Todays episode continues our coverage from a16zs recent AI Revolution event. Youll hear directly from a16z cofounder Ben Horowitz and Databricks cofounder and CEO, Ali Ghodsi as they answer questions around AI and the enterprise, plus their perspectives on open source, whether benchmarks are BS, and the scramble of universities to take part in the very wave they kicked off decades ago. If youd like to access all the talks from AI Revolution in full, visit a16z.com/airevolution. Resources: Find A...
Oct 06, 2023•26 min•Ep 745•Transcript available on Metacast Todays episode continues our coverage from a16zs recent AI Revolution event. Youll hear a16z Bio & Health GP Vijay Pande speak with Daphne Koller about the fascinating convergence of machine learning and genomics two industries that have benefitted decades of investment and progress which are now colliding head on. Daphne is a prominent innovator at this intersection, as a long-time professor in computer science at Stanford and co-founder of Coursera, who has decided to step back into the arena ...
Oct 03, 2023•24 min•Ep 744•Transcript available on Metacast The AI Revolution is here. In this episode, youll learn what the most important themes that some of the worlds most prominent AI builders from OpenAI, Anthropic, CharacterAI, Roblox, and more are paying attention to. Youll hear discussion around the real-world impact of this revolution, on industries ranging from gaming to design, and the considerations around alignment along the way. This footage is from an exclusive event, AI Revolution, that a16z ran in San Francisco recently. If youd like to...
Sep 28, 2023•32 min•Ep 743•Transcript available on Metacast The AI Revolution is here. In this episode, youll learn what the most important themes that some of the worlds most prominent AI builders from OpenAI, Anthropic, CharacterAI, Roblox, and more are paying attention to. Youll hear about the economics of AI, broad vs specialized models, the importance of UX, and whether we can expect scaling laws to continue. This footage is from an exclusive event, AI Revolution, that a16z ran in San Francisco recently. If youd like to access all the talks in full,...
Sep 25, 2023•38 min•Ep 742•Transcript available on Metacast The space industry is evolving rapidly, with the cost of launching payloads to orbit dropping significantly. But who's investing in this sector, and how will it evolve? In this episode, we delve into the transformative journey of the satellite industry with Andy Lapsa, co-founder of Stoke Space. With over a decade of experience at Blue Origin, Andy is now at the forefront of sustainable space travel, pioneering fully reusable rockets. Dont forget to check out Part 1 in this mini series, where we...
Sep 22, 2023•57 min•Ep 741•Transcript available on Metacast The cost of launching payloads to orbit has dramatically dropped, igniting a space renaissance. In 2022, a record 186 rocket launches (41 more than the previous year!) underscores this shift. In Part 1 of our satellite economy mini-series, we sit down with John Gedmark, co-founder of Astranis, to reflect on today's innovations, whos on the other side of the satellite market, the capabilities theyre looking for, competition, and their mission to provide internet access to 4 billion underserved pe...
Sep 19, 2023•42 min•Ep 740•Transcript available on Metacast with @alive_eth @danboneh @smc90 This week's all-new episode covers the convergence of two important, very top-of-mind trends: AI (artificial intelligence) & blockchains/ crypto. These domains together have major implications for how we all live our lives everyday; so this episode is for anyone just curious about, or already building in the space. The conversation covers topics ranging from deep fakes, bots, and the need for proof-of-humanity in a world of AI; to big data, large language models ...
Sep 13, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Ep 737•Transcript available on Metacast With recent landmark legislation being passed around salary transparency, many companies are playing catch up as they interpret and implement changes. In this episode, members of the a16z People Operations team, Shannon Schiltz and Brandon Cherry explore how companies can best prepare themselves to not just survive, but thrive in this new environment. Topics Covered: 00:00 - Salary transparency legislation 01:52 - The culture around pay transparency 03:39 - What is the legislation? 07:01 - How a...
Sep 05, 2023•40 min•Ep 738•Transcript available on Metacast How many people spend more time organizing their second brains, instead of leveraging the information within them? With consumer AI now capable of processing simple language prompts and interfacing with unstructured data, is the landscape of information management on the brink of a transformative evolution? Founders of Mem, Kevin Moody and Dennis Xu, plus writer Nat Eliason, explore whats gotten in the way of a true second brain, and how AI may finally unlock what knowledge management tools have...
Aug 31, 2023•48 min•Ep 736•Transcript available on Metacast In this exclusive conversation from a16zs Bio and Health BUILD Summit, founding partner Ben Horowitz sits down with general partner Jorge Conde. They discuss everything from the inspiration behind Bens book The Hard Thing About Hard Things, how the open Internet was secured, the difference between wartime and peacetime CEOs, scaling culture, and understanding how bio & healthcare differs from other forms of technology. Topics Covered: 00:00 - Introduction 02:09 - What are the most important less...
