The Morning Brief ET in the Valley: Ankit Gupta, General Partner at Y-Combinator.
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Jan 7, 2026 
Ankit Gupta, General Partner at Y Combinator and former founder, dives into the transformative impact of AI on entrepreneurship. He reveals that nearly 90% of YC startups are AI-driven, emphasizing that coding agents are leveling the playing field for younger founders. Gupta challenges traditional startup norms, arguing that execution skills trump pedigree. He discusses the rising prominence of Indian founders, the loneliness of entrepreneurship, and YC's survival mantra, 'Don't die.' Lastly, he reflects on the unpredictable future shaped by AI.
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AI Enabled A New Wave Of Startups
- AI models (LLMs) have made many startup ideas possible that weren't viable a few years ago.
- Intelligence on tap reduces cost and unlocks new product categories rapidly.
Coding Agents Multiply Builder Productivity
- Coding agents and LLMs democratize building by amplifying technical productivity.
- Less experienced builders can compress years of learning into months using these tools.
A Doctor Doing Data Science
- Ankit shares that his doctor wife can now do data science without a data scientist thanks to LLMs.
- This example illustrates how nontraditional builders can now create products directly.