4 Recession-Proof Stocks That Are Totally AI-PROOF

Summary

Podcast Summary: Earn Your Leisure – "4 Recession-Proof Stocks That Are Totally AI-PROOF"

Host: Earn Your Leisure (Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings)
Date: March 9, 2026

Episode Overview

In this engaging episode of Earn Your Leisure, Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings, along with guest Ian, dive deep into one of the most pressing topics in modern investing: identifying stocks that are "AI-proof" and can weather a potential artificial intelligence (AI) bubble. The hosts discuss how uncertainty in AI-driven markets is fueling a return to fundamental, recession-resistant investments. The core focus is on four stocks and several honorable mentions that stand strong even as tech and AI companies dominate headlines.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. AI Bubble Fears and Flight to Consumer Staples

(02:31–03:47)

• The conversation opens with reflections on growing investor anxiety around a possible AI-driven market bubble.
• Consumer staples and “life essential” stocks (e.g., Walmart, Procter & Gamble) are highlighted for their continued outperformance—sometimes even topping the famous “Mag 7” tech stocks—due to their reliability during uncertainty.
• Notable Quote:

  “Everybody’s scared of the AI bubble… so when in times of uncertainty, you go back to what you know. Everybody knows Walmart, everybody knows you gotta use toothpaste.” — Host (03:08)

2. Ian’s Four AI-Proof Stock Picks

(03:50–04:54)

• Walmart—Top choice for its technological reinvestment and consistent performance despite low margins.
• Amgen & Eli Lilly—Described as “having Kobe and Jordan on the same team” for their category dominance and essential healthcare roles.
• Lowe’s—Praised for margin management and innovative business handling.
• Notable Quote:

  “If I was worried about an AI bubble or AI disruption, those are four that I wouldn’t have to worry about for 10 to 20 years.” — Ian (04:47)

3. Additional Picks and Rationale from the Hosts

(04:54–08:12)

• Caterpillar—Cited for its leadership in industrial equipment, resilient profitability, and ties to ongoing infrastructure needs.
  • Notable Quote:

    “Are we going to stop needing construction equipment anytime soon?” — Host (05:26)

• Monster Energy (MNST)—Recognized for impressive returns (up 56,000% since inception) and steady cash flow, plus international brand power and recurring demand.
  • Notable Moment:

    “Quiet killer, no pun intended.” — Ian, on Monster Energy (05:56) “This chart is crazy.” — Ian, reviewing Monster Energy’s performance (06:20)

• Cloudflare—Highlighted as “AI-adjacent.” Its security features (e.g., authentication CAPTCHAs) fill a current gap where humans are still needed.
  • Notable Quote:

    “AI can't do that just yet… You still need the human piece to do that, to authenticate the person that is doing the transaction.” — Host (07:38)

• Walmart and Cloudflare are repeated as core holdings for safety.

4. Clarification: What Makes These Stocks ‘AI-Proof’?

(08:12–08:30)

• The hosts clarify that these picks are selected for their resistance to AI-driven disruption, not for leading in AI innovation or adoption.
• Notable Quote:

  “If we are going into an AI bubble or AI disruption, these are the companies that are safe from that bubble. Not the best AI stocks to invest in.” — Host (08:18)

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Summary Table: Top AI-Proof Stocks Mentioned

| Company | Rationale | Notable Segment (MM:SS) | |--------------------|----------------------------------|----------------------------| | Walmart | Ubiquity, innovation, stability | 03:50–04:20 | | Amgen | Essential healthcare, strong moat| 04:21–04:35 | | Eli Lilly | Pharma innovation, recession-proof| 04:21–04:35 | | Lowe’s | Consistent performance, innovation| 04:36–04:54 | | Caterpillar | Infrastructure, industrial leader| 05:09–05:30 | | Monster Energy | Brand, cash flow, huge growth | 05:56–06:22 | | Cloudflare | Critical infrastructure, security | 07:05–07:50 |

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Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Consumer Staples as Safe Haven:

  “Everybody knows you gotta use toothpaste. A lot of the other stuff is hypothetical… robotics, who knows?” — Host (03:00)

• Category Leaders Shine:

  “Profitability was clean. Are we gonna stop needing construction equipment anytime soon?” — Host (05:25)

• Fun Banter:

  “Monster Energy is one of the ones you gotta have for sure… quiet killer, no pun intended.” — Host & Ian (05:57)

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Important Timestamps for Quick Reference

• 02:31 – Introduction to “AI-proof” stock investing & current market fears
• 03:50 – Ian’s top 4 picks breakdown
• 05:06 – Caterpillar rationale
• 05:56 – Monster Energy discussion
• 07:05 – Cloudflare’s security role and explanation
• 08:12 – Clarification on “AI-proof” stocks meaning

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Conclusion

The episode skillfully reassures investors spooked by tech hype, offering detailed rationales for “AI-proof” stocks rooted in essentials, healthcare, and infrastructure. Through witty banter and deep insight, the hosts provide a robust case that consumer habits and real-world needs—rather than mere technology trends—remain a solid bet for long-term investors.

