The a16z Show

Flock is a public safety technology platform that operates in over 4,000 cities across the United States, and solves about 2,200 crimes daily. That’s 10 percent of reported crimes nationwide.

Taken from a16z’s recent LP Summit, a16z General Partner David Ulevitch  joins forces with Flock Safety’s founder, Garrett Langley and Sheriff Kevin McMahill of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Together, they cover the delicate balance between using technology to combat crime and respecting individual privacy, and explore the use of drones and facial recognition, building trust within communities, and the essence of objective policing.

Resources: 

Find Garret on Twitter: https://twitter.com/glangley

Find Sheriff McMahill on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/Sheriff_LVMPD

Find David on Twitter:https://twitter.com/davidu

Learn more about Flock Safety: https://www.flocksafety.com

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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Nature’s blueprint – DNA – is an incredibly efficient machine. You cannot see it with the naked eye, yet it can last for hundreds, maybe even millions of years. Plus, the storage capacity of a single gram of DNA is over 200 million gigabytes! As the cost of DNA sequencing (reading) and synthesis (writing) comes down, scientists are looking to our very own biology for applications reaching as far as data storage. Learn more about this fascinating world with a16z General Partner Vijay Pande, as he says, this next wave of biological computing will “be the mother of many new exponentials to come.”

Resources: 

Save As: DNA Part 1: https://exo.substack.com/p/saving-our-story-in-dna-part-1

Save As: DNA Part 1: https://exo.substack.com/p/save-as-dna-part-2

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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As we close off 2023, we wanted to revisit some of our favorite episodes from the last year. From AI hardware, to healthcare regulation, to disrupting the world’s largest asset class, to the electrification of nearly everything… there’s  something in here for all listeners.

Resources: 

AI Hardware, Explained:

https://a16z.simplecast.com/episodes/ai-hardware-explained

Chasing Silicon: The Race for GPUs: https://a16z.simplecast.com/episodes/chasing-silicon-the-race-for-gpus

The True Cost of Compute: https://a16z.simplecast.com/episodes/the-cost-of-compute

AI Revolution: Disruption, Alignment, and Opportunity: https://a16z.simplecast.com/episodes/ai-revolution-disruption-alignment-and-opportunity

The Robot Lawyer Resistance; https://a16z.simplecast.com/episodes/the-robot-lawyer-resistance

The Quest for AGI: Q*, Self-Play, and Synthetic Data: https://a16z.simplecast.com/episodes/the-quest-for-agi-q-self-play-and-synthetic-data

The Road to Autonomous Vehicles: Are We There Yet?: https://a16z.simplecast.com/episodes/the-road-to-autonomous-vehicles-are-we-there-yet-PstZz2G_

The Electrification of Everything: From Sky to Sea: https://a16z.simplecast.com/episodes/the-electrification-of-everything-from-sky-to-sea

When Two Giants Intersect: Healthcare Meets Fintech: https://a16z.simplecast.com/episodes/when-two-giants-intersect-healthcare-meets-fintech

Salary Transparency: Clarity or Chaos?: https://a16z.simplecast.com/episodes/salary-transparency-clarity-or-chaos

Disrupting the World’s Largest Asset Class with Adam Neumann: https://a16z.simplecast.com/episodes/disrupting-the-worlds-largest-asset-class

The Data Highway Above with Privateer’s Steve Wozniak, Alex Fielding, and Dr. Moriba Jah: https://a16z.simplecast.com/episodes/new-the-data-highway-above-with-privateers-steve-wozniak-alex-fielding-and-dr-moriba-jah

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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Welcome to “The Ben & Marc Show”, featuring a16z’s co-founders Ben Horowitz and Marc Andreessen.  In this week’s episode, Marc and Ben are joined by special guest Tony Robbins to discuss the future of longevity.  

