The AI Investing Pulse

January 15th, 2026

In this Week’s Edition:

1. Analysis - AI’s energy bottleneck: Three different stocks in focus

2. Stock Ideas - AI stock picks for early 2026

3. News - 2026 US stock market outlook: where the opportunities are

4. Startups - AI chip start-up Etched raises $500m to challenge Nvidia

5. Trends - Cybersecurity could be the next mega trend, powered by AI

6. Other News - AI-assisted trading: how algorithms support smarter decisions

7. Videos - Hidden AI investments most people overlook

AI’s Energy Bottleneck: Three Different Stocks in Focus

The broader AIIP index slipped -0.91% over the last week week, yet the physical layers of the AI ecosystem continued to show resilience.

Quantum (Stack 8) led with a 2.70% gain, followed by Hardware & Infrastructure (Stack 1) at 1.97%, while Power & Cooling (Stack 7) remained positive at 0.38%.

This divergence reinforces the ongoing Capex Build-out theme as AI spending shifts from experimentation to deployment at scale. Hyperscale data centres can now draw as much power as a small city, pushing electricity demand into a new growth phase after years of stagnation.

Energy is not yet a hard stop for AI growth, but it is becoming one of the first real-world constraints shaping where and how quickly new capacity can come online. Power availability, grid access, and cooling density are now among the longest lead-time factors for hyperscale projects. With research from Goldman Sachs pointing to around 2.4% annual US power demand growth through 2030, energy is emerging as an increasingly important signal for investors heading into 2026.

This week, focusing on Power & Cooling (Stack 7), we highlight one stock driven by momentum, one grounded in fundamentals, and one combining both.

Alphabet Inc. $GOOGL ( ▼ 0.04% )  

Sector / Industry: Communication Services / Internet Content & Information
AI Stack Layer: Power & Cooling | Hardware & Infrastructure
Market Cap: $4T
Performance (YTD): ▲ 7.30%
Ranking Status: Watchlist

What It Does

Some may be surprised to see Alphabet here, but it earns its place. Alphabet operates across the entire AI stack, acting both as a primary spender on infrastructure and as a developer of proprietary power, cooling, and efficiency systems that support its TPU clusters. It also applies AI internally to optimise energy usage and grid balancing across its global data centre footprint.

Why It Stands Out This Week

Alphabet currently combines strong fundamentals with positive momentum, supported by sustained market leadership. By treating energy efficiency as a strategic advantage rather than a cost, it is well positioned to benefit as AI-related capital spending accelerates into 2026..

Bloom Energy Corporation $BE ( ▼ 4.52% )  

Sector / Industry: Technology / Electrical Equipment (Fuel Cells)
AI Stack Layer: Power & Cooling
Market Cap: $31B
Performance (YTD): ▲ 53.60%
Ranking Status: Momentum

What It Does

Bloom Energy provides on-site fuel cell power systems for data centres, offering decentralised electricity generation that can bypass grid congestion and reliability constraints.

Why It Stands Out This Week

Bloom is a clear Momentum name, already up over 50% in 2026, supported by strong relative strength as investors rotate into solutions that can be deployed quickly to address AI-driven power shortages. While valuations reflect high expectations, Bloom sits directly at the intersection of urgency, energy scarcity, and infrastructure speed.

Vertiv Holdings Co. $VRT ( ▼ 1.08% )  

Sector / Industry: Industrials / Electrical Equipment & Parts
AI Stack Layer: Power & Cooling | Hardware & Infrastructure
Market Cap: $65B
Performance (YTD): ▲ 5.50%
Ranking Status: Fundamental

What It Does

Vertiv specialises in thermal management, supplying liquid cooling and power protection systems that prevent overheating in high-density AI server environments.

Why It Stands Out This Week

Vertiv ranks on fundamentals rather than short-term momentum. As AI workloads become denser and more power intensive, cooling is emerging as one of the most important physical bottlenecks. Vertiv sits directly at that pressure point, making it a key receiver of hyperscaler capital through the ongoing data centre build-out cycle.

Final Take

AI markets pulled back this week, yet the physical layers of the stack continued to show relative strength. Capital held up across power, infrastructure, and advanced hardware, reinforcing the view that the next phase of AI growth is being shaped by real-world constraints and the ongoing Capex Build-out into 2026.

Energy and infrastructure are not the whole AI story, but they are increasingly useful signals. By tracking the stacks week by week, it becomes clearer where pressure is building, where capital is rotating, and which parts of the ecosystem are quietly emerging as the next constraints as we move deeper into 2026.

