Axios Pro Rata: AI era

Most venture capitalists I've spoken with this year believe that artificial intelligence is the most consequential tech innovation — and investment opportunity — since mobile. Or, in some cases, since the wheel. The big picture: The certainty doesn't extend much further. Zoom out: This is much different than past VC investment hype cycles like crypto or nanotech, in that there are few skeptics. By the numbers: There are all sorts of data sets about "AI startup" investment. Take them all with a grain of salt. The bottom line: Most VCs agree that the next great tech story is currently being written, and hope to be secondary characters in its most significant chapters. The plot, however, remains a work in progress. Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios Finastra Group, a London-based fintech owned by Vista Equity Partners, is in talks with private credit funds about a $6 billion refinancing package, per Bloomberg. Why it's the BFD: It would be the largest private credit deal ever, topping the $

Most venture capitalists I've spoken with this year believe that artificial intelligence is the most consequential tech innovation — and investment opportunity — since mobile. Or, in some cases, since the wheel. The big picture: The certainty doesn't extend much further. Zoom out: This is much different than past VC investment hype cycles like crypto or nanotech, in that there are few skeptics. By the numbers: There are all sorts of data sets about "AI startup" investment. Take them all with a grain of salt. The bottom line: Most VCs agree that the next great tech story is currently being writ