Top 7 ASX AI stocks to watch in 2026

These seven ASX technology companies sit across different parts of the AI stack. BrainChip Holdings ($BRN) designs a neuromorphic processor aimed at low-power AI processing at the edge. Appen ($APX) supplies and annotates the training data that machine learning models rely on. The others include logistics and business software providers, along with data centre and network operators that handle the infrastructure AI workloads depend on.

How we built this list: We selected these companies based on their industry. Prices are updated daily, and the list and supporting content are reviewed roughly every quarter. All data is sourced from Stake. This list isn't a recommendation and isn't ordered by suitability.

Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Source: Stake market data. Figures in A$. Data updated as of 10 August 2026.

Looking to invest in ASX AI stocks?

Sign up in minutes and get access to a CHESS-sponsored platform, where you can explore ASX AI stocks and more.

Open an account

1. BrainChip Holdings ($BRN)

BrainChip Holdings (BRN) share price over the last year: started at A$0.20, ended at A$0.14, a change of −32.5%. Range over the period: high A$0.25, low A$0.12. Source: Stake market data. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Price: $0.14 · Daily: 0.0% · Market cap: $307.2M · Sector: Technology · Industry: Software & IT

BrainChip Holdings ($BRN) builds its business around a single chip: the Akida Neuromorphic Processor. Akida is designed to work more like a biological brain than a conventional processor. Rather than crunching through a continuous data stream, it aims to process only the sensor inputs that matter at the moment they arrive. That approach is intended to cut power consumption for AI running directly on devices, across applications from vision and audio to olfactory and smart transducer sensing.

$BRN pairs Akida with a development toolkit built around its MetaTF software environment, giving engineers a way to build edge AI solutions on-device. CEO Sean Hehir leads a team of 71 people.

2. Appen ($APX)

Appen (APX) share price over the last year: started at A$0.91, ended at A$1.40, a change of +54.7%. Range over the period: high A$1.90, low A$0.65. Source: Stake market data. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Price: $1.40 · Daily: -1.1% · Market cap: $380.0M · Sector: Technology · Industry: Software & IT

Appen Limited ($APX) prepares and annotates training data for deep learning and generative AI systems – the structured, labelled datasets that AI models require to learn. The Global Services segment handles that work for U.S. technology customers using those customers' own annotation platforms and tools. $APX serves industries including technology, automotive, financial services, healthcare, retail and government.

New Markets is built around $APX's own annotation platform, which customers and internal teams use to design, run and manage annotation tasks. That segment also covers enterprise, government and China business units, plus Quadrant – a geolocation and point-of-interest data capability. CEO Ryan Kolln leads the company's 1,142 employees.

3. WiseTech Global Limited ($WTC)

WiseTech Global Limited (WTC) share price over the last year: started at A$115.85, ended at A$41.05, a change of −64.6%. Range over the period: high A$115.96, low A$28.76. Source: Stake market data. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Price: $41.05 · Daily: 0.2% · Market cap: $13.78B · Sector: Technology · Industry: Software & IT

The logistics execution industry runs its operations through software, and WiseTech Global Limited ($WTC) builds that software. Its flagship CargoWise platform is designed to let freight forwarders, brokers and other logistics providers run their entire business from a single global database – handling multiple offices, currencies, languages and corporate structures at once.

Around 22,000 logistics companies in 193 countries use the platform. $WTC delivers CargoWise through the cloud, with data centres in Australia, Europe and the United States. Customers pay based on usage rather than a fixed licence. CEO Zubin Appoo leads a team of 3,600 people.

4. Xero Limited ($XRO)

Xero Limited (XRO) share price over the last year: started at A$176.54, ended at A$77.75, a change of −56.0%. Range over the period: high A$176.54, low A$61.58. Source: Stake market data. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Price: $77.75 · Daily: 1.6% · Market cap: $13.27B · Sector: Technology · Industry: Software & IT

Xero Limited ($XRO) sits at the accounting and payroll end of the AI stack, embedding automation into the everyday admin that small businesses deal with. Its platform connects customers with their data, their apps, and their accountant or bookkeeper – handling tasks that would otherwise eat up hours of manual work.

The AI angle is most visible through Syft, one of $XRO's brands, which is built as an AI-first financial reporting and analytics tool. Other brands fill out the platform: Hubdoc pulls bills and receipts into one place, Planday handles workforce scheduling and payroll across Europe, TaxCycle covers Canadian income tax preparation for accountants, and Tickstar handles e-invoicing for cross-border transactions.

Under CEO Sukhinder Cassidy, $XRO employs around 5,114 people globally. The business earns its revenue from subscription fees paid by small businesses and their advisers rather than from advertising or transaction volumes.

