12 Best Stocks to Buy for the AI Boom in the Second Half of 2026

10. Lumen Technologies Inc (NYSE:LUMN)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 38

Stock Upside Potential: 29.13%

Lumen Technologies Inc (NYSE:LUMN) is one of the best stocks to buy for the AI boom in the second half of 2026. Lumen shares have returned more than 50% year-to-date, and analysts say they have more room to run. Lumen stock is in the portfolio of some 38 hedge funds.

On July 7, Lumen Technologies Inc (NYSE:LUMN) announced that it has completed the acquisition of Alkira, an on-demand networking platform. According to Lumen, Alkira will strengthen its ability to provide clients with AI-ready networking solutions across multiple IT environments.

Lumen also said that the technology that Alkira brings will help it simplify how businesses build and manage networks in increasingly complex environments. The company added that businesses need a more efficient and faster way to manage traffic through the growing complexity.

The combined offering will enable customers to connect clouds, sites, partners, and AI workloads through a single programmable platform instead of relying on separate connectivity and orchestration providers. According to Lumen CEO Kate Johnson, AI is driving surging demand for programmable networks required to move data securely and seamlessly across different environments.

Lumen Technologies Inc (NYSE:LUMN) provides the network infrastructure that powers the AI workloads. It builds fiber optic networks required for ultra-high-speed data center connectivity to support AI operations. Lumen also provides security and managed communications services.