Forget the AI hype cycle—what tools are startups actually paying for? A new report from Andreessen Horowitz crunched the numbers using transaction data from over 200,000 customers of fintech favorite Mercury. The takeaway? Real money talks, and it's got a few surprises.
The Winners: General AI Platforms Still Reign, But Niche Is Rising
Unsurprisingly, OpenAI claimed the crown. Right behind: Anthropic. These general-purpose AI platforms are cornerstones of many startups' workflows—from customer service bots to brainstorming sessions with ChatGPT. But scroll further down the list and things get interesting. Perplexity and Merlin AI, both focused on information retrieval and browsing assistance, cracked the list too. It shows teams are leaning heavily on AI not just for writing or coding, but for thinking—faster. And creative tools? They're booming. With platforms like Freepik and ElevenLabs landing in the top five, design and media startups are clearly voting with their wallets. The bigger story: niche platforms are thriving. Tools purpose-built for coding, creativity, meetings, and even AI 'employees' for specific tasks are breaking through, helping teams do more without the bloat.
3 Startup-Proven AI Areas Worth Watching (and Investing In)
Here’s where your startup (or curious brain) might want to explore next: - Creative media tools: Platforms like ElevenLabs (voice), Canva (design), and Kling (video) show startups aren't just thinking—they’re producing. - Vibe coding platforms: Replit, Lovable, and Cursor prove AI coding assistants are scaling from weekend hacks to real team tools. - Agentic helpers: Tools that act semi-independently—booking meetings, managing tasks, or surfacing insights—are beginning to cross from novelty to necessity.
The Real Indicator: Follow the Spend, Not the Trend
AI is everywhere right now, but tracking where the dollars actually go tells a much clearer story than search buzz or traffic spikes. As startups double down on platforms that streamline, generate, or automate, it’s a great reminder: useful beats flashy—every time. Curious where your team could actually *save* time with AI? Start with the categories that are already getting swiped by startups. They're betting on utility. Maybe you should too. Thanks for reading Automanium—where automation gets human. Catch you soon with another deep dive into the future of work!