In the competitive landscape of artificial intelligence (AI) hardware providers, AMD has historically trailed behind Nvidia, which has dominated with its advanced graphics processing units (GPUs) and robust software framework. Throughout much of the initial AI expansion phase, Nvidia's stock dramatically outperformed AMD's, reflecting market preference and technology leadership. For instance, in 2023, AMD's share price rose approximately 230%, while Nvidia's soared drastically by about 1,160%.
However, the scenario saw a shift in 2025. AMD's stock registered substantial gains—up nearly 80%—surpassing Nvidia's approximately 35% increase for the same period. This performance has elevated AMD's status as a noteworthy stock in the AI sector this year.
Closing the Gap in Technology and Software
Despite being a secondary option, AMD has been making strides to narrow the technology gap. Nvidia's CUDA platform has been a significant differentiator powering its AI-focused GPUs, presenting a technological edge that AMD lacked. Nevertheless, AMD's ROCm software platform has undergone substantial enhancements facilitated by strategic acquisitions and partnerships. Reportedly, ROCm's download figures surged tenfold year over year as of November 2025, highlighting a growing market adoption and increasing competitiveness in the software domain that supports its hardware offerings.
Market Demand and Strategic Positioning
Challenges faced by Nvidia also may open opportunities for AMD. Nvidia's CEO acknowledged during the Q3 fiscal 2026 earnings call that the company was "sold out" of cloud GPUs—a critical observation indicating that demand is outstripping Nvidia's supply capacity. This scenario could incentivize cloud service providers and AI clients to explore alternate suppliers, placing AMD as a leading contender. If AMD convinces the market that its hardware delivers comparable performance at a lower cost, it stands to expand its footprint in AI computing, potentially becoming a preferred alternative to Nvidia.
Growth Prospects and Financial Targets
AMD's management projects ambitious growth within its data center division, aiming for a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 60% through 2030. The third quarter showed a 22% increase, signifying positive momentum but indicating the substantial scale-up required to meet targets. Across the broader company, AMD anticipates a 35% CAGR overall, factoring in slower growth segments such as consumer hardware and embedded processors, which are expected to see about 10% CAGR over the next five years. Such growth rates are significant and suggest the potential for substantial business expansion should AMD achieve these objectives.
Valuation Considerations and Market Sentiment
Although AMD has made a notable resurgence, much of this optimism is already reflected in its current stock price. Analyzing forward earnings, AMD trades at nearly a 50% premium relative to Nvidia, suggesting that the market has high expectations for its near-term performance. This elevated valuation introduces a degree of caution for investors, as these expectations hinge on AMD's ability to translate its strategic initiatives into concrete growth and profitability. Some skepticism remains about whether AMD's projected resurgence will fully materialize or if Nvidia will maintain its technological advantage and market share in 2026.
Conclusion
AMD's recent stock performance and technological advancements position it as an important player in the AI hardware ecosystem. Its expanded software capabilities, addressing a prior competitive disadvantage, and its potential to capitalize on supply constraints at Nvidia offer promising avenues for growth. Nevertheless, achieving aggressive growth targets and navigating a market that currently values AMD at a premium constitute challenges. Investors considering AMD as a "must-own" AI stock in 2026 should weigh the high expectations priced into the stock against the company's ability to sustain momentum amid strong competition.