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For More:

If you're seeking actionable ideas outside the current tech/A.I. frenzy, these discussed stocks represent the durable core of a defensive portfolio. As one host says:

“Those are four that I wouldn’t have to worry about for 10 to 20 years.” (04:47)

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No advertisements or non-content segments included; all timestamps refer to core episode content.

Transcript

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[D]

Let's talk about four AI approved stocks to invest in and I actually saw something today. Well, I'll let you say your four. What's the go ahead? They were talking about Walmart they was talking about, you know, I think Walmart's up 14% this year. Walmart cooking, Procter and Gamble. There's a few of those type of consumer staples stocks. And the theory is that everybody's scared of AI bubble. Everybody's scared that artificial intelligence is overpriced and it's just too much. So when in times of uncertainty, you go back to what you know, everybody knows Walmart, everybody knows you got to use toothpaste. Everybody knows you got to use life essentials. A lot of the other stuff is hypothetical. Could potentially happen. Robotics could potentially be 100 million humanoid robots. Who knows? But I think that, you know, if you look at those stocks, they're outperforming the Mag 7 for the year, and they outperform in the market overall for the year, those consumer staple type of stocks. So those. Those stocks have done well. And I think it's a direct correlation to people being nervous about artificial intelligence.

[E]

Absolutely.

[C]

You want to go, Ian?

[E]

Yeah. It's mentioned. You mentioned Walmart because number one on my list, from a technological standpoint, when their profit margins are low, their competitor Amazon, Walmart, does not get looked at as a technical, logical behemoth. But over the last 10 years, they've done an incredibly great job at reinvesting there. So Walmart for me is number one, Amgen is number two, Eli Lily is number three, and Lowe's is number four. If I have to take away all tech, facing, Walmart is one for sure. Amgen and Lily, it's like having Kobe and Jordan on the same team like you. Now you got to pick your poison. And then Lowe's doesn't get talked about enough in that space for how well they're managing their company and managing margins and continuing to innovate. So those are the four I will lean on if I couldn't. Look, if I was worried about an AI bubble or AI disruption, those are four that I wouldn't have to worry about for 10 to 20 years. It will be okay.

[C]

All right, I appreciate. Those are. I mean, that's all. I love to hear y' all opinions first, because I'm like, damn. All right, well, I'm not gonna say that one. I did have Walmart as well, I think. I think everything that you guys said was dope. I'm gonna go. My first one is Caterpillar, and I know it feels like it. This is like the AI story because of the energy. But prior to it being an AI story, it was a strong category leader in the space. Profitability was clean Was clean. I mean, are we going to stop needing construction equipment anytime soon?

[D]

Right.

[C]

If industrials are performing the way they are right now, then that means positive signs for a company like Caterpillar. So that would be one in mind. And I mean, you can just see how it's performing in addition to the energy constraints that we have here, how it's performing with that added segment. Calipers are doing great. We had a company on our class the other day and they gave away a gem. And when I'm saying, Ian, I know you're gonna have a reaction. I think Monster Energy is one of the ones you got to have for sure.

[E]

Quiet killer, no pun intended.

[C]

When you talk about leader in a category again, profitability, clean balance sheets. I wrote down in my nose the recurring demand for energy drinks. That's not going anywhere. Cash flow was good. And you look at its return since its inception, 56,000%. It's performing again. Well.

[E]

This chart is crazy.

[C]

It's absolutely ridiculous. Ridiculous. The ticker is mnst. Monster Energy. I mean, brand partnerships continue to grow internationally. It has a stronghold that is one of the ones that it just even. Like, like I said, like, this year, we're still year to date where we at, we're up 11% when. Yeah, I mean, outperforming the Max 7 is, you know, I think only one of them, maybe two of them are positive for the year. And Nvidia is one, so that would be one. And then this is. This is a. This is a tricky one. Walmart was there. I had cloud flare on there because it's AI adjacent. But AI is going to need Cloudflare in a way that, I don't know, it got pulled back a little bit. The software will be needed to help AI. Right. It was a business prior to it, and we watched that run up when it was 85, we were talking about this company, got up to 145 and ran past that as well. But when I talk about Cloudflare from a security standpoint, people are like, well, what does it do? I'm like, you know when you try to log into a site and it asks you, like, pick out the. The three bicycles.

[E]

Yeah.

[C]

To authenticate your actual human. That's cloud flare. Or when you got the puzzle piece that you got to slide over to make Y and match it. Right. Like, AI can't do that just yet. Right. So you still need the human piece to do that, to authenticate the. The person that is doing the transaction. Cloudfare does that. As we get more in depth into AI and we see like, how are we going to authenticate actual human interaction? I think it plays a major role in that. I would put that in there and obviously I have Walmart. As for so that would be mine.

[E]

Yeah. And to the person in chat who asks how the these are AI proof stocks. So if we are going into an AI bubble or AI disruption, these are the companies that are safe from that bubble. Not the best AI stocks to invest in. We've covered that endlessly two or three years ago.

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