Australia's AI Reality Check: VC Pressure, Messy Adoption, and a $20B Data Centre Bet

Airtree Ventures, one of Australia's largest VC firms, has issued a stark ultimatum to its portfolio companies: show a "credible AI story" or face being sold off. In a note to investors obtained by the AFR, the firm said it was "pressure-testing" its entire portfolio and acknowledged it "would be remiss to pretend" AI was not disrupting older start-ups. The move signals a new era where Australian VCs won't tolerate AI wash — they...