AI must prove revenue beyond cost cuts by 2027, Paul Meeks says—CNBC interview

Freedom Capital Markets tech analyst Paul Meeks warned that AI firms will need to show real, standalone revenue-generating use cases — not just cost savings or feature add-ons — by 2027. He stays patient with the current AI build-out but says investor expectations will shift toward monetization evidence. Meeks flagged Apple as an example that must deliver major standalone AI products, and called ServiceNow (NOW) a well-managed, attractive contrarian opportunity after recent software weakness. The commentary could sharpen investor focus on near-term monetization risks for AI-exposed names (including semiconductor leaders like NVIDIA) and influence relative positioning across large-cap tech stocks.