If you want to maximize your growth potential when betting on AI, you'll have to look at smaller competitors. Fortunately, there's a much smaller company to consider, one that Nvidia actually invested nearly $4 million of its own funds into in the past year. This is your chance to follow Nvidia's lead.

It's worth noting that software sales cycles can take time, and analysts expect headwinds will stretch into 2025. Revenue estimates for next year have fallen about 5.5%. One noteworthy headline is that archrival SentinelOne recently won a deal with PC manufacturer Lenovo to include its security software in new devices.

BigBear.ai and C3.ai are two emerging names in defense tech, but Palantir Technologies looks like the superior option.

The relentless pace of innovation in artificial intelligence and sustained demand for AI chips bodes well for Nvidia stock and its peers.