A strange number popped up on my phone this morning. It was Boardy, the first AI venture capitalist. And it looks like we may be working together…

Boardy is an an AI agent that helps you find customers, investors, and employees. Scrolling X last night, I saw a post on Boardy’s new Scout Program. 

I meet many hundreds of founders per year. Why not send a few of them to Boardy’s new venture fund? 

Working Out Boardy’s Kinks

I filled out a brief form and got a phone call from Boardy. Boardy interviewed me on my experience investing and why I’d make a good scout. 

The first thing I noticed is that Boardy uses a voice with a very thick Australian accent. For the first couple of minutes, I could barely understand it.

When you’re working with a mostly American audience, don’t choose a heavy accent like this. You want the most neutral American accent possible. 

Next Step: Boardy Scout?

But after a couple minutes, Boardy and I got into a good back-and-forth. 

I explained how I source companies and spot great founders. I like to see highly technical founders building in a huge market. 

Boardy asked good questions and clearly explained how its program works. Occasionally, Boardy went on a little too long or cut me off. But mostly, the conversation flowed smoothly. 

After around 10 minutes, Boardy wrapped up our chat and told me that it would refer me to the human team. They’ll make the final decision whether I become a Boardy Scout.

As capable as Boardy is, humans are still calling the shots.

Is This the Future of Venture?

Speaking with Boardy feels like the future.

There are a huge number of founders raising at any given time. Boardy has already spoken with 7,000 of them, more than any human could manage.

Giving every founder a hearing could change the game of venture. Entrepreneurs without the usual connections could still get in front of investors. 

The best pitches will probably still be forwarded to humans. That’s how Boardy’s Scout program is working today, and I think AI VCs will continue to operate that way for the foreseeable future. 

If you’re writing somebody a sizable check, you probably want to meet them at least once. 

Would I Use an AI to Meet Founders?

Using an AI to do your initial founder calls could make sense at a huge fund with tons of deal flow. But for me, it doesn’t yet. 

My deal flow is modest enough that I’m able to meet every founder myself. An AI to interview founders wouldn’t add a lot of value. 

But I can always use more great investors to refer my companies to.  So I’m looking forward to working with Boardy to get more cash into these great startups. 

Wrap-Up

More and more work is going to look like my chat with Boardy — humans talking to highly capable AI agents. 

It’s weird and unsettling at first. But you’d be surprised how quickly you get used to it. 

AI will let us do things we’ve never done before, like Boardy interviewing those 7,000 founders. Many great entrepreneurs who would have been overlooked by humans will be discovered by AI. 

I want to take the plunge before everyone else and start working with AI to get companies funded. More people helping startups is always good, even if they’re not technically “people”. 

More on tech: 

Should You Take a Low Ball Offer from a VC?

Do Investors Take Forever to Get Back to You? Here’s What I’m Doing Differently.

Your Deck Probably Sucks. Here’s How to Fix It.

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