Zerodha co-founder Nithin Kamath has criticised startups for overhyping AI in pitch decks, suggesting the phrase has become a tired cliché that no longer impresses investors, sparking debate on market enthusiasm for the technology.
Nithin Kamath has again pushed back against a familiar habit in startup fundraising: leading with artificial intelligence. In a post on X, the Zerodha co-founder said pitch decks that open with “we use AI” have become so common that they no longer hold his attention, arguing that the phrase now reads as a basic expectation rather than a selling point.
Kamath compared the practice with boasting about taking a shower every day, saying it is not something that meaningfully sets a company apart. He added that founders who rely on the same generic AI language as everyone else risk being ignored by investors, particularly because AI tools now make it easier to produce slick-looking presentations.
The remarks prompted a brisk debate online. Some users said “we use AI” has started to sound as dated as saying a company has a website, while others argued that investors should focus on what the technology actually does rather than the label attached to it. A few also suggested that the backlash may be a sign that the market’s enthusiasm for AI is beginning to cool.
The comments fit a broader pattern in Kamath’s public commentary, in which he has repeatedly argued that technology alone does not guarantee better outcomes. He has said AI may help investors become more disciplined, but cannot make them smarter, and he has also warned that people keep making the same money mistakes despite wider access to financial information. More recently, he flagged margin trading funding as a major risk for Indian markets, saying rapid growth in leverage could amplify any sharp fall in equities.
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