The AI Builders aren’t over, but it’s only a matter of time before a “killer app” stuns the world…
Editor’s Note: My InvestorPlace colleague Luke Lango has been covering the two waves of the AI Revolution – the AI Builders and the AI Appliers – for the past few years. And readers of his research benefited tremendously after he spotted the AI Applier wave before it actually arrived. For example, Luke recommended top AI Applier stocks like Axon Enterprise Inc. (AXON) and AppLovin Corp. (APP) — now both up 350%-plus — before the crowd caught on.
It’s why my other InvestorPlace colleague Eric Fry and I were so excited to team up with Luke recently to build a portfolio of the best of the AI Applier stocks. We recently took to the “airwaves” to tell folks about it. (You can catch up on our broadcast together here.)
I’ve invited Luke here today to give us the big picture on the AI Revolution and what it means for the companies building new businesses with AI. He’ll also explain how the Phase 2 of the AI Boom is creating a compelling opportunity in select “first wave” AI Builder stocks ahead of the new wave of AI. You can check it out below.
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In 1990, Tim Berners Lee invented the World Wide Web, but the internet’s true “Day One” arrived five years later when Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) made its first online sale, catapulting the disruptive technology into global consciousness.
Likewise, while the first BlackBerry Ltd. (BB) smartphone was released in 1999, that technology’s Day One came eight years later with Steve Jobs’s iconic iPhone announcement, ushering in a new era.
Now, as we approach 2025, another singular event is on the horizon that will ignite the most significant and rapid societal transformation in human history.
We’re calling it “AI Day One.“
I’ve long seen the AI Revolution playing out in two waves.
First, the buildout phase – or the AI Builder boom – wherein AI-focused companies spend billions upon billions of dollars to create new data centers, buy AI chips, build new fabs, and more.
In this stage, everyone is rushing to create the infrastructure necessary to develop new AI products, services, and applications. The AI Builder stocks – the companies building those data centers, making those chips, running those fabs, etc. – have been the big winners.
Second, you have the application phase – or the AI Applier boom– wherein companies spend billions upon billions of dollars to actually develop and deploy new AI applications on top of all this infrastructure. The AI Applier stocks – the companies making and using those new AI applications – will be the big winners.
It’s only a matter of time before a “killer app” stuns the world and sends these “new wave” AI Applier stocks soaring.
Later in this letter, I’ll dig into what that “killer app” might look like… and at how you can get in on it now.
But first, let’s try to understand the dynamics at play in the AI Revolution…
The Contrarian Approach to the AI Boom
The AI Builder boom unfolded during the first 18 months or so of the AI Revolution, following Chat-GPT’s debut in late 2022.
AI Builder stocks – like Nvidia Corp. (NVDA) and Super Micro Computer Inc. (SMCI) – were the big winners. They significantly outperformed AI Applier stocks from late 2022 to summer 2024.
But a few months ago, we shifted into this revolution’s “second wave.” Since July 2024, top AI Builder stocks like Nvidia have struggled, while top AI Applier stocks like AxonEnterprise Inc. (AXON) and AppLovin Corp. (APP) have soared.


AI Appliers have taken the baton from AI Builders, if you will.
My paid-up members have benefited tremendously from this phase shift.
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