Venture in the Age of AI

Podcast Title:

Venture in the Age of AI: Don Butler on Jobs, Tools, and the Future of VC

Refined Description:

Don Butler has seen a few cycles. He joined Thomvest Ventures in February 2000—just as the dot-com bubble was about to burst. Now, 25 years later, he’s watching another massive shift take hold: AI.

In this episode of The Venture Variety Show, Don and I dive into how artificial intelligence is changing the way venture capital firms operate—from sourcing and diligence to hiring decisions and team structure. We explore the tools Thomvest is using today, how they're thinking about staffing in an AI-first world, and why solo GPs backed by AI assistants might be the new normal.

We also talk about the human side of this transformation: what jobs are at risk, where new roles are emerging, and how behavior is already shifting in response to AI-powered systems.

If you’re a founder, investor, or just curious how AI is rewiring the VC industry from the inside out, this episode is for you.

Key Topics:

Why Thomvest no longer hires analysts

The rise of AI agents and what they’re replacing

How generational wealth transfer is transforming wealth management

What “AI Associates” mean for firm structure and solo GPs

Why understanding model drift matters in agentic systems

Behavioral surprises from voice agents and what they reveal

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