We recently published our article Top 10 Cheap AI Small-Cap Stocks to Buy Now. Here, we take a closer look at Five9 Inc. (NASDAQ:FIVN) and why it could be worth watching as enterprise AI adoption, cloud contact center transformation, and automation-driven customer experience solutions continue reshaping the competitive landscape of artificial intelligence and software-as-a-service markets.

For most of the past decade, the artificial intelligence boom has been defined by trillion-dollar market caps, mega-cap tech stocks, and headline-grabbing chipmakers. Yet beneath the surface of the AI stock market rally, a quieter and arguably more explosive story has been unfolding. The real intrigue in 2026 may not lie solely with the Magnificent Seven, but with a new generation of AI small-cap stocks that are leveraging machine learning, robotics automation, generative AI, and data analytics to disrupt industries at a fraction of the valuation.

Seasoned market observers who have witnessed the dot-com bubble, the cloud computing revolution, and the mobile internet surge understand one simple truth: transformative technology waves rarely create wealth only at the top. In the early 2000s, it wasn’t just the largest software companies that delivered outsized returns. Smaller, overlooked firms riding the right structural tailwinds often generated the most asymmetric upside. Today, artificial intelligence stocks are replaying that familiar pattern, but with greater speed and global reach.

Artificial intelligence is no longer theoretical. AI is embedded in hospital diagnostics, autonomous vehicles, predictive maintenance systems, cybersecurity defense layers, enterprise SaaS platforms, and even robotic delivery fleets navigating city sidewalks. According to multiple industry research firms, the global AI market is projected to exceed hundreds of billions in annual spending within this decade, fueled by enterprise AI adoption, automation demand, and exponential growth in data generation. That growth trajectory has sparked renewed interest in AI growth stocks beyond the household names dominating the S&P 500.

Why AI Small-Cap Stocks Deserve Attention Now

The appeal of the best AI small-cap stocks lies in their positioning at the intersection of innovation and valuation. Unlike mega-cap AI leaders that already command premium price-to-earnings multiples and trillion-dollar expectations, small-cap AI companies often operate with leaner balance sheets, focused product pipelines, and niche market leadership in robotics, AI software platforms, AI infrastructure, and applied machine learning solutions.

Historically, small-cap stocks have demonstrated higher volatility but also higher long-term growth potential during expansionary cycles. In periods of technological acceleration, capital tends to rotate into companies capable of delivering breakthrough innovation before they become mainstream winners. Investors scanning for cheap AI stocks, undervalued AI companies, and emerging artificial intelligence plays increasingly recognize that some of the most compelling opportunities may reside below the large-cap radar.

There is also a structural narrative supporting AI small-cap exposure. Enterprises worldwide are under pressure to automate workflows, reduce labor costs, optimize logistics, and enhance predictive decision-making. AI-powered automation, robotic process automation (RPA), natural language processing, and computer vision systems are becoming foundational tools rather than experimental pilots. Smaller public companies specializing in these segments can scale rapidly if adoption curves steepen, especially when strategic partnerships, government contracts, or acquisition catalysts align.

Moreover, merger and acquisition activity has become a defining feature of the artificial intelligence landscape. Larger technology firms frequently acquire niche AI developers to strengthen product ecosystems, expand intellectual property portfolios, or accelerate time-to-market. This dynamic introduces an additional speculative layer for investors seeking AI stocks with takeover potential, particularly in the small-cap universe.

The Competitive Edge in the AI Automation Era

The current AI investment cycle is distinct from previous tech booms in one critical way: profitability pathways are clearer. Many of today’s AI small-cap companies are not merely concept-stage startups. They are revenue-generating businesses embedded in real-world applications such as defense analytics, robotic security systems, autonomous inspection platforms, healthcare diagnostics, and AI-powered enterprise software.

In defense and government sectors, AI-driven data analytics and predictive intelligence platforms are being integrated into mission-critical systems. In healthcare, AI algorithms assist in minimally invasive procedures, image recognition, and robotic-assisted surgeries. In logistics, autonomous robotics and smart routing software reduce delivery costs and improve operational efficiency. These are not futuristic concepts; they are commercialized technologies competing for expanding budget allocations.

Veteran financial journalists often point out that markets reward narrative until earnings catch up. The most sustainable rallies, however, occur when narrative and revenue growth converge. The best AI small-cap stocks to buy today are those that combine compelling automation narratives with improving financial metrics such as revenue growth acceleration, narrowing operating losses, strategic capital allocation, and expanding addressable markets.

Investors who closely track market capitalization trends will note that many AI small-cap companies fall within the traditional $50 million to $2 billion range. This segment tends to attract both retail traders seeking high-beta exposure and institutional investors hunting for early-stage growth stories before index inclusion expands liquidity.

Risk, Volatility, and the Asymmetric Opportunity

It would be irresponsible to ignore the risks embedded in AI penny stocks and small-cap AI equities. Volatility remains elevated, particularly among companies still scaling revenue or navigating capital constraints. Share dilution, competitive pressures, regulatory scrutiny, and macroeconomic tightening cycles can all weigh on short-term performance.