Tony Robbins is an entrepreneur, #1 NY Times bestselling author, philanthropist, and the nation’s #1 life & business strategist.  For over four and a half decades, Tony has empowered more than 50 million people from 100 countries around the world through his audio programs, educational videos, and live seminars. He’s also the author of six international bestsellers, including “Money: Master the Game” (2014), “Unshakable: Your Financial Freedom Playbook” (2017) and “Life Force: How New Breakthroughs in Precision Medicine Can Transform the Quality of Your Life and Those You Love” (2022).

Joined by a16z’s own Dr. Vijay Pande, PhD – General Partner since 2014, and founder and leader of a16z Bio + Health – the group discusses new breakthroughs in regenerative medicine, AI, biohacking, gene editing, mindset and confirms why this might be the best time to be alive. Enjoy!

Watch the full video version of this episode: https://youtu.be/V8h11baC_ok

Resources:

Marc on X: https://twitter.com/pmarca

Marc’s Substack: https://pmarca.substack.com/

Ben on X: https://twitter.com/bhorowitz

Dr. Vijay Pande on X: https://twitter.com/vijaypande

Learn more about Tony Robbins: https://tonyrobbins.com

Tony’s Time to Rise Summit (Jan 25-27, 2024): https://timetorisesummit.com/join-now  

Pre-order Tony’s upcoming book “The Holy Grail of Investing” (Feb 2024): http://theholygrailofinvesting.com

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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A new age of maritime exploration, the rise of the developer as a buyer in financial services, and more applications for computer vision and video intelligence. We asked over 40 partners across a16z to preview one big idea they believe will drive innovation in 2024.

Here in our 3-part series, you’ll hear directly from partners across all our verticals, as we dive even more deeply into these ideas. What’s the why now? Who is already building in these spaces? What opportunities and challenges are on the horizon? And how can you get involved?

Topics Covered:

00:00 - Big Ideas in Tech 2024

01:39 -  Big Idea: The Rise of the Developer as a Buyer in Financial Services

07:03 - Examples of financial service infrastructure products

08:40 - Building products and cost/selling structures

09:56 - How financial institutions will adopt new technology

13:07 - Regulatory shifts and updates

14:09 - The impact on customers

16:30 - Big Idea: A New Age of Maritime 

18:15 - The challenges of maritime exploration 

19:56 - Why is 2024 the year of iInnovation in maritime exploration?

23:32 - Space and aerospace exploration’s impact on maritime 

26:51 - Geopolitical supply chain and climate applications

29:40 - Autonomous fleets

31:49 - Key challenges in modernizing maritime 

34:11 - Opportunities for builders in the space

36:23 - Big Idea: New Applications for Computer Vision and Video Intelligence

38:06 - The current use of video and it’s data

38:53 - The unlocks in hardware and software driving change

41:40 - Emerging applications and use cases

43:20 - Video and privacy

44:49 - Why is 2024 the year of change and innovation?

Resources:

Find Angela on Twitter :https://twitter.com/astrange

Find Grant on Twitter: https://twitter.com/grant__gregory

Find Kimberly on Twitter: https://twitter.com/kimberlywtan

View all 40+ big ideas: https://a16z.com/bigideas2024

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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General Partner Anjney Midha explores the cutting-edge world of text-to-video AI with AI researchers Andreas Blattmann and Robin Rombach. 

Released in November, Stable Video Diffusion is their latest open-source generative video model, overcoming challenges in size and dynamic representation.

In this episode Robin and Andreas share why translating text to video is complex, the key role of datasets, current applications, and the future of video editing.

Topics Covered: 

00:00 - Text to Video: The Next Leap in AI Generation

02:41 - The Stable Diffusion backstory

04:25 - Diffusion vs autoregressive models

06:09 - The benefits of single step sampling

09:15 - Why generative video?

11:19 - Understanding physics through AI video

12:20 - The challenge of creating generative video

15:36 - Data set selection and training

17:50 - Structural consistency and 3D objects

19:50 - Incorporating LoRAs

21:24 - How should creators think about these tools?

