AI companies are borrowing against the future and it's unsustainable
“You're like, oh, that's really working.”
My belief is if you actually look at the numbers of these companies so generally, if you look at the numbers of these companies, if you look at, like, the amount they're making and how much they they spent training the last model, they're gross margin positive. You're like, oh, that's really working. But if you look at, like, the current training that they're doing for the next model, the gross margin negative, so part of me thinks that a lot of them are kinda borrowing against the future, and that's gonna have to slow down. That's gonna catch up to them at some point in time, but we don't really know.
About this clip
A16z analyzes the hidden financial reality behind major AI companies, revealing they're currently gross margin positive on existing models but going negative on next-generation training costs. This creates an unsustainable cycle where companies are essentially betting their current profits on future breakthroughs that may not materialize.
Why this clip
Reveals a counterintuitive financial dynamic in AI that challenges the narrative of inevitable profitability and highlights a potential industry-wide reckoning.
What they said next
Traditional VC categories are breaking down as AI models blur infrastructure and apps
6:48 - 34s · market insight
More from this episode
Similar clips from other shows
From the blog
Want clips like this for your podcast?
We find your top 5-8 clips, write the hooks, and deliver ready-to-post content. First 2 episodes are free.
Get 2 Episodes Clipped Free