What do Roblox, Anduril, CrowdStrike and Apple all have in common? None of them looked like obvious winners from the start. But they built something far bigger than anyone expected. We call these companies Modelbusters. Modelbusters either reveal a market that’s much larger than anticipated, or expand into new product lines so effectively that they break out of their original category entirely. We’re talking about modelbusters now because we believe AI is creating many more of them. AI may be the defining platform shift of our time. It’s changing how products are built, how they’re distributed, and how buying decisions get made. It’s creating new consumer experiences, new workflows, and entirely new business models. Platform shifts often create new winners. AI is no exception. Today’s most ambitious companies will grow faster and become bigger than anything we’ve seen before. In the new @a16z Growth Substack, we unpack what makes a modelbuster, why they matter, and how to know if you’re building one. Link in next post and what to expect from us.