What Surprised Us Most In 2025

Episode notes

2025 was the year AI stopped feeling chaotic and started feeling buildable. In this Lightcone episode, the YC partners break down the surprises of the year, from shifting model dominance to why the real opportunity is moving back to the application layer, and why the next wave of AI startups may be just getting started.

• Why Domain Experts Are Winning In The Age Of AI63 / 100
• How To Pick A Startup Idea61 / 100
• "The CEO Must Be the Chief AI Officer"85 / 100
• How to Build an AI-Native Services Company
• How To Build Superintelligence Inside Your Company