In the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence, a seismic shift is underway, mirroring the disruptive spirit often seen in the cryptocurrency space. Imagine the tech giants, once thought to hold the keys to the AI kingdom, potentially being relegated to the role of “selling coffee beans to Starbucks.” This striking analogy encapsulates a growing sentiment: the AI boom might just leave AI’s biggest foundation model companies behind, turning them into low-margin suppliers while nimbler AI startups carve out immense value at the application layer. This dramatic reorientation of the competitive landscape presents both unforeseen challenges for established players like OpenAI and Anthropic, and unprecedented opportunities for innovation.