23:46 - Open challenges in video generation 

25:42 - Infrastructure challenges and future research 

Resources: 

Find Robin on Twitter: https://twitter.com/robrombach

Find Andreas on Twitter: https://twitter.com/andi_blatt

Find Anjney on Twitter: https://twitter.com/anjneymidha

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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Voice-First Apps, AI Moats, Never-Ending Games, and Anime. We asked over 40 partners across a16z to preview one big idea they believe will drive innovation in 2024.

Here in our 3-part series, you’ll hear directly from partners across all our verticals, as we dive even more deeply into these ideas. What’s the why now? Who is already building in these spaces? What opportunities and challenges are on the horizon? And how can you get involved?

Timecodes:

00:00 - Big Ideas in Tech 2024

01:39 - Big Idea: Voice-First Apps Will Become Integral to Our Lives

04:14 - The limiting factors of voice technology

05:27 - What would a voice-first app look like? 

06:52 - Voice tech for companionship and productivity 

08:05 - The primary modality voice applications

10:08 - How builders and founders can integrate voice technology

13:31 - Big Idea: The Consumer AI Battleground Moves from Model to UX

15:49 - How user experience can contribute toward building a moat

17:57 - The commoditization of models

19:55 - How should builders differentiate between model and experience?

22:58 - Breakout examples for 2024

25:10 - Open source vs closed source

26:44 - The impact of applications splitting from the infrastructure layer

28:14 - Big Idea: AI-First Games That Never End

29:59 -Generative AI in gaming and AI native games

31:12 - Introducing generative agents as game companions 

33:57 - Does the gaming community want hyper personalization?

38:00 - New entrants vs the incumbents

41:57 - How business models and cost structures are evolving

46:21 - Advice for game builders in 2024

48:03 - Big Idea: Anime Games Go Mainstream

49:28 - What defines anime?

52:05 - Anime’s monetization strategy and how it differs from other genres

54:04 - Why are we seeing a rise in anime?

55:56 - What is required to be successful in anime

58:20 - AI, XR and inventing the next wave of anime

Resources:

View all 40+ big ideas: https://a16z.com/bigideas2024

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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Arthur Mensch is the co-founder of Mistral and the co-author of Deepmind’s pivotal 2022 "Chinchilla" paper.

In September 2023, Mistral released Mistral-7B, an advanced open-source language model that has rapidly become the top choice for developers. Just this week, they introduced a new mixture of experts model – Mixtral — that’s already generating significant buzz among AI developers.

As the battleground around large language models heats up, join us for a conversation with Arthur as he sits down with a16z General Partner Anjney Midha. Together, they delve into the misconceptions and opportunities around open source; the current performance reality of open and closed models; and the compute, data, and algorithmic innovations required to efficiently scale LLMs.

Resources:

Find Arthur on Twitter: https://twitter.com/arthurmensch

Find Anjney on Twitter: https://twitter.com/anjneymidha

Learn more about Mistral: https://mistral.ai

Learn why we invested in Mistral: https://a16z.com/announcement/investing-in-mistral/

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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Smart energy grids. Voice-first companion apps. Programmable medicines. AI tools for kids.
We asked over 40 partners across a16z to preview one big idea

they believe will drive innovation in 2024.

Here in our 3-part series, you’ll hear directly from partners across all our verticals, as we dive even more deeply into these ideas. What’s the why now? Who is already building in these spaces? What opportunities and challenges are on the horizon? And how can you get involved?

View all 40+ big ideas: https://a16z.com/bigideas2024

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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One topic at the center of the AI universe this week is a potential breakthrough called Q*. Little has been revealed about this OpenAI project, other than its likely relationship to solving certain grade-school mathematical problems.

Amid much speculation, we decided to bring in our new general partner, Anjney Midha – focused on all things AI – to sift through the sea of noise.

Today, we discuss the key frontier research areas that AI labs are exploring on their path toward generalizable intelligence, from self-play, to model-free reinforcement learning to synthetic data. Anjney also shares his insights on which approach he expects to be most influential in the next wave of LLMs and why math problems are even a suitable testing ground for this kind of research.

Topics Covered:

02:03 - What is Q*?

