YC applications grew 60% longer in 3 years as AI writing spreads the word 'wedge' to 20% of pitches
jfiance · x · 2026-08-31
Investor jfiance notes YC founder applications have grown 60% longer over three years, while the word "wedge" jumped from under 1% of applications in early 2025 to roughly 20% by summer 2026 — a shift YC partners link to founders using AI to write their applications.
He doesn't oppose AI for organizing thoughts or tightening answers, but warns that making writing sound "investor-ready" can obscure what's actually interesting about a company. At the earliest stage he looks for real problems and unique insight, not venture vocabulary; the founder messages he replies to fastest are plain and direct.
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