Palantir Vs. OpenAI: The AI Underdog That Might Be The Smarter Bet

OpenAI grabs headlines with a staggering $500 billion private valuation, but Palantir Technologies Inc. (NYSE:PLTR) offers investors a tangible, revenue-backed way to play the AI boom — albeit at lofty multiples. Track PLTR stock here. While OpenAI projects $13 billion in current-year revenue and roughly 3x growth, it remains private and inaccessible to most investors. Palantir, by contrast, is public, generating $4.16 billion in sales at 45% growth, with enterprise and government clients already using its AI-driven platforms. That combination of real revenue, recurring contracts, and public accessibility gives Palantir a concrete presence in AI — though its stock currently trades at high valuation multiples, reflecting market expectations for continued AI dominance.Read Also: PayPal’s Quiet AI Comeback — Could It Be Powering OpenAI’s Shopping Push?Revenue Vs. Hype: Why Public MattersOpenAI dominates conversations, but Palantir converts AI buzz into contracts. Its Foundry and AIP platforms leverage proprietary enterprise and government data, creating a defensible AI moat. Yet investors should note that much of the excitement is already priced in, and the stock's current multiples (605.03) leave little room for error.Growth That's Visible, Not Just ValuationPalantir's 45% growth may lag OpenAI's projected 3x, but it comes with transparency. Public filings reveal recurring revenue and cash flow, allowing investors to measure AI exposure. Still, the combination of high valuation and ambitious growth expectations means gains may be tempered if growth slows or contracts don't expand as expected.The Underdog Case — With A CautionIn the AI arms race, hype dominates headlines. Palantir is the underdog in terms of public awareness, offering real-world AI adoption and monetization that investors can access. But with sky-high multiples reflecting lofty expectations, it's a stock that rewards precision and patience — not blind optimism. For those weighing AI exposure, Palantir is a revenue-backed, publicly tradable option — but the cautionary note on valuation makes it a smart, measured bet rather than a no-brainer winner. Rigetti Could Be Palantir 2.0 — Quantum’s Defense-First Disruptor Image: Shutterstock