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CrowdStrike and Palo Alto Networks are leading software stocks toward what analysts describe as a never-before-seen feat, with the software sector on pace to outperform semiconductor stocks by a historic degree. The divergence comes as escalating fears about AI spending sustainability weigh more heavily on chipmakers than on software providers. CrowdStrike added to that momentum by expanding its AI capabilities with the launch of an autonomous security product, a move analysts say reinforces the company's positioning at the center of enterprise AI adoption and helps explain why investors are rotating toward software names over chips amid the broader AI jitters.