2026 Career Growth Strategies: Skills Over Degrees Emphasized by Industry Leaders
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jan 16 2026
0mins
Should l Buy AI?
Source: Coinmarketcap
- Skills Priority: Industry leaders emphasize that career growth in 2026 will rely more on relevant skills and adaptability rather than degrees and job titles, highlighting the importance of continuous learning in a rapidly changing market.
- Market Opportunities: Sophia Sankey notes that despite high youth unemployment in Nigeria, fields like tech sales and digital transformation still offer fast career advancement opportunities, encouraging young people to enhance their competitiveness through internships and lifelong learning.
- Visibility and Learning: Elizabeth Ogunseye stresses that early-career professionals should proactively showcase their work and create quarterly learning plans to maintain visibility and expertise in a competitive market.
- Influence and Value Creation: Ibukun Onitiju advises professionals to focus on creating real value rather than job titles, emphasizing the importance of understanding decision-making processes and building a personal brand in complex markets.
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Analyst Views on AI
Wall Street analysts forecast AI stock price to rise
13 Analyst Rating
4 Buy
6 Hold
3 Sell
Hold
Current: 9.160
Low
18.00
Averages
30.45
High
50.00
Current: 9.160
Low
18.00
Averages
30.45
High
50.00
About AI
C3.ai, Inc. is an enterprise artificial intelligence (AI) application software company. The Company has built a solution that enables its customers to rapidly develop, deploy, and operate enterprise AI applications. It offers families of software solutions, which it collectively refers to as its C3 AI software: The C3 AI Platform, C3 AI Applications, and C3 Generative AI. The C3 AI Platform, its core technology, is a comprehensive, end-to-end application development and runtime environment that is designed to allow its customers to rapidly design, develop, and deploy Enterprise AI applications of any type. Its C3 AI Applications, built using the C3 AI Platform, is a portfolio of pre-built, extensible, industry-specific, and application-specific software-as-a-service offerings (SaaS) Enterprise AI applications that can be rapidly installed and deployed. Its C3 Generative AI combines the utility of large language models, generative AI, reinforcement learning, natural language processing.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Software Stocks Face Market Repricing
- Market Overreaction: As of April 27, Atlassian's stock has dropped 58% over the past six months, C3.ai down 52%, and SoundHound AI down 55%, indicating an excessive market reaction to perceived threats from AI platforms, prompting investors to flee.
- Impact of AI on Software Industry: The prevailing belief is that generative AI will commoditize the software industry, putting SaaS companies at risk of obsolescence; however, this perspective overlooks the ongoing investments in competitive advantages by these firms.
- Corporate Response Strategies: Atlassian is integrating AI into its Jira and Confluence tools to enhance project management and collaboration, while C3.ai focuses on helping enterprises deploy AI, underscoring its significance in the AI infrastructure landscape.
- Market Opportunities: Despite the bearish sentiment, these software companies are now trading at half their previous valuations, presenting an opportunity for investors to reassess these quality SaaS stocks, particularly SoundHound AI, as a potential investment opportunity.
See More
Market Reaction to Software Stocks Plummeting
- Software Stock Decline: As of April 27, Atlassian's stock has dropped 58% over six months, C3.ai down 52%, and SoundHound AI down 55%, reflecting market fears that all-in-one AI platforms will render traditional software obsolete.
- Market Overreaction: While the consensus suggests generative AI will commoditize the software industry, analysts argue this perspective is overly pessimistic, as the fundamentals of these companies remain intact, with current stock prices reflecting shifts in market sentiment rather than actual declines in business value.
- Investor Fund Rotation: Amidst the allure of AI infrastructure, Micron Technology and Intel saw stock gains of 154% and 130% respectively, while SaaS valuations plummeted, indicating investor anxiety over potential threats from AI.
- Value Investment Opportunity: Despite the market's pessimism towards these software companies, this situation presents investors with a chance to acquire high-quality SaaS stocks at discounted prices, with analysts recommending a reassessment of these undervalued growth stories.
See More
Atrium to Release Q1 2026 Financial Results
- Earnings Release Schedule: Atrium Mortgage Investment Corporation will release its financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2026, after market close on May 7, 2026, reflecting the company's commitment to transparency and information disclosure.
- Conference Call Invitation: Management will hold a conference call on May 8, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. ET to discuss the financial results, providing an opportunity for investor engagement and enhancing shareholder participation.
- Dividend Reinvestment Plan: Atrium's Dividend Reinvestment Plan allows shareholders to automatically reinvest dividends at a 2% discount to market price, promoting long-term investment growth and demonstrating the company's focus on shareholder interests.
