Two years ago, OpenAI unveiled ChatGPT, showcasing the vast potential of Artificial Intelligence Generated Content (AIGC) to the worldFast forward to today, and AIGC has rapidly permeated various sectors, including digital advertising, online search, translation efficiency enhancement, and the automation of tedious processesThis ongoing AI revolution is accelerating its spread across multiple domains.

In the secondary market, traditional investments in chips are being overshadowed by a burgeoning interest in AI applicationsNotably, the “AI+” stocks on the US stock exchange are witnessing an impressive surge, with AI and voice application stocks climbing nearly 530% this year, and defense-related AI stocks rising over 318%.

Recently, OpenAI held a series of 12 press conferences in just 12 days, potentially expanding the horizons for AI applications even further.

On December 5, multiple AI application stocks in the US stock market reached new highs, with several experiencing significant post-market rallies.

One notable area of growth is AI+Defense, highlighted by Palantir

This particular sector gained attention recently after OpenAI announced a collaboration with Anduril Industries, a defense technology startupHowever, prior to this partnership, the AI+Defense niche had already seen the rise of a notable stock—Palantir, which has made significant strides in the market.

Palantir emerged prominently in the early days of the "AI boom," consistently breaking historical price records and boasting a staggering 318% increase in stock value this yearAnalysts have even dubbed the company as the "Lionel Messi of AI." In September of this year, Palantir was officially included in the S&P 500 index, becoming one of the best-performing stocks within the index and even surpassing the industry giant Nvidia.

As a leader in big data analytics, Palantir epitomizes AI applications, particularly in the context of AI+DefenseThe company primarily serves government and financial institutions, with especially pronounced applications in defense and security

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It's reported that Palantir played a key role in aiding the CIA in the successful operation against Osama bin Laden.

In April 2023, Palantir officially launched its AI Platform (AIP), allowing clients to effectively manage and oversee the training and operational data of large modelsThis launch addressed the stringent data privacy requirements of military, governmental, and commercial clientsWithin military applications, the AIP platform can deliver detailed battlefield intelligence and actionable options for commanders during operations, thereby optimizing decision-making processes and expediting the timeline for decisionsAfter a decision is made, AIP can facilitate command issuance and oversee the entire operational process.

This year, Palantir's performance metrics have consistently exceeded external expectationsIn the third quarter alone, the number of US commercial clients surged by 77% year-over-year, reaching a total of 321. The company indicated that it has seen significant demand from downstream commercial clients.

In the realm of AI+Voice, sound technology company SoundHound AI experienced a remarkable surge on December 5, with stock prices climbing over 30% to reach a two-year high, and the total increase since the beginning of the year now stands at nearly 530%.

SoundHound, originally focusing on AI voice assistants, distinguishes itself with a technology that allows for direct comprehension of spoken language, enhancing speed and accuracy in voice recognition systems

The company has long sought strong revenue-generating fields to apply its products, with one major focus being the restaurant industryPreviously, SoundHound has entered into agreements with several dining establishments, including Chipotle, Jersey Mike's, White Castle, Panda Express, and Church's Texas Chicken.

The recent stock surge was triggered by SoundHound's announcement that its AI-based ordering service has been implemented across all 130 locations of the Mexican food chain, Torchy’s TacosDiners can now place orders by phone through the AI voice system, inquiring about the menu, operating hours, and other relevant informationMoreover, the AI can handle multiple calls simultaneously, significantly improving order processing efficiency.

The evolution of AI applications has now entered a phase where tangible financial results are being realizedWhile various applications—be it AI+Defense, AI+Voice, marketing, e-commerce, gaming, or healthcare—have already taken root, the general perception of AI applications is becoming increasingly sophisticated and diversified

More AI application stocks are demonstrating profitable pathways through their financial reports.

On December 5, stocks from companies such as DocuSign, Asana, and Rubrik all rose significantly in post-market trading, generally around a 20% increase, driven by better-than-expected financial reports.

DocuSign, a global leader in digital signatures, allows users to create and manage agreements on its platform while leveraging AI for contract review, predictive input, and contract status inquiriesTheir latest earnings report revealed a total revenue of $755 million for the quarter ending October 31, marking an 8% increase year-over-year, with four consecutive quarters exceeding analyst expectations; subscription revenue also grew by 8% to $735 millionCEO Allan Thygesen noted that the early momentum of DocuSign’s Intelligent Agreement Management (IAM) platform has surpassed expectations in the third fiscal quarter.

Asana, an enterprise work management platform serving over 150,000 businesses globally, reported in its third-quarter report for the 2025 fiscal year a revenue of $184 million, a 10% increase year-over-year, with each share reflecting a loss of $0.02, both figures surpassing market predictions

The number of core customers, those spending $5,000 or more annually, grew by 11%, with clients exceeding $100,000 in spending increasing by 18%.

Furthermore, Asana adjusted its revenue projection upward for the entire fiscal year 2025 while reducing the forecasted losses, also introducing AI Studio, signifying its evolution into a multi-product company.

Rubrik, a data security software vendor, recently launched a new API service named Annapurna, designed to assist organizations in building secure generative AI applications on Amazon Bedrock.

In its latest earnings report for the third fiscal quarter ending October 31, Rubrik revealed revenue of $236 million, reflecting a 43% increase that exceeded analyst expectations, with adjusted losses per share of $0.21, also better than anticipatedThe forward-looking performance outlook for the fourth quarter and the full year appeared promising as well, showing positive prospects driven by an increase in subscriptions, with a 38% year-over-year rise to $221.5 million, including 2,085 clients with annual recurring revenue over $100,000, up 32% year-over-year.

Significantly, once-forwarding stocks such as Fastly, Elastic, and Snowflake also reported outstanding performances

Analysts suggest that the performance of software stocks this quarter might indicate that AI application companies are gradually entering a phase of realizing incremental performance due to AI, hence, it's advisable to continue following the commercialization progress of AI.

ARK Invest’s CEO Cathie Wood stated that software stocks are poised to become the next major opportunity in AI, asserting that for every dollar these companies spend on chips from suppliers like Nvidia, they yield eight dollars in returns.

Additionally, renowned Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives echoed a similar sentiment, emphasizing that AI is becoming a key driver in the software sectorThe entire software industry is embracing the AI wave, and as the usage scenarios proliferate, it's anticipated that businesses will embark on large-scale AI applications beginning in 2025. The widespread deployment of large models and the rise of AIGC will be critical catalysts for growth in the software sector.

It is fair to assert that the era of artificial intelligence software is upon us.