Where VCs think AI startups can win, though, is OpenAI in gaming

Vanessa Larcoyour friend to Appearance and former colleague at NEA, thinks 2026 will be the year of consumer AI.

Larco, which has been selling to consumers and prosumers for many years, thinks we are about to see a change in the way consumers spend time online, with AI supporting “concierge” services. The question is, will consumer products such as WebMD and TripAdvisor continue to exist as standalone programs, or will they be absorbed by ChatGPT or Meta AI? And where can startups carve out an AI-driven niche?

Check out when TechCrunch’s Rebecca Bellan sat down with Larco on fire Equity to talk about why consumers return, OpenAI I will not killing, is where the real opportunities are hiding.

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