Been thinking about this a lot lately - if you're hunting for the best artificial intelligence company that could actually rival Apple's dominance, the options are getting pretty interesting.

Apple's still sitting at nearly $3 trillion in market cap, which is absolutely wild. But here's the thing that's caught my attention: Microsoft's basically breathing down their neck at $2.8 trillion, and honestly, I think it's only a matter of time before they take the top spot.

Why? Because Microsoft's positioned differently in this AI wave. Their Azure cloud platform has become the go-to infrastructure for companies building and scaling AI applications. Think about it - they've got Office, Windows, gaming, cybersecurity, and now AI running through almost every part of their business. The software-first approach combined with their AI leadership makes them arguably the best artificial intelligence company positioned for sustained growth right now. Apple's going to keep printing money with iPhones and services, but unless they drop something genuinely revolutionary, Microsoft's momentum looks unstoppable over the next five years.

But here's where it gets really interesting for growth investors like me. There's another play that's way smaller but potentially way more explosive. CrowdStrike is sitting at around $57 billion market cap, so obviously not competing with Apple anytime soon. But the cybersecurity angle is fascinating.

Their AI-powered platform is exactly what businesses need as threats get more sophisticated. Generative AI is making cyber attacks smarter, and CrowdStrike's adaptive security tools are built for that arms race. Last quarter they posted 35% revenue growth hitting $786 million, and earnings per share jumped 105% year-over-year. That's the kind of growth trajectory that can create massive wealth for patient investors.

What I'm really watching is the long-term demand picture. As AI becomes more embedded in everything, the need for best-in-class cybersecurity becomes non-negotiable. CrowdStrike's already a large-cap company, but they're still growing like a mid-cap. That gap is where the real opportunity sits.

So if you're comparing these plays: Microsoft's the safer bet to eventually dethrone Apple as the world's most valuable company, and their AI integration across their entire ecosystem is genuinely impressive. But if you're willing to accept more volatility for potentially higher returns, CrowdStrike's positioned to be a monster winner. The cybersecurity specialist's got the best artificial intelligence company positioning in their specific market, and that focus could deliver outsized gains.

Personally, I'm watching both closely. Microsoft's the more obvious choice for most portfolios, but CrowdStrike's the one that could deliver those life-changing returns if the AI-powered security thesis plays out the way I think it will. Either way, the AI narrative isn't slowing down, and these are two of the best plays to gain exposure to it.