It’s no secret that artificial intelligence (AI) has been one of the hottest investment themes in recent years, with investors always on the lookout for the next breakout player in this fast-evolving space. Sure, giants like Nvidia (NVDA) dominate headlines as well as portfolios. But under-the-radar names like BigBear.ai (BBAI) are starting to turn some heads, too, with BBAI stock posting impressive double-digit gains this year.

The company develops AI-powered software that helps organizations make sense of complex data, with a solid chunk of its revenue coming from government and defense…