We’ve entered the AI grift era

Buoyed by big valuations, companies like PearAI are trying to capitalize on the massive hype around artificial intelligence—sometimes in a shady way.

For years, Y Combinator has been revered as a highly selective startup accelerator with a hit rate that far exceeds the law of averages. But one of its latest companies has raised a few eyebrows, and prompted questions about whether AI grifters have caught up with the innovators.