- Non-Bank Lender Positioning: As a non-bank lender specializing in residential and commercial mortgages in major Canadian urban centers, Atrium aims to deliver stable dividends through conservative lending practices, ensuring the safety of shareholder capital.
See More
C3.ai Shares Drop After Executive Stock Sale Amid Weak Financials
- Executive Sell-off Impact: C3.ai's Executive Chairman Thomas M. Siebel sold over $4.1 million in company stock on April 13 and 14, leading to a 1.8% drop in share price during the afternoon session, which heightened investor concerns regarding the company's weak financial performance.
- Declining Financial Performance: The company reported a staggering 46% revenue decline to $53.3 million for its fiscal third quarter, missing its own projections, and subsequently lowered its fiscal year 2026 revenue guidance by approximately $51 million, indicating a troubling 36% negative growth rate attributed to poor sales execution.
- Deteriorating Cash Flow: C3.ai reported a negative free cash flow of $56.2 million and forecasted a 54% year-over-year revenue decline for the fourth quarter, which deepened worries about its financial stability and significantly impacted investor confidence in the company's future.
- Increased Market Volatility: C3.ai's shares have dropped 32.7% since the beginning of the year, currently trading at $9.26 per share, which is 68.3% below its 52-week high of $29.16, reflecting a pessimistic sentiment in the market regarding its future prospects.
See More
Analysts Bullish on Nebius and Linde's Future Prospects
- Nebius Group Potential: Nebius Group (NBIS), focusing on AI cloud infrastructure, recently secured a $2 billion investment from Nvidia and a $27 billion contract with Meta, projecting future revenues nearing $50 billion, indicating strong market demand and growth potential.
- Linde's Strategic Advantage: Linde (LIN) holds enough helium reserves to cover six months of global demand amid tightening supply, expected to leverage this advantage to enhance pricing power in the semiconductor sector, thereby expanding profit margins.
- C3.ai's Challenges: C3.ai (AI) faces significant declines with shares down over 55% year-to-date, and management has lowered fiscal 2026 guidance, reflecting execution issues and deteriorating cash flow, leading analysts to generally assign sell ratings.
- Market Response and Outlook: Despite C3.ai's struggles, the strong performance of Nebius and Linde, along with positive analyst ratings, suggests ongoing market interest in AI-related companies, prompting investors to monitor industry dynamics and fundamental changes.
See More
C3.ai Faces Revenue Plunge and Executive Transition
- Revenue Plunge: C3.ai's revenue fell 46% in Q3 of fiscal 2026 to $53.3 million, significantly below management's forecast of $72 million to $80 million, highlighting the substantial impact of founder Siebel's departure on sales performance.
- Massive Losses: The company reported a staggering loss of $133.4 million for the quarter, a 66% increase from the previous year, as the sudden revenue drop did not allow sufficient time to adjust operating expenses, indicating urgent financial management needs.
- New CEO Challenges: New CEO Stephen Ehikian has initiated a restructuring of the sales department to lower costs and enhance oversight on deals, yet the company must quickly reduce losses to avoid potential cash injection needs in the coming years.
- Valuation Risks: While C3.ai's stock has dropped 40% in 2026 and 95% from its 2020 peak, resulting in a price-to-sales ratio of 3.7, analysts predict further revenue declines in the next two years, suggesting investors should carefully assess the timing for potential investments.
See More
Software Stocks Face Market Repricing
- Market Overreaction: As of April 27, Atlassian's stock has dropped 58% over the past six months, C3.ai down 52%, and SoundHound AI down 55%, indicating an excessive market reaction to perceived threats from AI platforms, prompting investors to flee.
- Impact of AI on Software Industry: The prevailing belief is that generative AI will commoditize the software industry, putting SaaS companies at risk of obsolescence; however, this perspective overlooks the ongoing investments in competitive advantages by these firms.
- Corporate Response Strategies: Atlassian is integrating AI into its Jira and Confluence tools to enhance project management and collaboration, while C3.ai focuses on helping enterprises deploy AI, underscoring its significance in the AI infrastructure landscape.
- Market Opportunities: Despite the bearish sentiment, these software companies are now trading at half their previous valuations, presenting an opportunity for investors to reassess these quality SaaS stocks, particularly SoundHound AI, as a potential investment opportunity.
See More
Market Reaction to Software Stocks Plummeting
- Software Stock Decline: As of April 27, Atlassian's stock has dropped 58% over six months, C3.ai down 52%, and SoundHound AI down 55%, reflecting market fears that all-in-one AI platforms will render traditional software obsolete.
