Almost every parent comment on this is negative. Why is there such an anti-OpenAI bias on a forum run by YCombinator, basically the pseudo-parent of OpenAI?
It seems that there is a constant motive to view any decision made by any big AI company on this forum at best with extreme cynicism and at worse virulent hatred. It seems unwise for a forum focused on technology and building the future to be so opposed to the companies doing the most to advance the most rapidly evolving technological domain at the moment.
Can someone give the counter argument to my initial cynical read of this? That read being: OpenAI has more money than it can invest productively within it's own company and is trying to cast a net to find new product ideas via an incubator?
I can't imagine Softbank or Microsoft is happy about their money being funneled into something like this and it implies they have run out of ideas internally. But I think I'm probably being too reflexively cynical
> Thank you for your application. We will contact a select group of applicants in the coming weeks. If you are not contacted, we’d love to have you apply for the next cohort.
They can't even be bothered to ask ChatGPT to send a "no" email. Incredible.
If you are pre-idea today, does OpenAI believe your startup will still be relevant in the face of the AGI progress they forecast to make in the time it takes you to ship?
There are serious problems if they are lacking ideas while employing some of the supposedly best talent in the industry. Once your idea is out of the bag there is no way for you to control what happens with it.
Looks like they want to build up and support middle men to do the apps more than them, and act more like a platform or operating system position. Which makes sense giant corporations reporting 95% failed AI projects and the core success cases are specialist companies tuning the platform to a specific problem are successful. Then there are a ton of snake oil AI apps that are over promising under delivering hurting the image of AI's usefulness
This is probably purely a pivot in market strategy to profitability to increase token usage, increase consumer/public's trust more than farming ideas for internal projects.
This smacks so much of a Silicon Valley episode. “Pre-idea individuals” … Sounds like they want people with no opinions. Next we will say stuff like “No thought personas”
OpenAI Grove
(openai.com)178 points by manveerc 12 September 2025 | 165 comments
Comments
It seems that there is a constant motive to view any decision made by any big AI company on this forum at best with extreme cynicism and at worse virulent hatred. It seems unwise for a forum focused on technology and building the future to be so opposed to the companies doing the most to advance the most rapidly evolving technological domain at the moment.
First time I am hearing this term. It is a euphemism like pre-owned cars (instead of used cars).
What does this mean? People who do not yet have any idea? Weird.
Next up, we're funding prenatal individuals.
This feels like a program to see what sticks.
> Thank you for your application. We will contact a select group of applicants in the coming weeks. If you are not contacted, we’d love to have you apply for the next cohort.
They can't even be bothered to ask ChatGPT to send a "no" email. Incredible.
If ideas are a dime a dozen, what even is a pre-idea startup
More they train such engineers more profitable for them to spread the word.
In 1st cohort, they're probably going to accept extrovert people with active social presence.
Alas, such grove is impossible.
I'm working on a prototype right now, guess I'll toss my hat in the ring.
Fortune favors the bold.
Holy crap, I thought that term existed purely in the realm of satire skits:
https://www.tiktok.com/@techroastshow/video/7341240131015445...
This is probably purely a pivot in market strategy to profitability to increase token usage, increase consumer/public's trust more than farming ideas for internal projects.
AWS gives startups money.