The Case for Long-Term AI Exposure: 5 Tech Giants Worth Holding Into 2035 and Beyond

Why AI Represents a Multi-Trillion Opportunity

The current wave of infrastructure investment in semiconductors and data centers isn’t just hype—it’s preparing the foundation for an unprecedented market expansion. According to market analysis, the AI sector is poised to explode from approximately $270 billion today to over $5.2 trillion by the mid-2030s. While many of tomorrow’s breakthrough AI companies remain private or unknown, forward-thinking investors can capture this growth trajectory through established tech leaders that already dominate key segments of the AI ecosystem.

The smartest play isn’t waiting on the sidelines for the next unknown unicorn. Rather, it’s building a core position in proven market leaders while they cement their dominance in what could become humanity’s most transformative technology wave.

Nvidia: The Computing Backbone of AI

When it comes to the raw infrastructure powering artificial intelligence, Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) remains unmatched. The company’s graphics processing units (GPUs) function as the computational foundation for training AI models across enterprise data centers worldwide. Think of Nvidia as supplying the engine that drives the entire AI revolution forward.

Current market analysis suggests Nvidia commands roughly 92% of the GPU market share in data center deployments, though competitive pressures are gradually intensifying. What gives Nvidia a durable competitive edge is its CUDA programming ecosystem—a network effect so strong that hyperscalers have already sunk substantial resources into building infrastructure compatibility with Nvidia hardware. Switching costs are steep, and the fast-moving AI race leaves little room for platform migration.

The company’s $500 billion order backlog illustrates the sustained demand momentum. For investors seeking a foundational AI holding, Nvidia represents a bet on the infrastructure layer that every AI company must use.

Alphabet: The Diversified Tech Powerhouse

Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL, GOOG) operates one of the broadest AI moats across the entire market. Its global reach spans billions of users through Google Search, YouTube, Android, and enterprise cloud services. Beyond its consumer and commercial platforms, Alphabet has made strategic moves that deserve attention.

The company developed its own custom semiconductor called a Tensor Processing Unit (TPU) and deployed it to train its proprietary AI model, Gemini. Alphabet is now positioning itself as a potential hardware supplier to rival Alphabet’s current AI competitors. Additionally, the company holds approximately 7% of SpaceX, offering investors indirect exposure to Starlink’s satellite connectivity business—itself crucial infrastructure for future AI deployment.

Few companies can claim such comprehensive positioning across AI hardware, software, cloud services, and autonomous technologies as Alphabet.

Microsoft: Stability Meets Growth Potential

Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) brings a different value proposition to the AI investment thesis. The company operates Azure, the world’s second-largest cloud infrastructure business, which stands to capture enormous demand as AI workloads migrate to the cloud.

More compelling for many investors is Microsoft’s ownership stake of approximately 27% in OpenAI, the organization behind ChatGPT. For those interested in gaining exposure to leading AI applications without accessing private equity rounds, owning Microsoft stock provides that access.

Beyond AI upside, Microsoft offers investor peace of mind through mature, defensible software businesses anchored by Windows and Microsoft 365. The company has raised its dividend for 23 consecutive years, appealing to investors who value both growth and income stability.

Amazon: Cloud Leadership Plus Private AI Exposure

Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) represents another avenue for gaining stakes in promising private AI ventures. While Amazon Web Services (AWS) remains the world’s dominant cloud platform, the company has deployed an $8 billion investment in Anthropic, OpenAI’s primary challenger in large language models.

This investment gives Amazon shareholders an indirect stake in a company valued at tens of billions without requiring a direct private market transaction. Amazon’s existing e-commerce, cloud, and advertising revenue streams provide substantial standalone growth potential. The Anthropic partnership simply enhances an already compelling investment thesis.

Palantir Technologies: The Emerging AI Software Play

Of the five selections here, Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ: PLTR) carries the most speculative profile, though its trajectory merits attention. The company builds custom software applications across its proprietary platform architecture and has accelerated significantly since launching its AI-integrated platform, AIP, in mid-2023.

Palantir is capturing government and commercial contracts at an expanding pace. The stock’s primary drawback remains its valuation premium, which could cap near-term appreciation. However, with fewer than 1,000 customers, Palantir has an enormous runway for market penetration over the coming decade—a dynamic that could support sustained growth rates.

Building Your AI Portfolio for the Long Term

The five companies outlined above offer complementary exposure across hardware, cloud infrastructure, software applications, and private AI company stakes. While individual stock prices will fluctuate, the underlying growth drivers remain intact for the 2025-2035 window and beyond.

Investors seeking best stocks to buy and hold should consider these holdings as core positions in their technology allocation, recognizing that AI adoption is still in its earliest innings. Building positions gradually and maintaining discipline during volatility will likely prove rewarding for patient capital.