In this article, we will discuss the Top 10 AI Stocks to Watch Ahead of Potential Market Correction.
Has Artificial Intelligence Fuelled a Big Bubble in Tech?
That’s the big question, according to managing partner at Deepwater Asset management Gene Munster. The revolutionary technology has been the catalyst behind two years of blockbuster gains in the equity markets. With major market indices trading near all-time highs, overstretched valuations are increasingly sending jitters in the investment community.
Nothing has been more significant than the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI). Even though the stock market has been driven by various factors, such as Donald Trump’s victory in November, stock-split euphoria, dovish Fed policy, and better-than-expected earnings, AI has triggered eye-watering valuations. Nevertheless, a potential correction from current highs is on the horizon.
“I agree that Nvidia will have a day of reckoning — and the chip stocks, the whole trade. And the question for us isn’t, ‘Will the bubble burst?’ It’s, ‘How high will we go before the bursting of the bubble?’ Munster said.
While the overall market has pulled back significantly since peaking late last year, Munster insists there are another two years of solid gains before a potential bubble burst. According to the tech analyst, the bubble burst could result in a 30% decline in the tech-heavy index NASDAQ on the artificial intelligence hype running out.
Momentum in the equity market has subsided significantly in recent months, particularly among the big five tech stocks, and the market is signaling that the extraordinary growth and gains of 2024 will be difficult to replicate in 2025. Amid these growth concerns, investors should focus on AI plays trading at depressed valuations and companies backed by solid financials and long-term growth opportunities.
Analysts at Bank of America remain optimistic about the US software market outlook despite growth rates slowing down in recent months. While the sector grew by 59% in 2023, attributed to the AI frenzy, the growth rate slowed to 23% in 2024. However, given that multiples are still below expectations, there are still opportunities to unlock.
“Revenue multiples and growth expectations remain below 5-year median and pre-Covid levels,” the bank said in its Jan. 14 report, pointing to the potential of three secular themes for 2025: Agentic AI, growing enterprise IT budgets, and sustained cloud migration.
According to the bank, tech heavyweights spending heavily on AI and expanding on investments in 2025 is one factor that should fuel growth in the software sector. Likewise, the analysts expect sustained migration to the cloud to be a key driver of the software sector.
“Although we remain selective on small caps, we are bullish on the software sector for 2025, particularly in 2H, as accelerating secular tailwinds and easing cyclical headwinds converge,” the firm added.
Our Methodology
For this article, we selected AI stocks by going through news articles, stock analysis, and press releases. These stocks are also popular among hedge funds.
Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).
Top 10 AI Stocks to Watch Ahead of Potential Market Correction
10. Oklo Inc. (NYSE:OKLO)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: N/A
Oklo Inc. (NYSE:OKLO) is an energy company that designs and develops fission power plants to provide reliable and commercial-scale energy to customers. On December 19, analysts at Wedbush initiated coverage of the stock with an Outperform rating and a $26 price target buoyed by the company’s prospects amid growing demand for clean energy to power the artificial intelligence revolution.
Oklo Inc. (NYSE:OKLO) has become a major player in meeting data center demands, particularly those related to artificial intelligence applications and growing energy needs, thanks to its modular nuclear reactors. To demonstrate its attractiveness to tech-driven sectors seeking carbon-free power options, Oklo has secured a historic 12-gigawatt power deal with Switch and a 750-megawatt deal with other data center suppliers.
The agreement represents a significant chance to reaffirm its leadership in the rapidly evolving advanced nuclear market. Oklo Inc. (NYSE:OKLO) is pursuing a “full value chain” approach as it continues developing its liquid metal-cooled fast nuclear reactor technology. It plans to start operating the first powerhouse in Idaho in 2027.
9. BigBear.ai Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:BBAI)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 7
BigBear.ai Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:BBAI) provides artificial intelligence-powered decision intelligence solutions. It offers national security, supply chain management, and digital identity and biometrics solutions. On January 13, H.C. Wainwright raised its price target for BigBear.ai to $7 and reiterated a Buy rating. The upgrade comes amid growing optimism about the company’s position in AI-driven decision intelligence solutions for industries like defense, supply chain management, and digital identity. The company has been awarded a position on the U.S. General Services Administration’s (GSA) OASIS+.
The award underscores BigBear.ai Holdings, Inc.’s (NYSE:BBAI) proven track record in delivering innovative solutions that merge deep expertise with cutting-edge technology. The award comes on the heels of the company’s strategic collaboration with Proof Labs Inc. to provide an advanced cyber resiliency solution for the Department of the Air Force (DAF). The two are to collaborate to deliver an advanced intrusion detection system utilizing AI of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Space Cyber Resiliency program.
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