Senior tech expert Chris Messina and author/podcaster Brian McCullough are launching a new $15 million fund aimed at supporting AI startups. The fund has garnered support from renowned tech investors and founders. It plans to deploy all its capital within the next 12-18 months, investing in startups that have competitive productized generative AI. Messina believes this represents a generational reset in how people use technology, akin to the rise of social networks in 2005. They are optimistic that the companies they invest in now will lead in redefining calcified industries. They focus on founders with specialized knowledge in vertical fields (such as compliance or self-service repair) because they believe the best experiences with generative AI require deep understanding and empathy with specific industry clients, which large tech companies often lack. They see these opportunities as too niche for large incumbent companies to focus on. Additionally, creating the best experiences with generative AI requires deep understanding and empathy with specific industry clients, something large tech companies typically lack. They believe these companies cannot quickly launch sufficiently elegant products to win what they consider to be a contested market.