Is there a YPO equivalent built for AI founders specifically? The honest answer, with the closest options compared.
YPO works because it has 36,000 members, 70+ years of history, a structured Forum process, and a high seniority floor. Building an exact AI-native equivalent at that scale would take another decade.
What does exist in 2026 are several smaller communities with most of the qualities AI founders actually want from a YPO equivalent: high seniority, off the record, focused enough to be useful, large enough to be diverse, and oriented to the AI era rather than the previous one.
This page compares them honestly.
| Open Future Forum | YPO | Hampton | South Park Commons | EO | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AI-native? | Yes | No | AI cohort exists | Heavy AI density | No (AI present) |
| Seniority floor | C-suite, board, senior VCs | Chief executives (size minimums) | $1M+ ARR founders | Technical founders (no formal floor) | $1M+ revenue founders |
| Geography | Silicon Valley | Global | Online + retreats | San Francisco | Global |
| Format | Dinners + open events | Forum process (monthly) | Online peer groups + retreats | Coworking + programming | Forum process + chapters |
| Group size | 8 to 30 per dinner | 8 to 10 per Forum | Small core groups | Hundreds in community | 8 to 10 per Forum |
| Access | Invitation (Select); open (Events) | Application + dues | Application + dues | Application + dues | Application + dues |
| Fee | No fee | Several thousand / year | Thousands / year | Annual dues | Several thousand / year |
| Off the record? | Yes | Yes (Forum rule) | Yes | Strong norms | Yes (Forum rule) |
| Time commitment | Quarterly dinners (low) | Monthly Forum + chapter (high) | Monthly group (medium) | Variable (medium to high) | Monthly Forum + chapter (high) |
The most AI-focused option in the Bay Area. Forum Select is invitation-only and small, with no membership fee and a strict off-the-record norm. Forum Events is open and a good way to be seen before being considered for Select. See how to join.
YPO is the most established and largest. The Forum process is structured and tested. The time commitment is meaningful. Not AI-specific, but several YPO chapters and programs are tilting in that direction.
Hampton is the closest to a peer-group experience for high-growth founders that includes a strong AI cohort. Mostly online with retreats. Best for $1M to $50M revenue founders who want peer support without a chapter commitment.
San Francisco physical community for technical founders. High AI density. More builder-oriented than executive-oriented. Best if you want to be around other technical people while you figure out the next thing.
EO has stronger chapter density in mid-sized cities than YPO and a lower revenue threshold. Like YPO, not AI-specific, but a sound long-term option for founder peer learning.
Forum Select is the private invitation-only tier of Open Future Forum. It is designed for AI founders, C-suite leaders and board directors in or adjacent to AI who want a small Silicon Valley room.
The principle is simple. Everyone in the room is a giver. You share what you know, make the introductions that matter, and leave the room better than you found it. There is no membership fee. Murray Newlands reviews every inquiry personally.
For more on the operating model, see What Is Forum Select? and Silicon Valley CEO Dinners.
If this sounds like the right fit, attend a Forum Event first or apply directly for Forum Select.