You think you know where YC is headed? Think again—agents are rewriting the playbook.

In this episode of Lobster Talks, Gabriel debriefs Laurie on YC’s quarterly Request for Startups focused on AI agents. From “full-stack” AI challengers to personal assistants that go from to-do lists to done lists, we unpack the highs, the lows, and the hidden opportunities for founders and investors alike.

What you’ll learn:

How “full-stack” AI companies can out-muscle incumbent software tools

Why AI agents like DeepResearch are already saving you a day’s work in an hour

The vision for a true AI personal assistant that manages your calendar, emails, and travel

Why voice interfaces (Super Whisper, Willow) are the dark horse for mainstream AI adoption

How big players (OpenAI, Apple, Google) threaten—and sometimes stimulate—new startups

The one metric (hint: $1M ARR) that de-risks AI investments in 2025

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Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Overview

00:20 Diving into the Latest YC Request for Startups

00:48 The Year of AI Agents

01:10 Full Stack AI Companies

02:11 Historical RFS and AI Personal Assistants

05:21 Voice Interfaces and AI Tools

07:16 Challenges and Opportunities in AI Startups

14:14 Verticalization and Specialized AI Models

30:30 Investor Perspectives and Metrics

36:23 Conclusion and Next Steps