Startup median revenue doubled to $5.6M post-ChatGPT, but AI-generated apps are piling up unused
FinanceYF5 · x · 2026-09-22
- Revenue jump: a16z charts show startups founded after 2022 reach a median revenue of $5.6M four years after founding, versus $2M–$2.8M for cohorts from 2018–2021 — ChatGPT was the inflection point.
- App Slop: a recent paper across iOS, Android and Chrome finds AI codegen has doubled or quadrupled monthly new apps, yet downloads (or ratings on iOS) are flat.
- No hidden winners: the share of apps hitting escape velocity (100+ downloads on Android, 10+ ratings) has plummeted — supply surged, demand didn't move.
- Takeaway: the story is App Slop: AI produces lots of apps that aren't successful; building real software has always been more than generating code.
Related event: a16z Data Shows AI Doubles App Supply While Demand Stays Flat(4 posts)→
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