06:21 - Applying model-free reinforcement learning to complex spaces

13:17 - The role of self-play

19:04 - Synthetic data’s big unlock

24:44 - What does this unlock for society?

Resources:

Follow Anjney on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AnjneyMidha

Stay Updated: 

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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with @davidmarcus @smc90

This wide-ranging conversation covers company building, big to small -- including what cadence and when is the right "time" to ship; the relationship between centralization, decentralization, platforms, and financial freedom; moving from web2 to web3 in both crypto AND payments... as well as why bitcoin, views on remote work, and much much more. 

Our guest is David Marcus, CEO and co-founder of Lightspark; Marcus was also a co-creator of Diem (aka Libra and Novi, the cryptocurrency project initiated by Facebook). Before that, he was vice president of messaging products there, where he ran the Facebook Messenger unit; and prior to joining Facebook, Marcus was the former president of PayPal (which had acquired his previous startup).  

This episode begins with an interview just to help kick things off and then features a rich set of questions from the audience -- as this originally took place live on stage at our Crypto Startup School 2023. 

As a reminder: none of this should be taken as investment, legal, business, or tax advice; please see a16z.com/disclosures for more important information -- including a link to a list of our investments.

related readings:

• Regulate apps, not protocols series (2022-2023) - Miles Jennings et al, a16z crypto)
• What it will take to create the next great Silicon Valleys (2014) - Marc Andreessen (Politico, a16z)
• Why bitcoin matters (2014) - Marc Andreeessen (NYT, a16z)
• When one app rules them all: The case of WeChat and Mobile in China (2015) - Connie Chan (a16z)

Subscribe to web3 with a16z: https://link.chtbl.com/web3witha16z

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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Taking a company from idea to household name is always difficult. But the past few years presented challenges that caught even the most-seasoned CEOs off guard.

In this episode, you’ll hear from two CEOs that navigated these waters and somehow, came out on the other side. These recordings come straight from our exclusive Connect/Enterprise event, bringing together top executives across the a16z network.

Resources:

Additional content from Connect/Enteprise:

• Enterprise Startups: Advice on Hiring, Firing, Scaling, and Selling
• Building Products With Generative AI
   

Learn more about company-building: https://a16z.com/category/company-building/

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Fei-Fei Li, PhD,  Professor in the Computer Science Department at Stanford University, and Co-Director of Stanford’s Human-Centered AI Institute, joins Bio + Health founding partner Vijay Pande.

In this candid conversation, Li unfolds her transformation from a young immigrant to an influential figure in AI. The conversation explores the birth of ImageNet, a pivotal step that bridged the gap between visual intelligence and accessible AI technology. They delve into the notion of a 'Dignity Economy,' hinting at a future where technology serves to elevate human experience rather than undermine it. Li also touches on the delicate balance between relentless innovation and life's humble pursuits. This episode peels back the layers on the human side of AI, offering a rare glimpse into the personal and professional realms of a pioneer shaping the AI landscape.

Check out her new book, The Worlds I See, here: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250897930/theworldsisee

Check out other episodes form our sister podcast, Bio Eats World: https://a16z.com/podcasts/bio-eats-world/

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Is it possible to construct a virtual society that authentically replicates human behavior? AI Town, a virtual town experiment where AI residents live, interact, and engage, provides valuable insights into the future of AI's believability and its interaction with humanity.

In this panel discussion, Joon Park, the author of 'Generative Agents: Interactive Simulacra of Human Behavior,' and Martin Casado from a16z, discuss  the influence and potential of Generative Agents, exploring their practical applications in the real world.

Topics Covered

00:00 - Simulating human behaviors

04:49 - What are generative agents?

07:47 - Simulations, new technology, and LLMs

11:45 - The architecture behind simulating human behavior

16:37 - Generative agents interactions: observing, planning, and reflecting

20:22 - What is the value in advancing generative agents?

24:01 - Use cases for simulation behavior technology

29:31 - What are the ethical frameworks?

