AI startups attracted approximately $242 billion in venture funding during the first quarter of 2026, accounting for 80% of global startup investments. According to NS3.AI, this figure surpasses the total AI startup funding for the entire year of 2025. OpenAI alone raised $122 billion in this period. However, Bloomberg reported that around half of the planned U.S. AI data centers for 2026 faced delays or cancellations.