However, seasoned market participants understand that asymmetric opportunities often require tolerance for interim turbulence. In the AI sector, technological inflection points can rapidly reshape company trajectories. A single enterprise contract, a regulatory clearance, a breakthrough software deployment, or a strategic partnership can materially alter growth expectations.

What distinguishes this moment in the artificial intelligence investment cycle is the convergence of hardware, software, cloud computing, and edge processing. The AI ecosystem is no longer siloed. Robotics platforms integrate computer vision. SaaS companies embed generative AI modules. Data infrastructure providers enable machine learning pipelines. This layered architecture creates multiple entry points for small-cap innovators to carve out defensible competitive moats.

A New Chapter in the AI Investment Story

The Top 10 Best AI Small-Cap Stocks to Buy are not simply speculative tickers riding a trending keyword. They represent companies participating in one of the most transformative technological shifts of the 21st century. As artificial intelligence adoption expands across enterprise software, cybersecurity, robotics, healthcare technology, and smart infrastructure, the opportunity set continues to broaden.

In a market environment where mega-cap valuations already reflect significant optimism, investors are increasingly scanning the small-cap AI landscape for the next breakout growth story. The companies featured in this list operate in segments ranging from AI-powered analytics and autonomous robotics to enterprise automation platforms and data infrastructure services.

For readers seeking exposure to artificial intelligence stocks, AI growth stocks, robotics automation leaders, and emerging small-cap opportunities, this ranking explores which companies combine innovation potential with scalable business models. In a sector defined by rapid technological advancement and relentless competition, the winners may not always be the largest names on the exchange. Sometimes, history shows, they begin as the smallest.

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Our Methodology

The rankings for the top 10 cheap AI small-cap stocks to buy now were determined by screening NYSE and NASDAQ listed companies with primary exposure to artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics automation, or AI-driven software, then weighting them based on market capitalization within the small-cap range, current share price positioning, revenue growth trajectory, balance sheet strength, strategic catalysts such as contracts or acquisitions, and overall relevance to high-growth AI industry trends.

Top 10 Cheap AI Small-Cap Stocks to Buy Now

10. Five9 Inc. (NASDAQ:FIVN)

Price per Share: $17.85
Market Cap: $1.396B

Five9, Inc. (NASDAQ: FIVN) ranks 10th in our list of the top 10 cheap AI small-cap stocks to buy now. The company presents a compelling bullish thesis as the cloud contact center software provider transitions from a volatile growth story into a structurally profitable AI-powered enterprise platform trading at a valuation that appears disconnected from its improving fundamentals. Despite the stock’s steep 57% decline over the past year and its retreat from a 52-week high of $42.66 to the $17–$18 range, Five9 stock is beginning to show signs of operational inflection, underpinned by accelerating enterprise AI adoption, expanding recurring revenue, and widening margins. The company’s fourth-quarter 2025 results delivered record revenue of $300.3 million, up 8% year-over-year, with subscription revenue growing 12%, while enterprise AI revenue surged roughly 50% year-over-year as AI bookings more than doubled, pushing its AI portfolio to $100 million in annual recurring revenue. Adjusted EPS of $0.80 beat expectations, adjusted EBITDA margin expanded to 26%, and full-year revenue climbed 10% to approximately $1.2 billion, marking the first full year of positive net income at $39.4 million after years of losses, a structural shift that materially strengthens the long-term investment case for this AI growth stock.

What differentiates Five9 in the artificial intelligence stock landscape is its cloud-native Virtual Contact Center platform, which replaces legacy on-premise systems with scalable, AI-enhanced software supporting omnichannel customer engagement across voice, chat, email, and digital channels. As enterprises accelerate digital transformation and integrate generative AI, machine learning, and automation into customer experience workflows, Five9’s AI-driven analytics, workforce optimization tools, and intelligent virtual agents position the company at the intersection of cloud computing and enterprise AI software. Management’s fiscal 2026 guidance for revenue of $1.25 billion to $1.26 billion and non-GAAP EPS of $3.15 to $3.21 reinforces confidence in sustained top-line expansion and profitability leverage, while analysts project double-digit EPS growth into 2027. Trading at roughly 14.2x forward earnings, below the sector median for AI software stocks, FIVN appears undervalued relative to its improving margin profile and recurring revenue visibility.

Wall Street sentiment reflects this asymmetry. Northland Capital Markets’ Street-high $47 price target implies triple-digit upside from current levels and underscores the view that concerns about AI disruption undermining contact center economics may be overstated; instead, AI is becoming a revenue accelerator for Five9. Even as firms like RBC Capital and Cantor Fitzgerald trimmed price targets amid broader software multiple compression, they maintained constructive ratings, citing strengthening AI traction and better-than-expected quarterly performance. With a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and an average price target suggesting substantial upside, Five9 stands out among AI small-cap stocks as a cloud contact center leader that has absorbed sector volatility, proven its AI monetization strategy, and now trades at a valuation that could re-rate meaningfully if enterprise AI demand continues to compound.

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Disclosure: No material interests to disclose. This article was originally published on Global Market Bulletin.