AI's evolution just hit a turning point. Open-source models are reshaping the playing field, while fresh use cases keep popping up faster than anyone predicted. The demand? Through the roof.

What's really interesting here is how founders and investors are positioning themselves. Some see this wave as infrastructure building—laying rails for what comes next. Others are betting on application layers where real user traction lives. The gap between hype and utility is narrowing, and that's where things get spicy.

The smart money isn't just chasing the loudest names anymore. They're watching which models actually deliver, which teams can execute at scale, and where genuine adoption is taking root. Open models changed the game by democratizing access, but now execution separates winners from noise.