4 Reasons Alphabet Could Be the Best Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stock to Buy Right Now

Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL) (NASDAQ: GOOG) stock reached an all-time high price of $207.05 on Feb. 4, riding a wave of strong growth and earnings momentum from 2024. For shareholders, the last few months have been challenging with concerns over the strength of the global economy rattling the broader stock market. At the time of writing on April 11, shares of Alphabet are down 24% from that record high.

Despite this turbulence, what hasn't changed is the ongoing artificial intelligence (AI) revolution. Innovations in areas like machine learning, automation, and generative AI are rapidly transforming the global economy. Alphabet is at the forefront of this wave, poised to capitalize on significant long-term growth opportunities.

Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Learn More »

Here are four reasons I believe Alphabet is the best AI stock to buy right now.

Image source: Getty Images.

1. Alphabet's AI leadership

Alphabet's AI strategy stands out, integrating machine learning, generative AI, and automation across its ecosystem. The company's diverse user base in market-leading platforms such as Google Search, YouTube, Android, and Chrome is an edge within the tech sector, leveraging vast amounts of unique user data to support its cutting-edge AI models.

This AI prowess is evident in Google Cloud, which has been a major growth driver capturing exceptional demand. That includes the unique Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) -- a custom chip designed by Google to power its specific AI workloads. Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai commented on the company's unique positioning and the benefits of its vertically integrated AI strategy. In the fourth-quarter earnings conference call, Pichai said: "We have a unique advantage because we develop every component of our technology stack, including hardware, compilers, models and products. This approach allows us to drive efficiencies at every level, from training and serving, to developer productivity."

Several growth tailwinds support Alphabet's long-term outlook and AI leadership consolidation, including:

• Google Cloud and its AI solutions are well positioned to continue capturing market share from competitors like Amazon's AWS and Microsoft's Azure.
• Android's 3 billion devices worldwide offer a significant opportunity to monetize AI applications, such as the Gemini generative AI chatbot.
• YouTube has emerged as a social media powerhouse, with accelerating revenue from subscription services driving positive operating income.
• Alphabet's self-driving car unit, Waymo, is testing autonomous rides in over 10 cities and has established itself as an early leader in the autonomous vehicle sector.

The best part is the sense that Alphabet is just getting started.

2. Tariffs resiliency

I appreciate Alphabet's high-quality fundamentals, scale, and diversification, which are crucial amid the uncertainty surrounding trade tariffs under the Trump administration.

Unlike its tech peers, such as Amazon and Apple, Alphabet's core digital advertising business, which accounted for 78% of its revenue last year, is largely shielded from tariffs on imported goods. With over half of its business outside the U.S., Alphabet appears resilient, with indications suggesting it's business as usual into the second quarter.

3. An earnings juggernaut

After a record-breaking 2024 with 14% revenue growth and earnings per share (EPS) of $8.04, Alphabet is expected to continue delivering stellar earnings growth and strong free cash flow. Wall Street analysts project further upside, including double-digit revenue growth in 2025 and an EPS estimate of $8.90, representing an 11% year-over-year increase. Recent cost-saving measures, such as reported headcount reductions, could support profitability margins to exceed earnings forecasts.

With a solid balance sheet and $96 billion in cash, Alphabet is well-equipped to navigate any macroeconomic environment.

Data source: Yahoo! Finance. YOY = year over year.

4. Alphabet's attractive valuation

Alphabet stands out as a top AI stock because of its bargain valuation. With a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 17, Alphabet trades at a discount to its "Magnificent Seven" peers, including AI titans Apple, Amazon, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, and Nvidia, which average around 26. Given Alphabet's double-digit earnings growth, there's a case to be made that shares are undervalued.

GOOGL PE Ratio (Forward) data by YCharts

The bottom line

I'm bullish on Alphabet, viewing the recent stock price weakness as a buy-the-dip opportunity.

While risks persist, including regulatory scrutiny and a delicate macroeconomic environment, the company's AI leadership positions it to emerge stronger. As long as Alphabet continues delivering profitable growth, it may just be a matter of time before the stock makes a new all-time high.

Should you invest $1,000 in Alphabet right now?

Before you buy stock in Alphabet, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Alphabet wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $502,231!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $678,552!*

Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 800% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 156% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.

See the 10 stocks »

*Stock Advisor returns as of April 14, 2025

John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Randi Zuckerberg, a former director of market development and spokeswoman for Facebook and sister to Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Dan Victor has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.