We recently compiled a list of the 10 AI News Investors Should Not Miss. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM) stands against the other AI stocks investors should not miss.
During an appearance on CNBC’s Squawk Box Europe, Matt Calkins, CEO of Appian, discussed the outlook for the artificial intelligence industry and regulation in the United States with Donald Trump set to become president.
When asked if there is a bit of a gold rush regarding AI, Calkins agreed. He said that AI comes with significant concerns, particularly among CEOs. This is because AI has the potential to embarrass organizations or compromise sensitive data, which creates hesitation. “We are all looking for a safe way to take the first step with AI,” he said.
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Regarding whether companies are panicking about using AI profitably, Calkins observed a cautious approach from most businesses, while large tech firms have been investing aggressively. “It’s a calculated risk, and they should be doing it,” he said, contrasting this with the restraint shown by smaller companies.
Talking about regulation, Calkins revealed that the bottom line is that AI can be somewhat dangerous if misused, which underscores the importance of regulatory frameworks. He referenced the European AI Act as an example, explaining that regulation could focus on restricting how AI is used or limiting the types of data it can access.
With the Trump administration coming in, Calkins predicted a strong focus on competing with China in the tech space. He also mentioned Elon Musk’s influence on Trump, stating that Musk’s influence on the Trump administration is positive because he knows deeply about artificial intelligence.
In other recent news, Sam Altman has announced a special event titled “12 Days of OpenAI”. Altman will be revealing a new model or feature every weekday for two weeks, posted Altman on X, formerly Twitter. Some new models and features that users have been predicting include AI video generator Sora, the complete version of the “o1” reasoning model, and better control over ChatGPT’s Advanced Voice feature.
“Each weekday, we will have a livestream with a launch or demo, some big ones and some stocking stuffers”.
-Sam Altman
With OpenAI seemingly in holiday spirits, the series of reveals will be live-streamed starting December 5, continuing for the next twelve weekdays. It looks like a very merry Christmas for all the tech fans.
For this article, we selected AI stocks by going through news articles, stock analysis, and press releases. These stocks are also popular among hedge funds.
Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).
A customer service team in an office setting using the company’s Customer 360 platform to communicate with customers.
Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 116
Salesforce Inc (NYSE:CRM) is a cloud-based CRM company that has gained traction after the launch of its AI-powered platform called Agentforce. On December 5, BofA analyst Brad Sills raised the firm’s price target on Salesforce (NYSE:CRM) to $440 from $390 and kept a “Buy” rating on the shares. The company’s strong growth prospects and efficiency have led to the rating.
The company’s strong Q3 results reflect its successful launch of Agentforce, its artificial intelligence platform, and allowed it to prove its leadership in the agentic AI cycle. The launch has not only sparked customer interest but also boosted its core Sales and Service Clouds. Strategic initiatives such as integrating Agentforce across 200 deals only shortly after its release further demonstrate the company’s growth potential. The company’s Q3 operating margin of 33.1% exceeds expectations owing to streamlined sales and internal use of Agentforce. With a strong Q4 outlook and early deal successes, Salesforce is well-positioned for continued growth and profitability, leading to the Buy rating.
Overall CRM ranks 3rd on our list of the AI stocks investors should not miss. While we acknowledge the potential of CRM as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than CRM but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
