Nithin Kamath Says ‘We Use AI’ Is Not Enough for Startup Pitch Decks

Zerodha co-founder Nithin Kamath has criticised startup founders who begin their investment pitch decks with the words, “we use AI.”

Kamath said the phrase has become so common that it now makes his “eyes roll.” He added that he has almost stopped reviewing pitch decks that open with the same statement.

According to Kamath, artificial intelligence has become “table stakes” for many startups. In simple terms, using AI is no longer enough to make a company stand out because so many businesses are already using similar tools.

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AI alone is not a business advantage

Kamath compared saying “we use AI” to bragging about taking a bath every day. His point was that using a common technology does not automatically make a product different.

Instead, founders should explain what their AI actually does and why it matters to customers.

For example, a startup could use AI to reduce costs, automate work, improve a service or solve a problem that was previously difficult to solve. These details are more useful to investors than simply saying that the company is AI-powered.

Kamath also pointed out that AI tools have made it easier to create professional-looking pitch decks. This means investors are seeing more presentations that look and sound similar.

A good-looking deck, however, does not necessarily mean the business is strong.

Investors want more than an AI claim

Kamath’s comments led to a debate on social media. Some users agreed that “we use AI” now sounds similar to saying “we have a website.”

Others questioned whether investors could miss good startups by quickly ignoring AI-focused pitches.

The discussion also brought comparisons with earlier technology trends, including the dot-com period.

Kamath’s message, however, was not that startups should avoid AI. His criticism was aimed at founders who use AI as their main selling point without explaining the value of their product.

For founders, the message is simple: explain the problem first, show how the product solves it and then explain how AI helps.

As AI becomes easier and cheaper to access, the technology itself may become less important as a differentiator. What could matter more is the product, customers, business model, data, execution and the problem being solved.

The latest comments from Nithin Kamath on AI startup pitch decks show how investor expectations are changing as AI becomes a normal part of the startup world.