Could This Be the Most Overlooked Way to Profit From the AI Boom?

Core Viewpoint - The digital advertising sector is experiencing significant growth driven by artificial intelligence (AI), with specific companies in this niche showing remarkable performance and potential for future expansion [1]. Group 1: AppLovin - AppLovin has seen substantial growth since launching its Axon-2 AI-powered adtech platform in 2023, with revenue increasing by 68% to $1.41 billion and EBITDA soaring by 79% to $1.16 billion in the last quarter [2]. - The company is focused on helping gaming apps attract new customers, projecting a long-term revenue growth of 20% to 30% from the gaming sector, while also expanding into web-based advertising and e-commerce [4][5]. - AppLovin's new self-serve platform aims to attract smaller gaming advertisers, and its expansion outside the U.S. is expected to further enhance growth opportunities [5]. Group 2: Meta Platforms - Meta Platforms is leveraging AI to enhance its recommendation engine, resulting in increased user engagement and improved advertising tools for advertisers, which has led to a 26% revenue increase to $51.2 billion in Q3 [7][8]. - The company is exploring monetization opportunities for its WhatsApp messaging app, which has over 3 billion users, and is gradually introducing ads to its new Threads social media site [9]. - Meta's growth is supported by a 14% increase in ad impressions and a 10% rise in average ad prices, indicating strong demand for its advertising services [8]. Group 3: Pinterest - Pinterest is utilizing AI to enhance its visual search and recommendation engine, as well as introducing features like virtual clothing try-ons and a voice-activated AI assistant [10]. - The company reported a 17% revenue increase and a 24% rise in EBITDA, with international markets showing particularly strong performance, including a 41% revenue jump in Europe and a 66% increase in the rest of the world [12]. - Pinterest's Performance+ AI-powered ad tool is improving campaign effectiveness and assisting with bidding and targeting, contributing to its overall growth [11].