Garry Tan Invited Him Into YC

A YC founder turns a manual, low-IQ grind into an AI agent that finds creators, negotiates terms, and scales UGC—sometimes a little too far. What starts as a viral local-model demo becomes Stormy AI’s end-to-end engine for influencer marketing. Fresh off YC Demo Day, Robert Lukoszko (Stormy AI) breaks down the pivot, the fundraising blitz, and how agencies are replacing hours of scrolling with autonomous outreach. We get into model-proof moats, why micro-creators beat celebrity accounts, and the coming wave of AI-generated influencers. You’ll learn: How a YC pivot formed around a founder’s own pain (and real demand) The playbook: sourcing, outreach, negotiation, and QA with AI agents Why “every better model makes us stronger” is the right moat test Micro vs. macro creators: what actually converts in 2025 The next act: AI-native UGC, personalization, and brand-owned AI faces Tactical Demo Day lessons: energy + social proof = signed checks Chapters: 00:00 Introduction and Cold Open 00:13 Welcome to Lobster Talks 00:37 Demo Day Insights 03:05 The Journey of Stormy AI 04:39 From Viral Demos to YC Acceptance 07:35 Pivoting to Stormy AI 09:41 Automating Influencer Marketing 18:39 The Future of Influencer Marketing 19:50 AI and UGC: The Future of Influencer Marketing 20:11 The Rise of AI Influencers 20:41 AI-Generated Content vs. Human Content 21:05 The Makeup Industry and AI Influencers 22:26 The Shift to Micro-Influencers 23:23 Emerging Platforms and the Decline of Meta 25:22 The Future of AI in Content Creation 28:58 Preparing for an AI-Driven Future 31:46 Building a Moat in the AI Industry 34:54 The Importance of Vision and Customer Interaction 38:16 Stormy AI: Current and Future Plans 39:20 Conclusion and Call to Action 📌 Watch now and subscribe for more smart, fast, founder-first interviews. 🎧 Listen on the go: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1u1JyRKH8JYFjhBkvTUOAP Apple: https://apple.co/4cZ8RMm My other YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@GJarrosson