Ask HN: Seed+ AI startups, are you able to meet VC growth expectations?

For founders of early-stage (Seed to Series A) AI startups:

Are you finding it realistic to meet the growth expectations set by VCs, especially given the current funding environment and competitive landscape?

How are you balancing the need for rapid traction with the challenges of hiring, infra costs (e.g. GPUs), and customer acquisition in noisy AI markets?

Would love to hear from others on how they're navigating this.