Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan says he spends between $100,000 and $200,000 a year on tokens for AI agents. He disclosed the figure on an episode of Walter Isaacson’s podcast, The Builders, discussing how extensively he uses the tools for work and everyday tasks.
Tan uses agents for coding and other projects, as well as to prepare for his podcast interview. He has also published gstack, a collection of 23 Claude Code skills, on GitHub to show others what AI agents can do.
The agents can draw on extensive personal information, Tan said. One has read his email, Dropbox files and Apple Notes, including therapy notes going back 20 years. He described the technology as a helper that can anticipate needs and take on tasks with some autonomy.
Y Combinator is also using an internal agent called Stray Light to help reshape how the accelerator operates. Tan said it has a personality and access to the organization’s context, including information about backed founders, people who have emailed the company and applications.
Tan, an early OpenClaw adopter, said users should not treat AI agents exactly like conventional software. In his view, prioritizing repeatability and safety too heavily can diminish some of the benefits of agents that behave more like human assistants.
He expects personal AI agents to become more common, but said their cost needs to fall. Tan acknowledged that his spending reflects a privilege many people cannot afford. He also argued for personal AI that people control and program themselves, rather than relying on agents controlled by large technology companies.
Sources: TechCrunch Startups.