ChatGPT picks 2 Berkshire stocks to buy after Warren Buffett’s exit

Warren Buffett’s long-anticipated exit from the chief executive role at Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.B) is now imminent, marking the end of an era.

The 95-year-old investor is handing over day-to-day leadership to Greg Abel, who will take over as chief executive in January 2026, while Buffett remains chairman.

Despite the carefully planned succession, Buffett’s departure is likely to reignite investor anxiety around Berkshire Hathaway’s future. Markets have long priced in a so-called “Buffett premium,” reflecting confidence not just in the conglomerate’s assets but also in Buffett’s judgment and reputation.

With that influence fading, investors are increasingly questioning which Berkshire-linked stocks can stand on their own merits in a post-Buffett era. 

To this end, Finbold opted for insights from OpenAI’s artificial intelligence (AI) model, ChatGPT, to select two stocks owned by Buffett that may be worth investing in after his exit.

Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL)

Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) is Berkshire Hathaway’s largest equity holding and one of the most influential positions Buffett built over the past decade. Apple’s appeal extends beyond its association with Berkshire.

The company generates vast and recurring cash flows, supported by a deeply entrenched global ecosystem that spans hardware, software, and services. Its ability to consistently return capital through buybacks and dividends gives it characteristics that more closely resemble a consumer staple than a traditional technology company. 

While Berkshire has trimmed its Apple stake at times, the position remains central to the portfolio, highlighting confidence in Apple’s long-term earnings durability regardless of leadership changes at Berkshire.

Indeed, the American technology giant is backed by strong fundamentals. Apple reported record third-quarter 2025 revenue of $94 billion, with iPhone sales rising 13% year over year and services revenue, a high-margin component of the business, reaching a new high of $27.4 billion.

In 2025, AAPL shares have rallied more than 12% year-to-date, trading at $273 as of press time.

Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG)

ChatGPT also selected Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG), noting that the stock is a relatively new but rapidly growing position in Berkshire’s portfolio that highlights a shift toward scalable technology exposure.

Alphabet recently delivered its first quarter with more than $100 billion in revenue, driven by double-digit growth across core search advertising, YouTube, and especially Google Cloud, which recorded a 34% year-over-year increase to $15.2 billion.

Alphabet’s profit performance also strengthened, with net income rising sharply and margins expanding as AI-driven products gain traction.

The company has committed substantial capital expenditures, projected at up to $93 billion in 2025, to build out data-center infrastructure and AI platforms, reflecting confidence in future enterprise demand.

At the same time, Alphabet’s advertising business continues to benefit from rising ad spend, while its cloud and AI segments position the company for sustained long-term growth.

By press time, GOOGL stock was trading at $314, up 65% year-to-date.

In summary, according to ChatGPT’s assessment, both companies demonstrate how Berkshire’s investment philosophy extends beyond a single individual.

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