Better AI Stock: Palantir Technologies vs. C3.ai

Shares of Palantir Technologies (NYSE: PLTR) and C3.ai (NYSE: AI) have been in red-hot form on the stock market over the past year, gaining 140% and 107%, respectively, thanks to the expectation that the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) could supercharge their growth in the long run.

The terrific gains that these stocks delivered lately may seem a tad surprising at first, considering the pace at which Palantir and C3.ai are growing. Palantir’s growth has slowed down of late thanks to a challenging scenario in its government-related business. C3.ai has been struggling to put its foot on the gas ever since it switched its business model from a subscription-based one to a consumption-based one.

Not surprisingly then, Palantir and C3.ai stocks trade down 21% and 43%, respectively, from their 52-week highs. However, considering that both companies could take advantage of the growing adoption of AI software in the long run, investors may be wondering if they should consider using the pullback as a buying opportunity. If that’s indeed the case, which one of these two AI stocks warrants a buy?

Let’s find out.

Palantir Technologies’ AI business is gaining traction

Palantir Technologies’ full-year 2023 revenue outlook of $2.22 billion suggests that its top line is on track to increase 16.5% this year. But for a stock that’s trading at 17 times sales, investors may be having second thoughts about whether Palantir is worth investing in right now, given the rich valuation.

However, a closer look at Palantir’s business suggests that its AI business is gaining traction. The number of commercial customers using Palantir’s solutions increased an impressive 45% year over year in the third quarter of 2023 to 330. For comparison, the company’s overall customer count was up 34% year over year to 453.

The stronger growth in the commercial customer count also led to a robust 23% year-over-year increase in Palantir’s commercial revenue in the last reported quarter to $251 million….