I've been noticing something interesting in the market lately. While everyone's worried about geopolitical noise and volatility, the fundamentals for the best AI stocks are actually getting stronger, not weaker. The real money is starting to see through the short-term chaos.

Here's what's actually happening: two things drive markets—earnings and rates. And right now, both are working in favor of AI and tech. The capex spending for AI infrastructure is insane. We're talking about $530 billion this year from hyperscalers alone, up from $400 billion last year. Taiwan Semi already raised guidance to $52-56 billion for 2026. This isn't hype anymore, it's real money flowing into actual infrastructure.

Tech sector earnings for Q1 2026 jumped to 24% growth from 18% just weeks ago. When you look at the broader economy, 15 out of 16 sectors are set to expand earnings this year. The Fed's also expected to cut rates again later in 2026. So if you're looking at the best AI stocks right now, the setup is actually pretty solid.

ServiceNow caught my attention because it got absolutely hammered—down nearly 50% from January highs. NOW is one of those companies that actually gets AI. They've been integrating it into their platform for years, not just talking about it. They deepened their partnership with OpenAI and are expanding with Anthropic to embed Claude models directly into their AI Platform.

The numbers are solid. NOW grew revenue 21-24% last year to $13.28 billion, more than doubled from 2021. Q4 showed 244 deals over $1 million in new contract value, up 40% year-over-year. Their GAAP earnings jumped 22% to $1.67 per share. Management is projecting 20% revenue growth in 2026 and 18% the year after, with adjusted earnings expanding 18% and 20% respectively. CEO Bill McDermott just bought $3 million worth of shares himself, saying there's no better entry point. If NOW rebounds to its January highs, you're looking at roughly double your money from current levels.

Then there's Celestica, the behind-the-scenes powerhouse building all the hardware for AI data centers. CLS manufactures the servers, switches, and infrastructure that actually powers this entire AI arms race. Revenue jumped 29% last year to $12.39 billion—they've basically doubled revenue between 2021 and 2025. Adjusted earnings grew 56% and GAAP EPS exploded over 90%.

Management just guided for 37% revenue growth in 2026 and 39% in 2027, potentially reaching $23.66 billion. That's nearly double 2025 levels. Adjusted earnings are expected to expand 46% and 43% respectively. CLS is putting $1 billion into capital investments this year to support long-term AI infrastructure builds. The stock pulled back about 25% from November highs, and with 15 out of 18 broker recommendations as 'Strong Buys,' it's trading at 30X forward earnings—50% below its peak.

Both of these represent the best AI stocks to consider right now if you're thinking about the next 12-24 months. The pullbacks have created real opportunities. The fundamentals aren't changing—if anything, they're accelerating. When you see dips like this amid a structural AI boom, that's usually when smart money moves in.