-+ 0.00%
-+ 0.00%
-+ 0.00%

SoundHound AI vs. BigBear.ai: Revenue Trends Reveal Key Insights About These Artificial Intelligence Companies

The Motley Fool·09/28/2026 00:15:15
Listen to the news

Key Points

  • SoundHound AI currently demonstrates a stronger position on revenue, having surpassed BigBear.ai and maintaining that advantage consistently through the most recent quarters.

  • While BigBear.ai experienced noticeable quarter-over-quarter declines before settling into a slightly more stable pattern recently, SoundHound AI recorded a reliable trajectory of sequential quarter-over-quarter growth over the identical timespan.

  • Investors should watch whether the revenue gap between the two companies continues to widen in upcoming quarters, or if the trend reverses.

BigBear.ai: Attempting to Stabilize an Uneven Revenue Trend

BigBear.ai (NYSE:BBAI) provides technology consulting and advanced data analytics solutions to help clients make informed decisions around national security and defense.

It secured national approval in the Netherlands for airport security software and expanded its customized generative artificial intelligence capabilities for defense missions, while also appointing a retired military general to its Board of Directors.

SoundHound AI: Consistent Upward Trend in Quarterly Revenue

SoundHound AI (NASDAQ:SOUN) develops custom voice-assistant technology that enables companies to create conversational experiences for consumers.

It finalized a stock-based acquisition of LivePerson, an omnichannel conversational provider, and launched a fully embedded voice system for vehicles, while concurrently expanding automated voice ordering integrations for restaurant management software.

Why Revenue Matters for Investors

Revenue serves as a primary baseline for investors to evaluate fundamental business growth. It reveals whether a company is successfully attracting customers and growing its overall business volume over time.

BigBear.ai vs. SoundHound AI Revenue chart

Quarterly Revenue for BigBear.ai and SoundHound AI

Calendar quarter BigBear.ai Revenue SoundHound AI Revenue
Q3 2024 $41.5 million (quarter ended Sept. 30, 2024) $25.1 million (quarter ended Sept. 30, 2024)
Q4 2024 $43.8 million (quarter ended Dec. 31, 2024) $34.5 million (quarter ended Dec. 31, 2024)
Q1 2025 $34.8 million (quarter ended March 31, 2025) $29.1 million (quarter ended March 31, 2025)
Q2 2025 $32.5 million (quarter ended June 30, 2025) $42.7 million (quarter ended June 30, 2025)
Q3 2025 $33.1 million (quarter ended Sept. 30, 2025) $42.0 million (quarter ended Sept. 30, 2025)
Q4 2025 $27.3 million (quarter ended Dec. 31, 2025) $55.1 million (quarter ended Dec. 31, 2025)
Q1 2026 $34.4 million (quarter ended March 31, 2026) $44.2 million (quarter ended March 31, 2026)
Q2 2026 $36.7 million (quarter ended June 30, 2026) $61.9 million (quarter ended June 30, 2026)

Data source: Financial Modeling Prep. Data as of Sept. 25, 2026.

Foolish Take

An examination of the revenue trends between artificial intelligence companies SoundHound AI and BigBear.ai reveal important insights that investors should know about. Back in 2024, BigBear.ai's sales were far greater than SoundHound AI's, yet since then, the situation has reversed.

This turn of events indicates SoundHound's business is expanding, while a contraction occurred to BigBear.ai, which is a concern considering the AI sector is growing rapidly right now. This suggests BigBear.ai's solutions may not be compelling enough to produce the outsized growth expected of young software companies.

That said, both SoundHound and BigBear.ai experienced year-over-year sales growth in the second quarter thanks to acquisitions. The former purchased a number of businesses in recent years, with LivePerson being the latest, and this helped SoundHound surpass BigBear.ai in sales. The latter's Q2 revenue of $36.7 million represented a 13% year-over-year increase due to its acquisition of Ask Sage, an AI platform built for government agencies.

Even so, SoundHound raised its 2026 full-year revenue outlook to a range between $230 million and $260 million, and that's not counting the addition of LivePerson. In comparison, BigBear.ai projects full-year sales between $135 million and $165 million, notably lower than its AI rival, in a sign that SoundHound's business continues to grow faster.

Robert Izquierdo has positions in SoundHound AI. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends SoundHound AI. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.