The Best Stocks to Invest $1,000 in Right Now

By Adria Cimino – Updated Mar 9, 2026 at 1:15PM ESTKey PointsThese companies already are benefiting from the artificial intelligence boom.They should continue to play a key role as this growth story unfolds. Technology stocks, especially those involved in the hot growth area of artificial intelligence (AI), have soared in recent years. And that meant that, for bargain-hunting investors, it was difficult to find an entry point. But in recent weeks, these stocks have declined, led by many top-quality players. The reasons for this movement? Some are linked to AI, such as the risk that the future revenue opportunity may not meet expectations. Others aren't linked to the industry -- for example, concerns about the war in Iran -- but still weigh on investors' appetite for stocks, particularly those that rely on economic growth. The turmoil has left many stocks trading at bargain prices, making them fantastic buys -- let's check out the best stocks to invest $1,000 in right now. (For that amount, you can get in on all three.) Image source: Getty Images. 1. Nvidia Nvidia (NVDA +1.36%) is the cheapest of these three tech giants, trading near its lowest level in about a year. MSFT PE Ratio (Forward) data by YCharts This dirt cheap price is a real opportunity, considering Nvidia's strength in the booming AI market. The company dominates the AI chip market, and the fact that it prioritizes innovation should keep it in that position. Nvidia has pledged to update its chips annually, a move that may regularly boost revenue and, potentially, the stock price too. It's also important to note that cloud companies are pouring investment into infrastructure scale-up right now, and as chips are an integral part of this, Nvidia is set to benefit. 2. Alphabet Alphabet (GOOG +1.48%) (GOOGL +1.51%) is using AI to improve its Google Search platform, and this is important because, through advertising, this is the company's biggest revenue driver. The tech giant has developed its own large language model and is using it to power these improvements. ExpandNASDAQ: GOOGLAlphabetToday's Change(1.51%) $4.52Current Price$302.83Key Data PointsMarket Cap$3.6TDay's Range$294.09 - $302.8952wk Range$140.53 - $349.00Volume996KAvg Vol34MGross Margin59.68%Dividend Yield0.28% Meanwhile, Alphabet also is seeing Google Cloud growth soar thanks to demand for generative AI and AI infrastructure. This is a growing and key revenue source for the company, and with AI in its early days right now, Google Cloud could have plenty of room for additional gains in the years to come. This makes Alphabet stock look like a bargain you won't want to miss at today's level. 3. Microsoft Microsoft (MSFT 0.87%) is a technology giant with a long-established history across software, cloud services, and more. This has delivered earnings growth over time. MSFT Revenue (Annual) data by YCharts On top of this, Microsoft has become an AI powerhouse, thanks to its cloud operations and its investment in AI lab OpenAI. In the most recent quarter, cloud services revenue soared 39%, and Microsoft spoke of high demand for its broad range of cloud services. ExpandNASDAQ: MSFTMicrosoftToday's Change(-0.87%) $-3.55Current Price$405.41Key Data PointsMarket Cap$3.0TDay's Range$403.54 - $409.1552wk Range$344.79 - $555.45Volume1.4MAvg Vol33MGross Margin68.59%Dividend Yield0.85% Analysts predict the AI market is heading for $2 trillion by early next decade, so there should be plenty of room for Microsoft's cloud and other giants to benefit. All of this means right now, Microsoft looks like a steal -- and a great way to invest part of your $1,000.Read NextMar 9, 2026 •By Harsh ChauhanIs Nvidia Stock Your Ticket to Becoming a Millionaire?Mar 8, 2026 •By Keithen DruryMeet the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stock I Just PurchasedMar 8, 2026 •By Geoffrey SeilerPrediction Markets Are Booming, but I'd Rather Bet on These 3 AI StocksMar 8, 2026 •By Will HealyWhy Risk-Averse Investors Should Buy Nvidia StockMar 8, 2026 •By James HiresAmazon Just Committed $200 Billion to Capital Expenditures. This Is the AI Stock That Will Benefit Most in 2026.Mar 8, 2026 •By Leo SunThe Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stock That Smart Money Is Buying This MarchAbout the AuthorAdria Cimino is a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst covering healthcare, technology, and consumer goods sectors. Prior to The Motley Fool, Adria covered the European stock market and U.S. stocks pre-market trading for Bloomberg News, Bloomberg TV, and Bloomberg Radio for more than a decade. Earlier in her career, she wrote about biotech, medtech, and technology companies in Boston for Mass High Tech, an American City Business Journals publication. She holds a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from the University of South Florida.TMFAdriaCiminoX@adria_in_parisStocks MentionedNvidiaNASDAQ: NVDA$180.30(+1.40%)+$2.48MicrosoftNASDAQ: MSFT$405.41(-0.87%)-$3.55AlphabetNASDAQ: GOOGL$302.76(+1.49%)+$4.45AlphabetNASDAQ: GOOG$302.31(+1.42%)+$4.22*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.