Barclays names 15 AI-ready software firms including Salesforce

Barclays released a new report on Tuesday that names 15 software companies best positioned to survive the AI boom. The list, published on the bank’s research portal, ranks firms by their AI integration, data infrastructure and revenue resilience. The companies range from cloud‑service giants to niche SaaS providers, all of whom have already begun monetising generative‑AI tools.

The move comes as the tech sector braces for a wave of AI‑driven disruption. Last year, AI adoption surged, with 60 % of enterprise software firms investing in internal AI labs. Many smaller vendors risk losing market share if they cannot keep pace. Barclays says that firms scoring high on AI readiness are more likely to retain customers, cut costs and unlock new revenue streams. The report is part of the bank’s broader effort to help investors spot durable winners in a rapidly changing market.

Barclays used a data‑driven framework that combined public filings, analyst estimates and proprietary AI‑readiness scores. The top names include Salesforce, Atlassian, and ServiceNow, all of which have integrated AI into core products and shown double‑digit growth in AI‑related revenue last quarter. The report also highlights companies like Twilio and Elastic, which have built flexible APIs that can be quickly updated with new AI capabilities. Investors have reacted positively; several of the highlighted stocks saw a 3‑5 % rise in trading volume after the release. Some CEOs have already announced plans to expand AI teams, citing the Barclays analysis as a benchmark.

Looking ahead, Barclays will publish quarterly updates to track how AI adoption affects financial performance. The report may influence portfolio construction, with asset managers shifting capital toward the identified firms. For the companies themselves, the spotlight could accelerate AI investment and accelerate product development cycles. As AI continues to reshape software, those who can embed it into their core offerings will likely outpace competitors that lag behind.