Sid Orlando for Mercury

Startups are strangely upbeat in 2025: AI may be the reason why

The economy feels shaky , but founders aren’t flinching. In fact, most are more confident in their business's financial future than they were a year ago — and the boldest optimism comes from those leaning hardest into AI. Mercury’s survey of 1,500 U.S. entrepreneurs running companies less than six years old found that 60% of businesses that had significantly adopted AI reported their confidence in financial prospects had “significantly improved” compared to 2024 — more than double the 28% of businesses that hadn’t adopted AI tools. This connection between innovation and sentiment underscores a broader shift: resilience today is powered by both mindset and technology.

How are founders feeling in 2

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