Got $3,000? 3 Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stocks to Buy and Hold for the Long Term

If you're looking for some top artificial intelligence (AI) stocks to buy right now, I've got three that are well positioned to soar throughout 2026. Each of them plays a vital role in building out AI infrastructure, and represents the best way to capitalize on huge AI spending while also not needing the technology to actually pay off.

Three AI stocks I think investors can buy and hold for the long term with $3,000 are Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA), Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (NYSE: TSM), and Broadcom (NASDAQ: AVGO). Each of these is doing incredibly well right now and is well worth buying and holding on to.

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These three stocks are cornerstones of the AI build-out

The market is growing increasingly concerned that the massive capital expenditures of the big tech companies may not deliver the return on investment that's required to justify spending truckloads of money on the technology. The big four AI hyperscalers alone are projected to spend about $650 billion in capital expenditures this year. However, the risk of underspending and missing out on one of the biggest technological revolutions ever experienced is too great. So, investors shouldn't be surprised to watch this figure tick up throughout the year and grow over the next few.

Many projections point toward 2030 as to how long the AI build-out will last, but it could be even longer depending on the success AI brings. I think the best way to invest in the AI trend is through the hardware providers, like Nvidia, Broadcom, and Taiwan Semiconductor.

These companies are making money from the build-out right now, and don't actually need to spend to pay off; they just need the build-out to continue. Nvidia believes that global data center capital expenditures could reach $3 trillion annually by 2030, which would indicate massive growth from today's already high levels. With its graphics processing units (GPUs) being the most popular computing option for AI, it's well positioned to capitalize on the spend.

Instead of offering a broad-purpose GPU like Nvidia, Broadcom is partnering directly with AI hyperscalers to design its own custom AI chip. This chip is tailored to the computing workloads that it will see, making them less flexible than a GPU. However, they are far cheaper, making them a great alternative to GPUs for tasks that don't require as much flexibility and computing power.

Neither Nvidia nor Broadcom actually makes any of the chips that go into their computing units; they design them. The production work is usually sourced to Taiwan Semiconductor, the world's largest chip foundry. Taiwan Semiconductor is a more neutral way to play the AI build-out, as it's supplying chips to nearly every company that's making AI computing hardware. As long as there's increased AI spending, Taiwan Semiconductor will continue to do well. With forecasts guiding for just that, it's well positioned to take advantage of the massive spending spree going on.

All three of these companies are primed for massive upside over the next several years, making them fantastic stocks to buy now and hold on to.

Keithen Drury has positions in Broadcom, Nvidia, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Nvidia and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. The Motley Fool recommends Broadcom. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.