Sterling Infrastructure Inc. shares are racing toward their best performance in more than two decades, fueled by the explosive demand for artificial intelligence data centers and related infrastructure. The construction company's earnings report captured investor enthusiasm for businesses positioned to benefit from the AI buildout boom.

The stock's trajectory puts it on pace for its strongest single-day gain since the early 2000s, a remarkable rebound for a sector that had lagged behind the broader market rally. Companies like Sterling that handle specialized infrastructure construction—data center building, electrical work, and fiber networks—are suddenly in high demand as tech giants scramble to expand computing capacity to support AI models.

Other construction and engineering firms also rallied sharply, suggesting the market is revaluing the entire sector based on anticipated AI-related spending. The wave of capital flowing into data center development has created a pipeline of opportunities for contractors with the specialized expertise to build these complex facilities.

The rally reflects how the AI boom is rippling through unexpected corners of the economy, turning traditional construction plays into potential growth stocks as the infrastructure arms race intensifies.