Strong performance of companies leading in AI:Google overtakes Apple to become number 1; valuation increases by 57%

The year 2026 has become historic for the brand market. The total value of the world’s top 100 brands has crossed $13 trillion or ₹1,244,00,000 crore. This increased by 22%, but the progress was not uniform. Brands riding the AI wave broke records, but there was a major upheaval in the top-5. Google snatched the crown from Apple, which had held the number one position for four years. Google’s brand value increased by 57%, while Apple’s increased by only 6%. Indian company TCS’s brand value actually decreased by 43%. For the first time, 4 brands crossed $1 trillion together Rank – Brand – Value – Growth 1 – Google – 142 – 57% 2 – Apple – 132 – 6% 3 – Microsoft – 106 – 26% 4 – Amazon – 98 – 18% 5 – Nvidia – 78 – 60% 6 – Facebook – 35 – 22% 7 – Instagram – 27 – 25% 8 – Tencent – 24 – 45% 9 – Oracle – 23 – 10% 10 – McDonald’s – 23 – 6% (Brand value in lakh crore; growth compared to 2025.) – ChatGPT’s brand value increased by 285% in 1 year to ₹16 lakh crore. This is the fastest pace for any company. – Claude entered this club for the first time (at 27th position). A direct entry at this height with a brand value of ₹9.2 lakh crore is extraordinary for any new brand. Luxury’s shine fades, China’s comeback – Louis Vuitton’s value dropped 22% and slipped down 15 places to 32nd position. Chanel fell 15% and dropped 9 places to 51st position. – China’s Alibaba’s brand value increased by 51%, Agricultural Bank of China’s by 54%. Xiaomi brand’s value increased by 48%. Tencent’s comeback is part of ‘AI-driven comeback for Chinese tech’ brands. AI is both an opportunity and challenge for India According to Kantar BrandZ’s report, India has a very large AI-friendly consumer base. However, there is also deep concern in the Indian middle class about AI’s impact on jobs. This is why the challenge has increased for companies like TCS. Indian Brands – Airtel Top Gainer, Ranking Improved 3 Indian Brands – Brand – Airtel – HDFC – TCS Global – Rank – 62 – 63 – 82 Top-100 – Value – 4.56 – 4.55 – 3.10 Included – Change – 28% – 6% – 43% (Value in lakh crore rupees) AI is Both an Opportunity and Challenge for India – Airtel climbed 4 positions to reach 62nd place. HDFC Bank’s brand value increased by only 6%. – TCS is still ahead, but its value dropped 43% to ₹3.1 lakh crore. This is one of the biggest declines in the report. Accenture’s value also decreased by 56%.