Y Combinator’s recent batch of AI-driven startups certainly deserves attention, with founders and creatives offering solutions that may offer solutions to common pains affecting various industries – this was the main takeaway from this latest batch. Sitting through hundreds of presentations on Demo Days, it was evident that the main theme of the event was that AI can do a ton of things with the right amount of tweaking and finetuning. What time will tell us is that while AI models have come a long way from the past, the reality is that AI-based solutions still require strict requirements or protocols in order to reach repeatable or reliable outcomes.
The atmosphere of this batch led many observers to hypothesize that what was on display was only precursor to a coming wave of AI-driven pseudo-innovations. If a company is looking for a quick and easy solution for their problems, AI-driven services may offer a viable option. However, it is possible that offering this kind of reliance on Artificial Intelligence can lead to limited results or a feeling of disconnect from customers when a business solely relies on AI backed reception or customer service.
It is important to note the perspective given by participants in YC’s recent batch. Some participants admitted they had changed the direction of the companies they were working on and wrote the first line of their AI software only weeks in advance. While this is part of the competitive atmosphere of the event, it also highlights a worrying trend in AI-driven startups. This can result in products being pushed to market with hardly any evaluations or tests, which can lead to unmet expectations and disappointed customers.
The concept of generative marketing imagery is an idea whose merits remain uncertain and largely untested. For example, an AI-generated phrase such as “SWEET & JUICY KETCHUP FOR ALL!” would get the attention of customers, but Heinz may find the result unsatisfactory and inaccurate, leading to the abandonment of the product. Which then leads to the questions, are these AI-driven solutions the ideal or appropriate options for users? Who is monitoring, auditing, and verifying the results? Are customers even benefiting, or being cheated in the process?
One thing is for sure; Y Combinator’s batch put the promising potential of AI-driven solutions on display, but also served as a reminder of the fact that such services require careful consideration before being pushed to the masses, lest we find ourselves dealing with the repercussions of AI-fueled “shovelware.”
