The AI boom means every industry is getting smarter, and the real winners will be those who master data, fine-tune models, and build user-centric AI tools that transform the way we interact with everything.
What the AI boom really means for you:
1. The "AI layer" is the new OS Every industry will have an AI interface. Today's "wrappers" are tomorrow's essential middleware.
2. Data is the new oil, but models are the refineries. Who builds the best fine-tuning and deployment tools will own the next decade.
3. AI commoditization is happening faster than we think. When everyone has AI, differentiation comes from everything else - UX, distribution, brand.
4. The "AI native" workforce is emerging. These founders will be the AI-fluent leaders of tomorrow's tech giants. I want to hire these people and so should you.
5. AI is eating software, which ate the world
6. Great prompts will be more valuable than great code. A new breed of "AI whisperers" will emerge
7. The amount of opportunity right now is pretty mind blowing. Yes, these YC companies might be the next big thing, but there are "little" niche AI ideas that are perfect for indiehackers that know how to find one killer feature and grow an audience/community
8. The most interesting AI companies right now don't have AI. They are boring businesses with tons of data that can leverage software/AI. What are these businesses? I'm making a list.
9. The rise of "AI naturalists" As AI pervades everything, we'll see a counter-movement. About to be a bunch of anti-AI people just like we had anti-crypto people. Only natural. Happens every tech cycle.
10. When every company is AI-driven, the AI term becomes meaningless. We've reached that point today.
The AI startup curve is wild.
YC S24: 72% AI companies
YC W13: 1% AI companies
Opportunity for all. Not just YC companies, not just big tech, not just vc funded startups.
Happy building.