_{Disclaimer - This content is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, personal recommendations, or an invitation to engage in any investment activity. The information presented is derived from publicly available sources and should not be solely relied upon for making investment decisions. Always consult with a qualified financial professional before making investment choices. Past performance is not a guide to future performance.}

^{About AIIP - The AIIP Index tracks 173 AI-focused public companies across the full AI stack, serving as our benchmark for sector performance. All scores are proprietary and calculated using data from Finbox (powered by S&P Global Intelligence). AIIP Total Score (0–100) combines metrics for sales and EPS growth, financial quality, and valuation to assess overall business strength. AIIP Relative Strength (RS) Score measures a stock’s price performance relative to the AIIP 173 AI stocks. Ranking Status is based on score combinations: Fundamental: Total Score ≥ 70, RS < 80. Momentum: RS ≥ 80, Total Score < 70. Watchlist: Total Score ≥ 70 and RS ≥ 80}

TOP AI STOCKS PERFORMANCE

TOP AI ETFs PERFORMANCE

AI STOCKS IDEAS

AI stock picks for early 2026- Money
Under-the-radar stocks that AI models like ChatGPT, Gemini and Danelfin flag as potential outperformers in January–February 2026.

Five small- and mid-cap stocks for long-term gains - Yahoo Finance
Five smaller companies are highlighted as potential long-term winners, based on recent financial performance and supportive market trends.

Three AI stocks that could go parabolic - The Motley Fool
It highlights UiPath, GitLab, and SentinelOne as relatively small, undervalued AI-related companies that could see outsized gains if they capitalise on key trends.

Software stocks set for renewed growth as AI spending shifts - BNN Bloomberg
Software is framed as a key 2026 beneficiary as AI budgets evolve and macro conditions improve, with mentions including Salesforce and Boston Scientific.

AI STOCKS AND ETFS NEWS

2026 US stock market outlook: where the opportunities are - Morningstar
An outlook suggesting US equities are modestly discounted, with growth and small caps standing out as potential opportunities amid expected 2026 volatility.

Survey: nine in ten AI investors plan to hold or buy more - The Motley Fool
Survey findings indicate strong conviction in AI-related stocks, with most respondents planning to hold or increase exposure despite valuation concerns.

Three reasons the AI market surge could stumble in 2026 - Yahoo Finance
Mohamed El-Erian, former co-CIO at PIMCO, points to inequality, geopolitics and bubble fears as potential headwinds that could disrupt AI-led market momentum in 2026.

Blackstone’s 2026 investment perspectives - Blackstone
Blackstone outlines a resilient macro backdrop, with US growth supported by AI investment and productivity gains.

AI STARTUPS

AI chip start-up Etched raises $500m to challenge Nvidia - MSN
Etched has reportedly raised nearly $500 million to develop its Sohu inference chip, reaching a $5 billion valuation as it targets Nvidia’s dominance.

Voice AI start-up Deepgram raises $130m to target QSR chains - Analytics India Magazine
Deepgram has secured $130 million in Series C funding to expand voice AI capabilities aimed at quick-service restaurant operations, bringing total funding to more than $215 million.

Anthropic launches Claude Cowork, a file-managing AI agent - Fortune
Anthropic’s new agent focuses on file management and autonomous task execution, intensifying competition in productivity tooling and raising questions about control and risk.

AI TRENDS

Cybersecurity could be the next mega trend, powered by AI - 24/7 Wall St.
A case for cybersecurity as a major AI-driven theme, as new AI-enabled threats accelerate demand for more capable defences.

Top healthcare AI trends to watch in 2026 - Healthcare Dive
Healthcare AI in 2026 is expected to lean heavily into administrative automation and efficiency, including ambient scribes, predictive analytics.

Will quantum computing stocks be the AI trades of 2026? - MSN
An exploration of whether quantum computing equities could see a 2026-style breakout.

OTHERS

AI-assisted trading: how algorithms support crypto decisions - Analytics Insight
A primer on AI-assisted crypto trading, covering how machine learning can analyse data, anticipate trends and automate execution in fast-moving markets.

Why law firms are struggling to prove AI ROI - Thomson Reuters
Law firms are finding AI returns harder to evidence due to hidden costs, vague objectives and slower adoption.

VIDEOS

Hidden AI investments most people overlook - AOL

_{Disclaimer - The information contained on this newsletter does not constitute investment advice or a personal recommendation, nor is it an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity. You should seek independent financial and, if appropriate, legal advice as to the suitability of any investment decision. Past performance is not a guide to future performance. The value of investments, and the income from them, can fall as well as rise. You may not get back the full amount invested and, in some cases, nothing at all. The information presented is based on publicly available data and sources believed to be reliable; however, its accuracy or completeness cannot be guaranteed. Market conditions can change rapidly, and the information provided may no longer be up to date. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal, or tax advice. Data sources: S&P Global Market Intelligence}