33:12 - Q&A from the audience 

Resources: 

Find AI Town: https://www.convex.dev/ai-town

Read the paper ‘Generative Agents: Interactive Simulacra of Human Behavior’: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2304.03442.pdf

Find Joon on Twitter: https://twitter.com/joon_s_pk

Find Martin on Twitter: https://twitter.com/martin_casado

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Software crosses borders effortlessly. The globalization of money, however, is considerably more challenging. This is especially true for multinational businesses, which grapple with managing multiple accounts in diverse currencies, navigating costly foreign exchange rates, and unpredictable money transfers.

As businesses increasingly embrace a global default, top fintech entrepreneurs are rising to the challenge, addressing cross-border infrastructure issues and offering comprehensive solutions.

In this episode, a16z partners Angela Strange, Joe Schmidt, and Gabriel Vasquez discuss the challenges of cross-border payment infrastructures and what fintech entrepreneurs are doing to create a more integrated, financially inclusive world.

Topics Covered:

00:00 - Software crosses borders easily; money does not. 

03:02 - Why has global payments been a challenge for so long? 

05:44 - How global payments and money currently moves

07:25 - The metrics used to measure a country's financial health

12:13 - The impact of regulation on financial services

16:23 - Can the same regulations be applied to any country? 

21:29 - Why each country has its own fintech system

24:54 - Opportunities in global payments infrastructure

34:47 - Advice for founders navigating global fintech systems

36:58 - What does a truly global system enable? 

Read the Fintech Fuels Global Payments package: https://a16z.com/global-payments

Watch ​​’Foreign Exchange 101: What Happens When You Send Money Abroad?’: https://youtu.be/eoXdyO9oGJc?feature=shared

Find Angela on Twitter: https://twitter.com/astrange

Find Joe Schmidt on Twitter: https://twitter.com/joeschmidtiv

FInd Gabriel Vasquez on Twitter: https://twitter.com/GEVS94

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Subscribe to The Ben & Marc Show on Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3SdsfNt

Subscribe to The Ben & Marc Show on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3SclPOr

Read the full manifesto: https://a16z.com/the-techno-optimist-manifesto/

This past week, Marc released his new vision for the future – “The Techno-Optimist Manifesto”.

In an article that has sparked widespread conversation across traditional and social media, Marc challenges the pessimistic narrative surrounding technology today, and instead celebrates it as a liberating force that can lead to growth, progress and abundance for all. In this one-on-one conversation based on YOUR questions from X (formerly Twitter), Ben and Marc discuss how technological advancements can improve the quality of human life, uplift marginalized communities, and even encourage us to answer the bigger questions of the universe.

We hope you’ll be inspired to join us in this Techno-Optimist movement. Enjoy!

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As VR technology inches forward, completely new experiences loom on the horizon.

In today’s episode, we expose listeners to the very real-world use cases already present on these devices, from fitness to education.

First up is Gym Class VR, one of the top-rated apps on the Quest. Cofounder, Paul Katsen, shows us how to dribble and dunk in the metaverse, but more importantly, discusses the social impact of VR, the technological prerequisites to get there, and the role of AI as we progress.

Following on is a founder on a mission to revolutionize education. Anurupa Ganguly from Prisms VR, explores how virtual reality has the potential to close the gap – one where 70% of US 8th graders are not proficient in foundational math.

Head over to our YouTube channel to see two a16z Podcast firsts: a full interview in VR, and host Steph slam dunking on an NBA court. 

Topics Covered: 

00:00 - The current state of VR

03:38 - How do you build the #1 VR app?

05:56 - How will VR become an everyday activity?

07:37 - The social and the technical arc of VR

11:47 - Untapped opportunities in VR

13:24 - Integrating AI into VR

17:09 - Prisms VR

20:10 - Why it’s critical to fix America’s math problem

21:12 - Why put VR in classrooms now?

