Vanessa Larco, partner at Premise and former partner at NEA, believes 2026 is finally the year of consumer AI.
Larco, who has spent years investing in consumers and prosumers, believes AI will transform the way consumers spend their time online by powering “concierge-like” services. The question is: Will traditional consumer products like WebMD and TripAdvisor continue to exist as standalone apps, or will they just be absorbed into ChatGPT and Meta AI? And where can startups carve out an AI-powered niche for themselves?
Today on TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, Rebecca Bellan speaks with Larco about why consumers are coming back, what OpenAI won’t disrupt, and where the real opportunity lies.
Listen to the full episode to hear:
Why Larco thinks OpenAI won’t build marketplace businesses that require real human management. Larco’s take on “disposable software” and why AI apps “should be treated like Word documents.” How Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses made Larco a believer in voice interfaces (and why she thinks screens are optional for most tasks). 2026 is predicted to include another significant M&A year. What new business models will stablecoins unlock?
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