Dr. Limor Ziv shared a post by Peter Slattery, that presents the findings from an 18-month research project that engaged over 200 VC and growth equity funds and 80 LPs managing more than 6 trillion dollars in assets. The study included 30 in-depth interviews and a first-of-its-kind survey of 56 VC practitioners across global markets.
Responsible AI Is Good Business
The central finding is clear: 73% of VCs surveyed believe companies with stronger responsible AI practices will be more financially successful. This conviction is driven by two dynamics: avoiding costly incidents, and earning the customer trust needed for real-world adoption. 84% see direct investment opportunity in companies that make responsibility core to their proposition.
91% see significant opportunity in AI safety infrastructure, drawing a parallel to the emergence of cybersecurity as an investable market. This finding is reshaping how funds evaluate AI companies across their entire portfolio strategy.
The Gap Between Belief and Practice
Alongside strong conviction, a significant gap persists between belief and practice. Only 55% of VC funds include responsible AI in due diligence, only 14% rate their AI risk assessment capabilities as good, and just 27% feel they have sufficient internal expertise on the topic.
These gaps extend to portfolio companies: only 42% of VCs believe their startups adequately understand responsible AI risks. The main barriers are difficulty evaluating risks and insufficient expertise, compounded by coordination challenges across ESG, legal, technical, and investment teams.
Global LP Pressure
Limited partner pressure is converging globally. US investors are rapidly increasing their responsible AI engagement to match the levels European LPs had already established. This upstream pressure, combined with growing procurement expectations from enterprise customers, is beginning to shift incentives across the entire investment chain.
Geography shapes interpretation: European investors treat regulatory compliance as business reality, US investors frame it as a competitive threat, and Asia is emerging as a surprisingly progressive region on the topic.
From Risk Management to Investment Thesis
The most significant shift the research identifies is the evolution of responsible AI from a risk management concern into an active investment thesis. It now encompasses both the infrastructure enabling responsibility and broader positive impact opportunities in healthcare, education, climate, and financial inclusion. Organizations that miss this shift risk falling behind in both capital access and market positioning.