Revenge of the Plumbers, Carpenters, Tile Layers and Welders. And a Red Flag Alert Update

While everybody is looking here, there's a case to be made that there has never been a better time to look there...

The "here," of course, is artificial intelligence ("AI"), Wall Street's newest sex symbol, which is little more than a black hole of speculation.

If I had to put a bet on who will be the winner from the current crop of "pioneers," I'd say either Microsoft (MSFT) or Alphabet's (GOOGL) Google.

I give Microsoft the edge in part because of its investment in OpenAI, which gives it access to the emerging companies OpenAI is investing in. (That's one reason I added it to the Empire Real Wealth portfolio back in February.)

But let's be real here...

If we've learned anything with technology, it's that first-mover advantage, while a plus, guarantees nothing.

That's especially true with something like AI, which is moving so quickly. Search for "top AI companies" and you'll find dozens and dozens of dot-ai businesses you've never heard of... But you just know they're on every investment b…