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Artificial intelligence (AI) startups are on track to capture more than half of total annual venture capital funding for the first time in 2025, according to a report by CB Insights.
The report highlighted that AI companies raised 51 per cent of the total funding in 2025 so far, signaling a historic shift in investor focus toward the sector. The report stated, "AI companies captured 51 per cent of total venture funding in 2025 so far -- putting 2025 on pace for the first year ever where AI startups claim most of the funding." The report data showed that the United States continues to lead global AI growth, accounting for 85 per cent of all AI funding and 53 per cent of the total number of deals this year. Of the seven largest AI funding rounds, four were secured by U.S.-based companies. This dominance highlights the growing strength of the US in AI innovation and its ability to attract large-scale investments from global venture capitalists. Overall, as per the report, venture funding across industries exceeded USD 90 billion for the fourth consecutive quarter, reaching USD 95.6 billion in the third quarter (Q3) of 2025. Total annual funding climbed to USD 310 billion through Q3, marking the highest yearly figure since 2022. However, despite the rise in funding value, deal volume has dropped to its lowest level since the fourth quarter of 2016. This reflects increasing investor selectivity, with investors writing bigger checks to fewer companies. The median deal size has also expanded, showing a clear trend toward more concentrated investments in promising sectors such as AI. Within the AI ecosystem, the humanoid robot segment stood out as one of the most active markets. Industrial humanoid robots recorded 17 deals in Q3'25, more than any other market segment. Additionally, healthcare humanoid robots secured seven deals, placing just outside the top 10 most active markets. With two new humanoid unicorns emerging in the third quarter, the total number of humanoid robot unicorns has now reached four. The surge in AI investment marks a defining moment for the global venture capital landscape, with 2025 shaping up to be the first year where artificial intelligence claims the majority of startup funding. (ANI)
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