Alphabet Inc. has emerged as the clear leader of the "Magnificent 7" conglomerates, with shares skyrocketing 80% over the past twelve months as of March 4, 2026. This meteoric rise is attributed to the successful rollout of the Gemini 3 model series and a strategic alliance with Broadcom. The market has shifted its focus from "who has the most GPUs" to Alphabet's ability to deliver high-level intelligence at a lower cost through vertical integration.
The debut of "Deep Think" mode in Gemini 3 Pro has allowed Alphabet to reclaim its title as the premier AI research entity. By outperforming rivals on reasoning-heavy benchmarks, Google has successfully integrated these capabilities into Search, Workspace, and Cloud. This technical superiority has silenced earlier criticisms that the company was an "AI laggard" compared to more nimble startups.
Alphabet’s capital expenditure guidance for 2026 has been set at a staggering $180 billion, nearly double the previous year's budget. CFO Anat Ashkenazi emphasized that this investment is focused primarily on AI infrastructure, including the "Project Ironwood" seventh-generation TPUs. This massive spend is supported by Google Cloud’s robust 48% revenue growth and a 30% operating margin, proving the profitability of their AI stack.
Beyond software, Waymo’s autonomous driving service is set for a massive expansion, with plans to enter 25 additional cities over the next two years. The integration of Gemini’s multimodal capabilities into Waymo’s "Driver" has enhanced the vehicle's ability to navigate complex, unpredictable urban environments. This diversification into physical AI services provides Alphabet with a unique revenue stream that software-only competitors lack.
As Alphabet nears a $4 trillion market capitalization, investor sentiment remains overwhelmingly bullish. The company’s "innovation flywheel" is spinning faster than ever, delivering updates to consumers and enterprises at a weekly cadence. By controlling the full stack—from the silicon in the server to the interface on the smartphone—Alphabet has secured a level of "AI Sovereignty" that rivals find difficult to replicate.
SUMMARY
Alphabet shares gain 80% year-over-year, leading the tech conglomerate sector in 2026.
2026 CapEx guidance raised to $180 billion to fund massive AI infrastructure growth.
Gemini 3 Pro's "Deep Think" mode establishes new industry benchmarks for AI reasoning.
Waymo autonomous driving services to expand to 25 more cities across the US.
Strategic partnership with Broadcom breaks dependence on third-party GPU hardware.
HISTORY
Alphabet's recent history is defined by its transition from a "Search-first" to an "AI-first" company under Sundar Pichai’s long-term vision. Throughout 2024, the company faced significant pressure to prove its AI capabilities following the launch of ChatGPT. The consolidation of Google Brain and DeepMind into "Google DeepMind" in 2023 was the catalyst for the rapid development cycles seen in 2025 and 2026.
2023: Google Brain and DeepMind merge to accelerate internal AI research and development.
2024: Launch of the Gemini 1.5 Pro model with a record-breaking 1-million-token context window.
2025: Introduction of Gemini 2.0, which integrated native multimodal capabilities across all apps.
Nov 2025: Gemini 3 Pro released, featuring the revolutionary "Deep Think" reasoning architecture.
Feb 2026: Waymo reaches the milestone of 100,000 paid autonomous trips per week in Phoenix and LA.