Got $1,000? 2 Growth Stocks Building the Software Backbone of Artificial Intelligence.

Companies that provide infrastructure for artificial intelligence (AI) are getting a lot of attention right now because tech companies are expected to spend an estimated $1.3 trillion on AI infrastructure next year alone.

And while that's certainly fueling share price gains for some companies, the main driver of demand for such hardware is the advancement of AI software and models.

Two growth stocks that are at the forefront of AI software are Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) and Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL). Here's why it's worth putting $1,000 toward these stocks right now.

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Microsoft's early AI lead is already paying off

Microsoft was an early investor in OpenAI and benefited from early access to ChatGPT and the ability to integrate the chatbot into many of its business software products. And although Microsoft doesn't have the same exclusivity with ChatGPT as it once did, it is a leading AI software company more than ever.

The latest example of this is the company's new Copilot app, which is an AI hub to help workers and consumers be more productive. Copilot can be downloaded to your desktop and includes an AI agent called Autopilot, Code for programming, Cowork for getting tasks done, and AI-powered Office apps all in one place. Microsoft calls it "your new OS for work."

The company is betting that it can build AI services on top of its solid enterprise software foundation. Even before the new Copilot app was launched, Microsoft already had 30 million paid Copilot subscribers, a 50% increase from just a few months earlier.

Copilot is a crucial new piece of the company's expanding AI menu, which includes its increasingly important Azure AI cloud computing business. By offering more advanced AI software to its customers, management will likely not only increase its paid Copilot subscriptions but also its AI cloud sales.

Many of its business customers use Azure for their cloud needs because it integrates easily with their existing software. In its fiscal 2026 fourth quarter ended June 30, Azure AI cloud revenue reached an annual run rate of $100 billion. Reaching that milestone means that Microsoft AI services are resonating with customers and that they are already a success.

Alphabet's AI models and leading software

Alphabet is in a similar position as the company integrates more AI tools into its popular software. The company's YouTube, Chrome browser, Search tool, and Workspace apps have all been centered around the technology.

The one benefit Alphabet may have over Microsoft is that Google has its own frontier AI model in Gemini, allowing it to build a proprietary AI system from the ground up for its products.

And there's already plenty of evidence that Gemini is paying off. Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai recently said that nearly 90% of Fortune 100 companies use Gemini Enterprise, a suite of software that includes AI-powered Workspace apps, Google Cloud features, and agentic capabilities.

The company said that millions of users, including Intel and PepsiCo, are employing Gemini Enterprise to automate their workflows and build AI agents. This usage is helping to boost Google Cloud sales, with revenue rising 82% in the second quarter to nearly $25 billion.

Alphabet is also making money from Gemini by selling access to Apple for that company's new Siri AI. Gemini is the foundational model for Apple's new service, and Alphabet is reportedly receiving $1 billion annually as part of the deal.

The combination of Alphabet integrating Gemini into its own services, increasing cloud sales, and growing revenue from licensing parts of it to Apple shows just how far-reaching the company's AI software strategy is.

Both are great long-term AI stocks

Both Microsoft and Alphabet are already firmly established software companies, and both are proving that they can benefit from the new AI era, rather than be disrupted. That's not easy, and investors should view their current success in this sector as a sign that they will likely continue to play leading roles in AI for years to come.

What's more, Alphabet has a trailing price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) of less than 18, and Microsoft's P/E is about 28, both of which are considerably lower than the tech sector average of 34. Which means putting $1,000 toward these AI software stocks right now is not only a smart long-term bet but also a relatively good deal.

Chris Neiger has positions in Apple. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Apple, Intel, and Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.