Boom or Bust? Top AI Investor Reveals the Future of AI Startups

September 22

1h 1m

Episode Description

Which strategies separate the AI startups that thrive from those that die?

Today on Digital Disruption, we’re joined by Jeremiah Owyang, a venture capitalist at Blitzscaling Ventures.

Jeremiah, a longtime Silicon Valley native, leads investments in early-stage AI startups at Blitzscaling Ventures. He focuses on startups with the potential for rapid scale and enduring leadership in valuable markets. He also organizes the popular Llama Lounge: The AI Startup Event Series. As a speaker, Jeremiah forecasts how early-stage technology will reshape business and society and advises audiences on how to turn disruption into advantage.

Jeremiah sits down with Geoff to unpack the reality of Silicon Valley’s AI gold rush. With more than 38,000 AI startups competing for attention, thin technical moats, and the looming threat of consolidation, founders face more pressure than ever to stand out. He shares insider insights on why most AI startups are vulnerable to being wiped out by a single update from @OpenAI or Google, which industries and roles are most at risk of automation, and why critical thinking remains one of humanity’s most valuable advantages. The conversation also explores how Gen Alpha, the first AI-native generation, will grow up and work differently than any before, as well as the rise of AI agents and their impact on everyday work.

In this video:

00:00 Intro

01:45 The AI startup explosion

04:30 Why most AI startups will fail without real advantages

07:10 One OpenAI update could destroy your startup overnight

10:25 Thin technical advantages and the search for moats

13:40 What VCs look for in AI startups

17:05 The rise of Lean AI startups

20:15 AI agents and the automation of entry-level jobs

23:50 The skills humans still need

27:10 Gen Alpha: The first AI-native workforce

30:20 AI’s role in corporate strategy and decision-making