Aug 24, 2023•35 min•Ep 735•Transcript available on Metacast From artificial limbs to memory foam, many inventions have emerged from our quest to understand the cosmos. In this episode we explore cosmic history, space's impact on technology, and the enduring human fascination with space exploration. To take us on this journey is astrophysicist John Mather, a Nobel Prize winner for his work on the COBE satellite and a key figure in the James Webb Space Telescope project. Prepare to be intrigued and left with a sense of wonder about the universe's influence...
Aug 18, 2023•43 min•Ep 734•Transcript available on Metacast With students learning in more places and different ways than we have ever seen, the pace of change in education is dizzying. Can this progress narrow learning gaps exacerbated by COVID-19 or will it fuel divides? How can we make the most of this once-in-a-generation opportunity? Join our panelists from Khan Academy, PrismsVR, and Minecraft Education as we discuss the classroom of the future, and how important technologies including AI, XR, and gaming should play a role in it. Topics Covered: 00...
Aug 14, 2023•40 min•Ep 731•Transcript available on Metacast With software becoming more important than ever, hardware is following suit. As the world generates more data, unlocking the full potential of AI means a constant need for faster and more resilient hardware. But how much does this all really cost? In this final segment of our AI hardware series, we tackle that question head on. Be sure to check part 1 and 2, where we explore the emerging architectures and the momentous competition for AI hardware. Topics Covered: 00:00 The cost of compute 02:20 ...
Aug 07, 2023•14 min•Ep 733•Transcript available on Metacast With the world constantly generating more data, unlocking the full potential of AI means a constant need for faster and more resilient hardware. In this episode the second in our three-part series we explore the challenges for founders trying to build AI companies. We dive into the delta between supply and demand, whether to own or rent, where moats can be found, and even where open source comes into play. Look out for the rest of our series, where we dive into terminology and technology that is...
Aug 02, 2023•22 min•Ep 732•Transcript available on Metacast In 2011, Marc Andreessen said, software is eating the world. And in the last year, weve seen a new wave of generative AI, with some apps becoming some of the most swiftly adopted software products of all time. So if software is becoming more important than ever, hardware is following suit. In this episode the first in our three-part series we explore the terminology and technology that is now the backbone of the AI models taking the world by storm. Well explore what GPUs are, how they work, the ...
Jul 27, 2023•16 min•Ep 730•Transcript available on Metacast Despite the ease of product building, sustainable growth has become increasingly challenging as many traditional channels no longer deliver the same results. In these challenging times, we explore the remaining growth opportunities. How can we achieve a balance between efficiency, profitability, and growth? Which channels are still relevant and how can they be effectively mastered in 2023? Join us as we discuss these questions with three seasoned experts who have successfully navigated similar c...
Jul 21, 2023•46 min•Ep 729•Transcript available on Metacast Todays episode is with Mark Cuban, founder of multiple businesses, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, one of the sharks on Shark Tank, and cofounder of the Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company. He is joined by Vijay Pande, founding partner of a16z Bio + Health. Together, they talk market forces in healthcare, the importance of trust to patients, and Marks ideas to tackle the Gordian knot that is American healthcare. Listen to our last two episodes on Healthcare x Fintech: When Two Giants Intersect: Hea...
Jul 12, 2023•41 min•Ep 728•Transcript available on Metacast Remote work is a big, divisive topic right now. Some think its the future, while others think it was an experiment gone wrong. But its also not the only way to attract top talent. And the equation for doing so has only gotten more confusion as a myriad of trends intersect, from layoffs to emerging technologies like AI. So how can companies navigate this storm and truly attract the talent that matters? Listen in to find out. Topics Covered: 00:00 Introduction 03:26 What it takes to attract top ta...
Jul 06, 2023•43 min•Ep 727•Transcript available on Metacast Self-driving cars have been on the horizon for quite some time. But, they might actually be here. We got to ride around in one all over San Francisco with Waymos Chief Product Officer, Saswat Panigrahi. We discussed so much, including the five levels of autonomy, the infamous LIDAR vs video debate, regulation, UX, and the role of AI in fine-tuning these models. But most importantly, if autonomy is here now what?! Topics Covered: 00:00 - Introduction 03:20 - A first look at Waymo 05:21 - 5 levels...
Jun 26, 2023•56 min•Ep 726•Transcript available on Metacast with @skominers @smc90 In this deep dive and tour through key business concepts, from theory to practice, we cover the topics of strategy, competitive advantage, network effects, moats, and more -- covering both both basic foundations, as well as the tricky nuances in a new world of open source, including web3. In the first half of this discussion, we cover foundational business concepts and questions -- such as the nature of competition, and how it *really* changes in web3; as well as how netwo...
