Of all the big tech companies investing in AI, Google and Microsoft are the best positioned to handle the growing costs of the technology, judging from data disclosed this past week in September-quarter earnings.

Google and Microsoft generate more cash from their businesses than other big tech companies, including Apple. And they're devoting a smaller percentage of that cash to capital expenditures for new AI data center construction than other companies. Meta Platforms, on the other hand, is the worst positioned.