23:23 - The successes of VR in the classroom

26:03 - Stats from the impact report

27:44 - Other curriculums could benefit from VR 

31:04 - Opportunities for AI in VR

Resources:

• Find Paul on Twitter: https://twitter.com/pavtalk
• Learn more about Gym Class: https://www.gymclassvr.com
• Find Gym Class in Meta Quest: https://www.meta.com/experiences/3661420607275144/
• Find Anurupa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anurupa-ganguly-92790379
• Learn more about Prisms VR: https://www.prismsvr.com

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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Today’s episode continues our coverage from a16z’s recent AI Revolution event. You’ll 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 you’d like to access all the talks from AI Revolution in full, visit a16z.com/airevolution.

Resources:

• Find Ali on Twitter: https://twitter.com/alighodsi
• Find Ben on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bhorowitz
• Check out Databricks: https://twitter.com/databricks

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Today’s episode continues our coverage from a16z’s recent AI Revolution event. You’ll 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 with her company Insitro. In fact, Insitro is a blend of in silico and in virto!

If you’d like to access all the talks from AI Revolution in full, visit a16z.com/airevolution.

Resources:

• Find Daphne on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DaphneKoller
• Find Vijay on Twitter: https://twitter.com/vijaypande
• Find Insitro on Twitter: https://twitter.com/insitro

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The AI Revolution is here. In this episode, you’ll learn what the most important themes that some of the world’s most prominent AI builders – from OpenAI, Anthropic, CharacterAI, Roblox, and more – are paying attention to. You’ll 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 you’d like to access all the talks in full, visit a16z.com/airevolution.

Topics Covered:

00:00 - AI Revolution

02:39 - Putting technology in users’ hands

08:21 - AI alignment and safety

21:44 - Future opportunities

Resources: 

Catch the all the talks at https://a16z.com/airevolution

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Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The AI Revolution is here. In this episode, you’ll learn what the most important themes that some of the world’s most prominent AI builders – from OpenAI, Anthropic, CharacterAI, Roblox, and more – are paying attention to. You’ll 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 you’d like to access all the talks in full, visit a16z.com/airevolution.

Topics Covered

00:00 - AI Revolution

01:42 - The economics of AI

06:55 - The third epoch of compute

13:52 - Recognizing scaling laws

17:42 - Can scaling laws continue?

22:34 - Potential bottlenecks

25:58 - Personalization vs generality

29:43 - The importance of UX

31:55 - The future of multi-modality

Resources:

Catch the all the talks at https://a16z.com/airevolution

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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.

Don’t forget to check out Part 1 in this mini series, where we explore the public and private players in space with John Gedmark from Astranis.

Resources: 

Learn more about Stoke: https://www.stokespace.com

Find Andy on Twitter: https://x.com/AndyLapsa?s=20

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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, who’s on the other side of the satellite market, the capabilities they’re looking for, competition, and their mission to provide internet access to 4 billion underserved people.

Look out for Part 2, where we tackle the challenges of rapidly reusable rockets with Andy Lapsa from Stoke Space.

Resources: 

Learn more about Astranis: https://www.astranis.com

Find John on Twitter: https://x.com/Gedmark?s=20

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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 like ChatGPT, user control, governance, privacy and security, zero knowledge and zkML; to MEV, media, art, and much more. Our expert guests (in conversation with host Sonal Chokshi) include: 

• Dan Boneh, Stanford Professor (and Senior Research Advisor at a16z crypto), a cryptographer who’s been working on blockchains for over a decade and who specializes in cryptography, computer security, and machine learning -- all of which intersect in this episode;
• Ali Yahya, general partner at a16z crypto, who also previously worked at Google -- where he not only worked on a distributed system for a fleet of robots (a sort of "collective reinforcement learning") but also worked on Google Brain, where he was one of the core contributors to the machine learning library TensorFlow built at Google.