Jun 23, 2023•1 hr 18 min•Ep 725•Transcript available on Metacast This week, a16zs own cofounder Marc Andreessen published a nearly 7,000-word article that aimed to dispel fears over AI's risks to our humanity both real and imagined. Instead, Marc elaborates on how AI can "make everything we care about better." In this timely one-on-one conversation with a16z General Partner Martin Casado, Marc discusses how this technology will maximize human potential, why the future of AI should be decided by the free market, and most importantly, why AI wont destroy the wo...
Jun 16, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Ep 724•Transcript available on Metacast The holy grail of company building is finding product-market fit. But what most people dont tell you is that once youve found it, product-market fit brings its own set of challenges, particularly when it comes to scaling rapidly and hiring the right executives at the right time. Drawing from their extensive experiences, a16z cofounder Ben Horowitz and Databricks cofounder and CEO Ali Ghodsi sit down to talk about the hardest things about executive hiring and firing, and what is at stake. They di...
Jun 14, 2023•40 min•Ep 723•Transcript available on Metacast Demand for electric cars is booming. More than 10 million electric cars were sold worldwide in 2022, and consumer behavior is changing as more people embrace alternative and sustainable modes of mobility. While the electrification movement is a critical element of climate action, it also presents new challenges - from the sky to the sea. In this episode, industry experts Gregory Davis, CEO of Eviation Planes, Mitch Lee, co-founder and CEO of Arc Boats, and Duncan McIntyre, founder and CEO of Hig...
Jun 09, 2023•1 hr•Ep 722•Transcript available on Metacast Todays episode is with Magi Richani, founder and CEO of Nobell Foods. She is joined by a16z Bio + Health general partner Vijay Pande. Together, they talk about the details of engineering plants to create the future of food, why Nobell started with soybeans to produce their cheese, and her dream of finding a cheese pizzawith Nobell cheeseat any pizza shop across the country.
Jun 02, 2023•30 min•Ep 721•Transcript available on Metacast Many companies today are grappling with a few things: an economic downturn, potential layoffs and restructuring, and trying to keep up with the latest tech trends all while still maintaining a growth trajectory. In this episode, youll learn which companies are uniquely designed to weather this storm and what attributes these exponential organizations have. Were joined by the co-authors of Exponential Organzations, Peter Diamandids and Salim Ismail, both also well-known for their involvement in X...
May 25, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Ep 720•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, youll hear directly from 6 founders trying to reinvent the healthcare system with the help of Fintech. Theyre tackling everything from the lack of price transparency, the complexity of billing, getting clinics paid on time, mental health support for the masses, virtual first-care, and the millions of Americans about to lose access to Medicaid. Topics Covered: 00:00 - The biggest problems in healthcare 02:22 - The lack of price transparency 07:13 - The complexity of medical billi...
May 22, 2023•37 min•Ep 719•Transcript available on Metacast 2022 was a breakout year for AI. While machine learning had already been integrated into applications for millions of users, for many, these tools still felt like their first real-world encounter with AI. As AI continues to revolutionize industries, CEOs are discussing how to integrate this new superpower. They are also considering important questions around data privacy, competition, cost, accuracy, and speed. In today's episode, we talk with Cresta, Hex, and Sourcegraph, three companies at the...
May 15, 2023•37 min•Ep 718•Transcript available on Metacast Most people dont need a reminder of the state of healthcare in America. But its not just the consumer thats hurting. Medical debt is increasing, billions are lost in unpaid claims, hospitals are in the red, service prices can range up to 30x. In this episode, a16z GPs Julie You and David Haber explain where the healthcare system breaks down and how the three party system between payors, providers, and consumers can be rethought through the lens of Fintech. Learn more about Healthcare x Fintech h...
May 09, 2023•50 min•Ep 717•Transcript available on Metacast Nvidias CEO Jensen Huang declared in a recent keynote, we are in the iPhone moment of AI. This special episode will give you an inside look into a16zs Data and AI Forum, hosted the day GPT-4 came out, featuring many of the most influential builders in the space from the companies building foundational models like OpenAI to those building the underlying infrastructure like AWS. Resources: Check out CoactiveAI: https://coactive.ai/ Check out CharacterAI: http://character.ai/ Check out Hex: https:/...
May 02, 2023•27 min•Ep 716•Transcript available on Metacast In a recent episode, we delved into the first wave of technology that was used to create digital influencers like 'Lil Miquela back in 2016. Fast forward to today, we're presented with a whole new set of tools that enable almost anyone to build their own digital influencer. In this episode, Sinead Bovell and Danny Postma discuss the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on the world of modeling, online creation, and self-representation. From the rise of AI-generated photos to the demo...
Apr 24, 2023•40 min•Ep 715•Transcript available on Metacast 
