Cheap AI Stocks to Buy Now: 5 Affordable Growth Leaders for 2026

Artificial intelligence has been the market’s dominant narrative, and the rally in AI stocks shows no signs of slowing down. However, not all AI opportunities require massive price tags. Finding cheap AI stocks to buy now means identifying companies positioned to capitalize on this growth while trading at reasonable valuations—a strategic advantage for budget-conscious investors.

With signs that the AI revolution will continue deepening into infrastructure and applications, opportunities exist for both conservative and aggressive investors. Cloud providers, chipmakers, and software companies are all capturing pieces of this expanding market. The key is identifying which stocks offer genuine value alongside growth potential.

Why These AI Stocks Remain Cheap Despite Tailwinds

The conventional wisdom suggests that AI leaders should command premium valuations. Yet several quality companies developing or using AI technology continue to trade at accessible prices. This apparent disconnect creates opportunity. Many investors are already overweight in obvious AI plays, which means smaller positions in the next wave of winners could deliver outsized returns.

What makes these opportunities cheap? Some companies have diversified revenue streams beyond AI, reducing volatility and valuation premiums. Others are trading at multiples that don’t yet reflect their long-term AI potential. And some are simply waiting for broader market recognition before their stocks reflect their competitive advantages.

Nvidia: The Chip Giant Trading at Fair Value

Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) remains the foundational play for AI exposure, and investors consistently debate whether its valuation represents value or excess. The answer: it’s genuinely reasonable considering the company’s dominance. As the leading supplier of AI chips that power this entire ecosystem, Nvidia’s competitive moat continues widening. The company launches annual product updates to maintain edge, and demand for these chips shows no signs of weakening.

Beyond raw sales, Nvidia has strategically acquired technologies and forged partnerships that deepen its expertise across industries. In an era of massive infrastructure spending, this positioning matters. Nvidia’s chips remain greatly needed, and the company controls significant pricing power in this market. Compared to growth rates, NVDA’s forward valuation multiples are surprisingly reasonable.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing: Cheap Diversified AI Exposure

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (NYSE: TSM) offers something unique: exposure to multiple AI winners without putting all eggs in one basket. TSMC manufactures chips not just for Nvidia, but also for Advanced Micro Devices and Broadcom. This diversification means the company benefits from the success of all players across the AI ecosystem.

Recent quarterly results validate this thesis. In Q4 2025, TSMC beat analyst expectations on both profit and revenue while signaling strength ahead. Management has direct conversations with cloud service providers and enterprise customers confirming that demand for AI chips remains robust and should continue accelerating. For investors seeking cheap exposure to AI’s infrastructure boom without single-company risk, TSMC represents compelling value.

Amazon: AI Growth Without Betting the Farm

Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) appeals to investors seeking AI exposure with a safety net. The company built its enormous e-commerce and cloud computing businesses long before AI became fashionable. These core units generate consistent billion-dollar revenue streams with proven durability.

As AI emerged, Amazon positioned itself strategically—as both user and seller of the technology. Internally, AI improves efficiency across e-commerce operations. Within Amazon Web Services (AWS), the company has developed proprietary AI chips and tools for customers while also reselling leading solutions like Nvidia’s offerings. AWS alone recently hit a $132 billion annual revenue run rate, with AI efforts contributing meaningfully to this growth. The combination of this diversified revenue base plus AI upside makes Amazon reasonably priced at current multiples, offering cheap AI exposure for conservative investors.

Alphabet: Advertising Giant Pivoting to AI Innovation

Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG | GOOGL) similarly blends safety with growth potential. The advertising business across Google’s platform remains the dominant revenue driver, while Google Cloud represents an increasingly important second pillar. These traditional strengths recently propelled Alphabet to a historic milestone: its first-ever quarter exceeding $100 billion in revenue.

On the AI front, Alphabet has developed proprietary large language models and sells access to advanced AI tools through its cloud business. The company is also deploying AI to optimize internal operations across the organization. Right now represents an excellent entry point for AI exposure through this business. Alphabet trades at only 29x forward earnings estimates—attractive multiples that don’t yet fully price in the company’s AI momentum. For risk-averse investors seeking cheap AI stocks, this represents significant value.

CoreWeave: For Aggressive Investors Chasing Infrastructure Upside

CoreWeave (NASDAQ: CRWV) caters to investors comfortable with volatility and equipped for risk. The company solves a critical AI problem: workload capacity. CoreWeave leases graphics processing units (GPUs) from its fleet of high-powered Nvidia systems, enabling customers to scale compute power without building infrastructure themselves.

This model saves customers time and capital—a compelling value proposition in a GPU-constrained market. CoreWeave’s deep Nvidia relationship gave it first-mover advantage in making Nvidia’s cutting-edge systems commercially available. However, risks exist. The company relies heavily on debt financing to expand capacity and meet demand. Any slowdown in AI spending could pressure both revenue and stock price.

The flip side: if AI demand continues accelerating and CoreWeave successfully converts revenue growth into sustained profitability, the stock could deliver significant returns for aggressive investors. Valuations on high-growth infrastructure plays remain cheap relative to growth rates, especially for those willing to accept the associated risks.

Building Your AI Stock Portfolio on a Budget

Finding cheap AI stocks to buy now doesn’t mean settling for quality. These five companies offer genuine competitive advantages, transparent business models, and documented AI tailwinds. The mix caters to different risk appetites—from the infrastructure certainty of Nvidia to the optionality of Alphabet to the growth leverage of CoreWeave.

The bottom line: AI remains a powerful investment theme heading into 2026, and valuations across this sector haven’t yet disconnected from fundamentals entirely. Smart investors can still find cheap AI stocks to buy now that balance growth potential with reasonable entry prices. The key is acting before the broader market fully recognizes their value.