Hi friends 👋

A few weeks ago, I was speaking with a founder who had recently shifted his product from a general-purpose AI copilot to a very narrow workflow in healthcare. I asked him what drove the decision.

He paused for a second and said something that stuck with me:

“Horizontal AI is exciting — but vertical AI actually gets used.”

Not “makes more money.”
Not “sounds better in a pitch deck.”
Just gets used.

And the more conversations I had with founders, operators, and investors, the clearer this pattern became:

The biggest wave of real, sustained AI adoption is happening inside industries — not on the surface.

In this week’s deep dive, we’ll explore why vertical AI is gaining momentum, which sectors are shifting the fastest, and how founders can identify the highest-leverage opportunities.

Here’s what you’ll find inside:

• What Vertical AI Actually Means — A Clear Definition

• Why the Market Is Shifting Toward Vertical Solutions

• Industry Breakdown: Where AI Is Creating Real Lift

• The Hidden Opportunities Most Founders Miss

• The Vertical Wedge Strategy (A Step-by-Step Guide)

• A Practical Framework for Founders

Let’s get into it.

— Naseema Perveen

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH DEEPGRAM

Voice AI Goes Mainstream in 2025

Human-like voice agents are moving from pilot to production. In Deepgram’s 2025 State of Voice AI Report, created with Opus Research, we surveyed 400 senior leaders across North America - many from $100M+ enterprises - to map what’s real and what’s next.

The data is clear:

• 97% already use voice technology; 84% plan to increase budgets this year.

• 80% still rely on traditional voice agents.

• Only 21% are very satisfied.

• Customer service tops the list of near-term wins, from task automation to order taking.

See where you stand against your peers, learn what separates leaders from laggards, and get practical guidance for deploying human-like agents in 2025.

Download the Report