Management consultant Gartner has released a forecast projecting that global spending on artificial intelligence will reach nearly $1.5 trillion in 2025. The firm expects this figure to rise to more than $2 trillion in 2026. This anticipated growth is linked to increased AI integration in consumer devices like smartphones and PCs, alongside investments in computing infrastructure.
Two companies are positioned to potentially benefit from this trend, which could influence their stock performance in 2026 and beyond.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, the world's leading chip manufacturer, is one such company. TSMC produces semiconductors for smartphones, smart devices, and high-performance computing applications, including data centers. The company recently reported its fourth-quarter earnings, showing revenue surged 25% year over year in U.S. dollars. This performance was driven by its advanced process technologies, which include AI chip capabilities.
Other business segments at TSMC are also showing momentum. Revenue from its smartphone segment increased 11% year over year. Apple is a key customer for the chipmaker. TSMC forecasts that its AI chip revenue will grow by more than 50% annually through 2029. The company is investing to expand manufacturing capacity to meet demand in the high-performance computing market, while also continuing to focus on chipmaking for smartphone clients.
Reports indicate Apple has secured about half of TSMC's available production capacity for its advanced 2-nanometer process technology. This technology will be used for the A20 chip in new iPhones expected later this year. According to Yahoo! Finance, TSMC's outlook for 2026 calls for revenue to increase by 30% in U.S. dollars, with earnings per share expected to grow 25% to $13.26.
Apple is another company seen as well-placed to profit from rising AI spending. As AI becomes more embedded in everyday devices, the consumer technology giant could see significant benefits. Deeper AI integration across its product lineup represents a major opportunity to drive a cycle of device upgrades.
For the fourth quarter ended in September 2025, Apple management reported record quarterly revenue of $102 billion, an 8% increase year over year. The iPhone accounted for nearly half of this total, at $49 billion, representing a 6% year-over-year increase. This performance came despite supply constraints for the iPhone 16 and 17 models.
Apple recently signed a multiyear agreement with Alphabet to use Gemini AI models. This partnership aims to enable deep AI integration across Apple devices. Gemini will power future Apple Intelligence features, including a more personalized version of Siri, scheduled to launch in 2026.
Analysts, citing Yahoo! Finance, expect Apple's revenue to increase by about 9% in fiscal 2026, with earnings per share rising roughly 11% to $8.27. Wedbush analyst Dan Ives has set a price target of $350 for Apple stock over the next year, suggesting potential upside from its current price near $260.
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