AI Investor - Principal (San Francisco, CA)

About the role

A leading early-stage venture capital fund is looking for an AI-focused Investor to lead its thinking and investing across the rapidly evolving artificial intelligence ecosystem. This is a full-time investing role for someone who wants to spend all day, every day developing conviction around AI, building relationships with exceptional founders, and identifying the companies that will define the category. The fund has approximately 20 team members, including an investment team of around 12, and recently raised a new approximately $220 million fund that remains early in its deployment. Its AI portfolio includes companies across consumer applications, infrastructure, research, and agents. The investment model combines early entry positions with the ability to concentrate capital behind the opportunities where the team has the strongest conviction.

Responsibilities

• Build and own a distinctive investment perspective across the AI landscape
• Source and evaluate new opportunities
• Develop relationships with founders and technical communities
• Lead investments from initial thesis through diligence and decision‑making
• Assess emerging technologies, markets, competitive dynamics, business models, and valuations
• Help the wider partnership maintain a current, differentiated view of the ecosystem

Requirements

• Already deployed capital as part of an investment team and can demonstrate genuine, independently developed conviction about AI
• Capable of discussing topics such as foundation‑model competition, open‑source versus closed‑source ecosystems, AI infrastructure, application‑layer opportunities, consumer adoption, and changing valuation dynamics
• Experience with consumer‑facing AI companies
• Built own networks and reputation rather than relying solely on an established firm’s brand
• Strong technical breadth (role is investing, not engineering)
• May come from venture capital, angel investing, founding and exiting a technology company, operating within a leading AI business, or relevant academic and technical communities
• Demonstrate strong investment judgement, access to exceptional founders, and credible experience evaluating or deploying capital

Qualifications

• Preferred level is Principal; fund open to exceptional candidates from Principal through Partner
• New York or San Francisco preferred, but location not an absolute requirement

Skills

• Investment judgement and conviction development
• Ability to source and evaluate AI opportunities
• Relationship building with founders and technical communities
• Technical breadth to discuss foundation models, open/closed source, infrastructure, applications, consumer adoption, and valuation dynamics
• Network building and reputation in the AI ecosystem