Recently, Vanessa Larco, a partner at the investment firm Premise, shared her in-depth insights on the consumer-level AI market in 2026 during an episode of the TechCrunch Equity podcast. As major players like OpenAI continue to expand their functional boundaries, how startups can survive has become a focal point in the industry. Larco believes that although many basic tools are being merged by large models, there are still specific areas that big companies "don't want to enter" or even cannot reach.

Larco pointed out that OpenAI is unlikely to enter platform businesses that require managing a large amount of real human resources or complex offline delivery. For example, traditional services such as WebMD or TripAdvisor, if they simply provide information, can be easily integrated into ChatGPT; however, if they involve service processes that require human intervention, big companies tend to avoid them, which is where startup opportunities lie.

Additionally, AI is driving a return of "concierge-style" services. Larco observed that consumers' online habits are changing, and AI assistants will take on more search and execution tasks, making voice interaction increasingly important. She mentioned that devices like Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses are helping users get used to "screenless" operations, and future AI applications may even be as disposable as documents, focusing on solving immediate specific problems rather than building long-term user stickiness.

AIbase Report, in the future competition, products that deeply integrate AI into specific vertical scenarios and have a moat of offline services will be more resilient than simple "shell" applications. At the same time, 2026 is seen as the breakout year for consumer-level AI, and a wave of mergers and acquisitions, as well as new business models (such as stablecoin-driven settlements), will further reshape the industry landscape.

Key Points:

  • 🛡️ Avoid the Big Model's锋芒: OpenAI tends to focus on pure technology output and usually does not get involved in platform businesses that require large-scale management of human resources or complex offline operations, which is a strategic safe zone for startups.

  • 🗣️ The Rise of Voice Interaction: With the popularity of hardware like smart glasses, consumers are shifting from screens to voice, and AI will reshape the search and service booking process as a "digital concierge."

  • 📉 Evolution of Software Forms: In the future, a large number of "one-time" or "disposable" software may appear, which will be used on demand like documents, without pursuing the traditional heavy client model.