How Alphabet Slipped Ahead In The AI Race

Posted on 05/19/2026
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18 months ago, Google looked like it had missed the AI revolution. Now, Alphabet's stock is up 140% over the past year and Wall Street is betting it's one of the few companies positioned to profit from every layer of the generative AI boom. From Gemini to Google Cloud to its custom TPU chips, the company controls more of the AI stack than almost any of its rivals. This week's Google I/O is the next big test — investors want to see whether that confidence is backed by a real product roadmap. CNBC's MacKenzie Sigalos explains how Alphabet became the AI race’s unlikely frontrunner.

Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
2:40 Chapter 1 - Google’s AI comeback
4:55 Chapter 2 - Monetizing AI
9:29 Chapter 3 - Google’s AI future

Reporter: MacKenzie Sigalos
Produced and Edited by: Andrew Evers
Additional Editing: Matt Soto
Senior Director of Video: Jeniece Pettitt
Animations: Jason Reginato, Christina Locopo, Emily Park
Additional Footage: Getty Images, Google

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How Google Quietly Became An AI Powerhouse