With the demand for artificial intelligence in nearly all facets continuing to surge, companies like Nvidia (NVDA) have dominated the discussion. Wall Street has more than proven that correct over the last year. However, Microsoft (MSFT) and Salesforce (CRM) have emerged as key AI stocks in 2025, and here’s why you should pay attention.

Both companies represent two interesting cases within the emerging sector. In Microsoft, you have a company that has continuously invested in AI progression. Conversely, Salesforce is committing to some interesting research that could have it positioned to surge in the upcoming months. So, let’s delve into what makes the two stocks so interesting.

salesforce
Source: CNBC

Also Read: Microsoft: MSFT $13B Investment Called ‘Best Money Ever Spent’

Microsoft and Salesforce: Two AI Stocks Worth Watching This Year

The arrival of 2025 brought with it some interesting things to consider within the finance sector. US President-elect Donald Trump is taking over a strongly recovering economy, while he is set to bring about some interesting geopolitical challenges. Yet, those concerns have not lessened AI interest.

That intrigue should be set to continue this year, with several stocks emerging as viable investment options this year. Two that may be able to differentiate themselves are Microsoft and Salesforce, as they have emerged as key AI stocks to watch in 2025.

Microsoft has already emerged as one of the biggest investors in AI. Its OpenAI acquisition cost them $13 billion but has been called some of the best money ever spent. The company kicked off this year with several similar investments, including giving $3 billion to increase infrastructure and gain talent from India.

Microsoft's Nuclear Power Team to Fuel AI, Report
Source: CNBC

Also Read: Microsoft (MSFT) vs. Meta (META): Billionaire Moves Reveal Which Stock to Watch

Salesforce is an interesting alternative that could provide a huge upside. The company is currently looking to become a leader in agentic AI. Indeed, experts consider it the next phase of AI, after its generative boost that took place over the last two years.

Agentic AI would go beyond response and truly become an artificial assistant. Instead of prompting ChatGPT to create an itinerary for a vacation, agentic AI would book everything needed for the experience. This aligns with a Salesforce company that has been a customer relationships management (CRM) software leader.

The company projects that it will have 1 billion Agentforce AI agents operating by the end of January 2026. This is huge and could be leveraged into a notable stock bump for the company. Moreover, it could be joined by Microsoft’s impressive trajectory as well.