what happened to YC?

A critical opinion piece examining the perceived decline of Y Combinator under Gary Tan's leadership. The author argues that YC has shifted from its original merit-based, founder-focused philosophy to chasing AI trends, funding unqualified or dishonest founders, and fostering a culture of silence where criticism is dismissed as hating. Key concerns include YC using its platform to promote Gary Tan's personal GStack project over portfolio companies, blocking critics on social media, dismissing legitimate feedback, the Delve fraud scandal, and inflated revenue expectations pushing founders toward shady behavior. The author contrasts the current YC with Paul Graham's original vision and expresses concern about low-quality founders being entrusted with building AI systems.