Venture capitalist Ashu Garg, a General Partner at Foundation Capital, recently shared his key takeaway from the International Conference on Machine Learning (ICML) 2025, highlighting "utility" as a central theme. Garg, a prominent investor known for backing successful AI companies, conveyed his reflections on the significant annual gathering of AI and machine learning professionals. His insights underscore a potential shift in focus within the AI community towards practical application and real-world value.
Garg's tweet, posted after attending ICML 2025, stated, > "I left @icmlconf last week thinking a lot about utility. My takeaways 🧵." This statement from a leading venture capitalist suggests a growing emphasis on the tangible benefits and deployable solutions derived from AI research and development. Foundation Capital, where Garg is a General Partner, has a history of investing in transformative AI and machine learning companies, including early investments in Databricks and several unicorns.
ICML 2025, a premier event in the machine learning field, featured extensive discussions and research presentations on advancing AI capabilities. Themes at the conference often include the development of reliable and trustworthy AI systems, the mathematical reasoning abilities of machine learning models, and practical applications across various domains. The concept of "utility" aligns with these discussions, pushing the conversation beyond theoretical advancements to practical implementation and societal impact.
From an investment perspective, a focus on utility implies a greater emphasis on AI solutions that demonstrate clear business value, efficiency gains, and measurable return on investment. This direction could influence future funding trends, encouraging innovations that address real-world problems and integrate seamlessly into existing industries. The shift reflects a maturation of the AI landscape, where the focus moves from pure technological possibility to demonstrable, impactful applications.