AI Startups vs. Big Chatbots — With Olivia Moore

March 17, 2026

Ever wonder if AI startups can really stand up to the giants like ChatGPT and Claude? Olivia Moore from a16z breaks it down — she explains why big chatbots are diverging, what Open Claw signals for the future of AI, and why memory might be the most underrated feature in consumer AI. She also shares intriguing insights from giving language models personality tests, revealing how AI’s emotional and personality traits shape user trust. Plus, she touches on why American sentiment toward AI is more negative than you'd expect — and what that means for innovation. According to Olivia, the race isn’t just about raw power anymore; it’s about creating agentic, adaptable tools that can think and remember like humans. So get ready — things are about to get even more interesting as startups and big players push into a new wave of smarter, more personal AI. Content+a16zpodcast@a16z.com really hits the nail on the head when they say memory might just be the secret sauce we’ve been overlooking.

In this episode, originally aired on Big Technology Podcast, Olivia Moore discusses whether AI startups can compete with the big chatbots, why American sentiment toward AI is so negative, and what she learned from giving LLMs personality tests. She also breaks down where ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini are diverging, why Open Claw signals a new wave of agentic products, and what makes memory the most underrated feature in consumer AI.

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Audio Transcript