5. NEXTDC Limited ($NXT)

NEXTDC Limited (NXT) share price over the last year: started at A$14.36, ended at A$14.40, a change of +0.3%. Range over the period: high A$17.71, low A$11.08. Source: Stake market data. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Price: $14.40 · Daily: 0.8% · Market cap: $10.94B · Sector: Technology · Industry: Software & IT

NEXTDC Limited ($NXT) builds and operates data centres across Australia, renting out floor space, power and cooling to businesses that want to house their own servers and networking equipment. That model – colocation – puts $NXT at the centre of an ecosystem of fewer than 750 cloud platforms, networks and IT service providers that its customers can connect to. The company's facilities carry Tier III and Tier IV uptime and redundancy certifications, and it targets 5-star ratings under NABERS, the National Australian Built Environment Rating System, for energy efficiency.

6. Megaport Limited ($MP1)

Megaport Limited (MP1) share price over the last year: started at A$14.67, ended at A$19.92, a change of +35.8%. Range over the period: high A$21.58, low A$6.48. Source: Stake market data. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Price: $19.92 · Daily: -1.3% · Market cap: $4.70B · Sector: Technology · Industry: Software & IT

Megaport Limited ($MP1) sits at the network layer of the cloud economy, running a software-defined network that lets businesses connect their infrastructure to cloud providers, data centres and other services on demand. Where traditional networking involves physical hardware and long lead times, $MP1's platform provisions connections – called Virtual Cross Connects – in roughly 60 seconds through a web portal or open API.

Products like the Megaport Cloud Router handle virtual routing between clouds, while Firewall as a Service and NAT Gateway add security and traffic management on the same platform. As AI workloads increasingly depend on fast, flexible connectivity between distributed compute and storage environments, that kind of programmable network fabric becomes more central to how those workloads actually run.

7. Macquarie Technology Group Limited ($MAQ)

Macquarie Technology Group Limited (MAQ) share price over the last year: started at A$70.04, ended at A$61.75, a change of −11.8%. Range over the period: high A$78.30, low A$58.00. Source: Stake market data. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Price: $61.75 · Daily: -1.1% · Market cap: $1.59B · Sector: Technology · Industry: Software & IT

Datacentres, cloud hosting and cybersecurity sit at the core of what Macquarie Technology Group Limited ($MAQ) does, with the company serving corporate and government customers across Australia. Its Cloud Services and Government segment covers colocation, public and private cloud, and cybersecurity. A separate Data Centres segment handles wholesale hosting capacity, while the Telecom arm provides voice and mobile services over $MAQ's own data network. CEO David Tudehope leads a team of 449 people.

Common questions

How do I invest in ASX AI stocks in Australia?

All seven companies in this list trade on the ASX, so you can buy shares in any of them through a share trading platform using each company's ASX ticker. The process works like any ASX trade – you search the ticker, enter an order, and it settles through CHESS, the ASX's standard share clearing and settlement system. If you'd rather hold a basket of technology names instead of picking individual stocks, ASX-listed ETFs focused on Australian or global technology themes are another route.

What are the key risks of ASX AI stocks?

Growth-oriented technology companies tend to be sensitive to changes in interest rates, because their valuations often lean on expectations of future earnings rather than current profits. Company-specific execution risk matters too – whether a product gains commercial traction, how quickly a customer base scales, and how effectively a company competes against larger global players all shape outcomes. Several companies here also earn meaningful revenue in foreign currencies, so movements in the AUD against those currencies can affect their reported results. For smaller or earlier-stage names, there's additional uncertainty around the path to profitability.

How do the companies here fit into the AI ecosystem?

The list covers companies at different layers of the AI ecosystem rather than a single category of AI business. Some develop AI-specific hardware or supply the data annotation services that training AI models depends on. Others embed AI features into existing software products – logistics execution platforms and small business accounting tools are two examples here. A third group provides the physical and network infrastructure that AI workloads run on, including data centres and cloud connectivity. The revenue drivers and risks differ meaningfully between these layers.

Disclaimer

Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. When you invest, your capital is at risk. You should consider your own investment objectives, financial situation, and particular needs before making an investment decision. The value of your investments can go down as well as up and you may receive back less than your original investment. As always, do your own research and consider seeking appropriate financial advice before investing.

This is not personal financial advice nor a recommendation to invest in the securities listed. Any advice provided by Stake is of general nature only and does not take into account your specific circumstances. Trading and volume data from the Stake investing platform is for reference purposes only, the investment choices of others may not be appropriate for your needs and is not a reliable indicator of performance.

Please refer to hellostake.com/pricing for the fees that apply. When you trade securities priced in another currency, currency conversion fees may apply and movements in the exchange rate may affect your returns.

Stake Desk

The freshest market insights

This article combines AI and human review from our analysts to bring you accurate, informative investing content at speed. For questions or suggestions, contact stakedesk@stake.com.au.