Caterpillar's strong generator business with AI data centers made it the envy of the machinery industry over the last year as the company's shares soared with high-flying tech stocks.

But decent third-quarter sales and profit from the construction and mining equipment maker on Thursday were brushed aside by jittery investors. The company's shares dropped more than 9% Thursday in a sell-off of stocks with exposure to the AI sector. Caterpillar, which has fallen more than 20% in the past month, was down about 4% Friday.

Rival machinery manufacturer Deere, which ironically has for years tried to attract more tech-focused investors with its automated farming software, has avoided the AI carnage. Deere's shares are up about 45% since the start of the year. Investors have piled into Deere on the expectation that a long slump in the U.S. farm equipment market will ease next year and farmers will start buying more Deere tractors again.

Deere is up about 1.5% on Friday.