A TechCrunch rundown of AI products and startups that have shut down or flopped, from Relay to Humane AI Pin to Microsoft's Recall. The piece shows that even massive companies like OpenAI and Apple struggle to make AI bets stick, with 42% of corporate AI initiatives ultimately abandoned.

• 42% of AI initiatives launched by corporations get abandoned, with failures driven by insufficient funding, technical challenges, competition, or weak user demand
• Major tech companies including OpenAI, Apple, and Microsoft have had high-profile AI failures: OpenAI killed ChatGPT Atlas and Sora; Apple delayed Siri AI by years; Microsoft's Recall faced persistent privacy backlash even after redesign
• Smaller AI startups like Relay, Humane AI Pin, and Rabbit R1 couldn't compete when larger platforms built similar features directly into their existing products or user bases

In a memo to investors, OpenAI says it plans to deploy 30 gigawatts of compute power by 2030, versus Anthropic’s expected 7–8 gigawatts by end of 2027, labeling its rival “compute constrained.” The note underscores OpenAI’s infrastructure edge, compounding efficiency gains, and race for dominance ahead of both companies’ potential IPOs.

• OpenAI's investor memo claims it will hit 30 gigawatts of compute by 2030, versus Anthropic's projected 7-8 gigawatts by end of 2027, calling Anthropic "compute constrained"
• OpenAI frames its infrastructure scale as creating a "compounding advantage" — lower cost per token driving more users, revenue, and further compute investment
• Anthropic pushed back by pointing to a new compute deal with Google and Broadcom, with its CFO calling it the company's "most significant compute commitment to date"
• Both companies are valued in the trillions and are considering IPOs this year, with Anthropic also just launching a cybersecurity-focused model ("Project Glasswing")