This lesser-known AI software firm could emerge as the dark horse winner of the next AI mega-cycle starting in 2026 | The Motley Fool
UiPath stock remains affordable, and its revenue growth is finally picking up speed.
In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has dominated the stock market narrative. The early winners largely came from data-center infrastructure, including chipmakers like Nvidia and cloud players such as Microsoft. In private markets, prominent AI developers like OpenAI also stand out.
As we head into 2026, a new AI supercycle may be unfolding. The initial phase focused on generative AI, with players such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Anthropic’s Claude, and Alphabet’s Gemini, alongside AI copilots like Microsoft’s Copilots.
The upcoming phase centers on agentic AI, where AI-powered agents autonomously carry out tasks without human intervention. While generative chatbots can help you plan a trip, AI agents could book your flights, hotels, and activities on your behalf.
Within the business world, AI agents can function as virtual employees. They might handle customer support and billing inquiries, process refunds, and assist with human resources tasks like approving time-off requests. They can also write code, interface with other companies, and support activities such as supply chain management.
Many firms are racing to capitalize on the AI agent opportunity. A surge of prebuilt agents exists, along with tools that let organizations create customized AI agents using no-code and low-code platforms.
This proliferation creates a crowded market of AI agents from numerous vendors. This is where UiPath (PATH) enters the conversation and why it could be the unexpected standout in the next AI cycle.
An AI orchestration pioneer
As more AI agents are developed across diverse platforms, organizations need a way to manage the entire ecosystem. UiPath’s Maestro platform is designed to do exactly that. Customers can still build their own AI agents using Maestro’s built-in no-code and low-code capabilities, but the platform also coordinates agents from third-party providers.
Maestro isn’t limited to agent orchestration, though. UiPath originally built its reputation in robotic process automation (RPA), a field that uses software bots to handle routine, rule-based tasks such as order processing or account reconciliation.
That RPA heritage gives UiPath a strategic edge in AI agent orchestration. RPA systems bring governance frameworks, a track record of supervising thousands of software robots, and integration experience with a wide range of enterprise systems.
Today’s landscape
-3.38%
Current price: $17.42
Even with the rise of AI agents, RPA remains relevant for businesses. AI agents are more capable, handling more complex duties, but they’re not always necessary for simple tasks. UiPath’s Maestro can orchestrate both AI agents and software bots, assigning each task to the most suitable tool. This efficiency translates into cost savings for customers, which is a strong selling point.
Management recently forged partnerships with several leading AI players. For instance, it will integrate Google Gemini models to enable voice control within the platform, and it will incorporate Nvidia’s Nemotron models and NIM microservices to manage on-premises agents for regulated industries like healthcare.
One standout collaboration is with Snowflake, a data-warehousing company. This partnership enables real-time insights and data-driven automation using a customer’s data stored in Snowflake’s environment.
Is now the time to buy UiPath stock?
UiPath is only beginning its journey in AI orchestration, aiming to position itself as the Swiss Army knife of enterprise AI agents. Its mission is to prevent vendor lock-in in a rapidly evolving landscape while helping customers reduce costs by leveraging more affordable software bots. The company has already shown accelerating revenue growth and holds a substantial growth runway ahead.
The stock remains attractively valued, with a price-to-sales multiple under 6. If revenue growth continues to rise, UiPath could very well emerge as the next major winner in the 2026 AI cycle.
