Insights from a16z's top 100 gen AI consumer app
report
Three insights for founders from a16z's report on the top 100 gen AI consumer apps.
Every six months, venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) ranks the top 50 AI-first web products by unique monthly visitors and the top 50 AI-first mobile apps by monthly active users. As you’d expect, this report contains a lot of alpha for founders.
Here are some of the top takeaways for founders.
Creative tools are dominating and are on the rise
52% of the top web apps are focused on content generation or editing, 58% of the list’s new entrants are in the creative tool space, and the list’s top riser was the music generator Suno, which jumped from #36 to #5.
The most interesting nugget here is the traction found by non-image tools, as video picked up three new entrants compared to only one for image.
The story is similar for the mobile list, with content editing apps taking up 22% of the list, the second largest product category.
Aesthetics and dating join the party
Buyoued by LooksMaxAI, Umax, and Rizz, aesthetics and dating was the only new category across both web and mobile. LooksMax and Umax give you tips on how to look better, while Rizz helps you with your dating app conversations.
LooksMax and Umax fit well with the recent boom in the $1.5 trillion wellness industry. People really care about how they look these days, so it only makes sense for attractive-boosting apps to be…attractive.
The popularity of Rizz is a bit more peculiar because dating apps are losing popularity, but perhaps this shows that the people still using them are hungry for any competitive advantage they can get.
Don’t ignore Discord
Discord traffic appears to be a leading indicator for which apps will climb the rankings, and an increasing number of apps are now using Discord to test their product and build their community before launching a standalone website.
In that regard, they are likely inspired by Midjourney, the AI image generator which built a $10B+ business purely on Discord.
With some 200 million active monthly users and a community that is well-versed in all things AI, Discord has become the premier spot to launch AI products.
As someone deeply involved in the ed-tech space, I found the insights from a16z's top 100 Gen AI consumer app report particularly resonant. It's intriguing to see the surge in AI-driven creative tools, especially in areas like content generation and editing. The potential for AI to revolutionize niche markets is immense, much like how we're leveraging AI to enhance language test prep at DET Practice. The emphasis on community-driven platforms like Discord also underscores the importance of user engagement in driving innovation. Exciting times are ahead for AI in education and beyond!
Discord is a gold mine.
That's the truth in more ways than one. Personally, I love it for crypto stuff lol.
Fascinating report! I've been exploring the intersection of AI and gaming, and it's amazing to see how generative AI is transforming the industry. I've even seen mods for games like Hollow Knight mod APK that use AI to generate new levels or enemies. What do you think is the most exciting application of AI in consumer apps right now?
Think the most exciting application is still general purpose chatbots like ChatGPT and Claude. The fact that everyone now has a pretty smart personal assistant in their pocket is something I still can't wrap my brain around.
The surge in AI-first creative tools shows there’s immense potential for new businesses in this space. With content generation, video, and music tools gaining traction, the market is ripe for innovation. If you’ve got a unique idea or passion, now’s the perfect time to take the leap and start building your own success story.
Thanks for sharing Stephen. This is the first time I'm actually hearing several of these. Going to get to work creating some new listings for: https://aitools.inc
Thanks for reading!
The a16z report reveals AI apps are thriving in creative and personal domains. Discord's role in product development highlights community-driven innovation. While opportunities abound for founders, especially in content creation and niche markets like aesthetics, the trends raise important questions about AI's growing influence on society and personal lives. Responsible innovation will be key as these technologies continue to evolve and integrate into daily life.