AI Graveyard Tracks Projects and Startups That Failed
apple openai startup
| Source: TechCrunch | Original article
A growing list of AI projects and startups, from Apple’s delayed Siri to OpenAI’s troubled super‑app launch, have shut down or fallen short of expectations.
A new TechCrunch feature titled “The AI graveyard: a running list of projects and startups that didn’t make it” catalogues the growing tally of artificial‑intelligence initiatives that have stalled, pivoted or vanished. The piece, first published on 15 September 2026 and updated through October, spotlights high‑profile setbacks such as Apple’s repeatedly delayed Siri AI effort and OpenAI’s chaotic “super‑app” rollout. It also records recent casualties like Relay, an AI‑driven workflow‑automation tool that shut down this week, and the bankruptcy filing of chatbot platform Character.ai, five years after its peak.
The article matters because it reframes these failures not merely as isolated flops but as data points that can inform the sector’s next wave of investment and product strategy. By aggregating examples across big tech and venture‑backed startups, the list underscores how rapid hype cycles, aggressive timelines and over‑promised capabilities can lead to costly dead‑ends. For investors and engineers alike, the graveyard serves as a cautionary ledger, highlighting the importance of realistic roadmaps, sustainable funding models and clearer metrics for success.
Looking ahead, the compilation is likely to spark deeper industry introspection. Analysts may use the graveyard as a benchmark for evaluating emerging AI bets, while venture firms could tighten due‑diligence criteria around product‑market fit and execution risk. Observers will also watch whether the trend prompts larger players—such as Apple or OpenAI—to recalibrate launch strategies or increase transparency around development milestones. As the AI ecosystem matures, the “graveyard” could become a regular reference point for gauging which ambitions are viable and which are destined to join the growing list of unmet expectations.
Sources
Back to AIPULSEN