cutting-edge semiconductors. 

- Palantir Technologies ($282.98 billion) has an AI platform that enables enterprises to deploy LLMs on private data, thereby addressing data security concerns. For investors, it is said to offer both growth (thanks to its deals with companies) and stability (thanks to long-time government contracts). 

- Nvidia ($3.42 trillion) controls up to 90% of the data center GPU market. Nvidia's dominance in AI infrastructure remains unchallenged, Budwell says.

- Microsoft ($3.48 trillion) monetizes AI through proven channels. Office alone has 1.5 billion users.  

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