The U.S. stock market ended 2024 on a high note, with the benchmark S&P 500 index up by 23.3%. That came on the heels of its 24.2% rise in 2023, so overall, the S&P was up by 53.2% since 2022 -- one of its best two-year stretches of the 21st century.

Artificial intelligence continued to be a driving force behind stock market returns in 2024. Here are some of the stocks that have benefited the most.

Rather than focusing on quarterly earnings beats or temporary market sentiment, my investment strategy centers on identifying companies that can compound value over many years or even decades. While many view the current AI boom skeptically,