- Market Overreaction: While the consensus suggests generative AI will commoditize the software industry, analysts argue this perspective is overly pessimistic, as the fundamentals of these companies remain intact, with current stock prices reflecting shifts in market sentiment rather than actual declines in business value.
- Investor Fund Rotation: Amidst the allure of AI infrastructure, Micron Technology and Intel saw stock gains of 154% and 130% respectively, while SaaS valuations plummeted, indicating investor anxiety over potential threats from AI.
- Value Investment Opportunity: Despite the market's pessimism towards these software companies, this situation presents investors with a chance to acquire high-quality SaaS stocks at discounted prices, with analysts recommending a reassessment of these undervalued growth stories.
See More
Atrium to Release Q1 2026 Financial Results
- Earnings Release Schedule: Atrium Mortgage Investment Corporation will release its financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2026, after market close on May 7, 2026, reflecting the company's commitment to transparency and information disclosure.
- Conference Call Invitation: Management will hold a conference call on May 8, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. ET to discuss the financial results, providing an opportunity for investor engagement and enhancing shareholder participation.
- Dividend Reinvestment Plan: Atrium's Dividend Reinvestment Plan allows shareholders to automatically reinvest dividends at a 2% discount to market price, promoting long-term investment growth and demonstrating the company's focus on shareholder interests.
- Non-Bank Lender Positioning: As a non-bank lender specializing in residential and commercial mortgages in major Canadian urban centers, Atrium aims to deliver stable dividends through conservative lending practices, ensuring the safety of shareholder capital.
See More
C3.ai Shares Drop After Executive Stock Sale Amid Weak Financials
- Executive Sell-off Impact: C3.ai's Executive Chairman Thomas M. Siebel sold over $4.1 million in company stock on April 13 and 14, leading to a 1.8% drop in share price during the afternoon session, which heightened investor concerns regarding the company's weak financial performance.
- Declining Financial Performance: The company reported a staggering 46% revenue decline to $53.3 million for its fiscal third quarter, missing its own projections, and subsequently lowered its fiscal year 2026 revenue guidance by approximately $51 million, indicating a troubling 36% negative growth rate attributed to poor sales execution.
- Deteriorating Cash Flow: C3.ai reported a negative free cash flow of $56.2 million and forecasted a 54% year-over-year revenue decline for the fourth quarter, which deepened worries about its financial stability and significantly impacted investor confidence in the company's future.
- Increased Market Volatility: C3.ai's shares have dropped 32.7% since the beginning of the year, currently trading at $9.26 per share, which is 68.3% below its 52-week high of $29.16, reflecting a pessimistic sentiment in the market regarding its future prospects.
See More
Analysts Bullish on Nebius and Linde's Future Prospects
- Nebius Group Potential: Nebius Group (NBIS), focusing on AI cloud infrastructure, recently secured a $2 billion investment from Nvidia and a $27 billion contract with Meta, projecting future revenues nearing $50 billion, indicating strong market demand and growth potential.
- Linde's Strategic Advantage: Linde (LIN) holds enough helium reserves to cover six months of global demand amid tightening supply, expected to leverage this advantage to enhance pricing power in the semiconductor sector, thereby expanding profit margins.
- C3.ai's Challenges: C3.ai (AI) faces significant declines with shares down over 55% year-to-date, and management has lowered fiscal 2026 guidance, reflecting execution issues and deteriorating cash flow, leading analysts to generally assign sell ratings.
- Market Response and Outlook: Despite C3.ai's struggles, the strong performance of Nebius and Linde, along with positive analyst ratings, suggests ongoing market interest in AI-related companies, prompting investors to monitor industry dynamics and fundamental changes.
See More
C3.ai Faces Revenue Plunge and Executive Transition
- Revenue Plunge: C3.ai's revenue fell 46% in Q3 of fiscal 2026 to $53.3 million, significantly below management's forecast of $72 million to $80 million, highlighting the substantial impact of founder Siebel's departure on sales performance.
- Massive Losses: The company reported a staggering loss of $133.4 million for the quarter, a 66% increase from the previous year, as the sudden revenue drop did not allow sufficient time to adjust operating expenses, indicating urgent financial management needs.
- New CEO Challenges: New CEO Stephen Ehikian has initiated a restructuring of the sales department to lower costs and enhance oversight on deals, yet the company must quickly reduce losses to avoid potential cash injection needs in the coming years.
- Valuation Risks: While C3.ai's stock has dropped 40% in 2026 and 95% from its 2020 peak, resulting in a price-to-sales ratio of 3.7, analysts predict further revenue declines in the next two years, suggesting investors should carefully assess the timing for potential investments.
See More