The first half of the hallway-style conversation between Ali & Dan (who go back together as student and professor at Stanford) is all about how AI could benefit from crypto, and the second half on how crypto could benefit from AI... the thread throughout is the tension between centralization vs. decentralization.  So we also discuss where the intersection of crypto and AI can bring about things that aren't possible by either one of them alone...

pieces referenced in this episode/ related reading:

• The Next Cyber Reasoning System for Cyber Security (2023) by Mohamed Ferrag, Ammar Battah, Norbert Tihanyi, Merouane Debbah, Thierry Lestable, Lucas Cordeiro
• A New Era in Software Security: Towards Self-Healing Software via Large Language Models and Formal Verification (2023) by  Yiannis Charalambous, Norbert Tihanyi, Ridhi Jain, Youcheng Sun, Mohamed Ferrag, Lucas Cordeiro
• Fixing Hardware Security Bugs with Large Language Models (2023) by Baleegh Ahmad, Shailja Thakur, Benjamin Tan, Ramesh Karri, Hammond Pearce
• Do Users Write More Insecure Code with AI Assistants? (2022) by Neil Perry, Megha Srivastava, Deepak Kumar, Dan Boneh
• Asleep at the Keyboard? Assessing the Security of GitHub Copilot's Code Contributions (2021) by Hammond Pearce, Baleegh Ahmad, Benjamin Tan, Brendan Dolan-Gavitt, Ramesh Karri
• Voting, Security, and Governance in Blockchains (2019) with Ali Yahya and Phil Daian   
   

As a reminder: none of the following should be taken as investment, legal, business, or tax advice; please see a16z.com/disclosures for more important information -- including to a link to a list of our investments – especially since we are investors in companies mentioned in this episode.

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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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 are companies reacting?

11:03 - Structuring a compensation philosophy 

12:30 - Pay ranges

15:35 - Exceptions to the pay range

18:17 - Leveling staff

22:30 - Ranges and roles and company growth

28:24 - Location based pay

30:05 - What should employees look for when applying for work?

32:19 - Job postings

35:05 - Reviewing compensation ranges 

35:42 - At what stage do you hire help?

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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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 what’s gotten in the way of a true second brain, and how AI may finally unlock what “knowledge management” tools have promised for so long. 

Topics Covered:

00:00 - A true second brain

02:45 -  Knowledge management

06:01 - Thiago Forte's ‘Building a Second Brain’

10:24 - Digital hoarding

12:53 - The fun of organizing 

14:16 - Levels of utility

19:09 - Can the unstructured nature of AI help?

21:46 - What does a second brain unlock? 

25:23 - Time spent  searching for information

31:07: LLMs and technology unlocks

34:22 - Personalization 

36:24 - Is the second brain a new PA and EA?

38:57 - Challenges

44:32 - Moats and differentiators 

Resources:

• Link to Mem’s website: https://mem.ai
• Find Kevin on Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevinfmoody
• Find Dennis on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DennisHXu
• FInd Nat on Twitter: https://twitter.com/nateliason
• Nat’s course on Effortless Output in Roam: https://www.effortlessoutput.com/

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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In this exclusive conversation from a16z’s Bio and Health BUILD Summit, founding partner Ben Horowitz sits down with general partner Jorge Conde. They discuss everything from the inspiration behind Ben’s 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 lessons for a CEO?

08:45 - Surprising leaders in history

11:41 - Wartime CEO vs the peacetime CEO

14:54 - Cultures role

20:59 - Communication and scaling 

25:39 - Culture as a moat

27:46 - The interplay between startups and incumbents

30:22 - Advice for founders on navigating AI

Resources:

• Find Ben on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bhorowitz
• Find Jorge on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jorgecondebio
• Ben’s Book: https://www.amazon.com/Hard-Thing-About-Things-Building/dp/0062273205

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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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 on our world.

Topics Covered:

00:00 –  Innovations through the pursuit of space

03:52– John’s early life 

06:44 – Proving The Big Bang Theory 

13:30 – The mysteries of quantum mechanics

15:10 –  Leading the James Webb Telescope

17:12 – Images from James Webb

20:32 – Are we alone? 

24:20 – New telescopes

25:18 – Engineering in space for earth

29:31 –  What would you like to see solved in your lifetime?

32:24 – What came before The Big Bang? 

25:04 – Misconceptions about space

37:17 – Can humans be a multiplanetary species?

38:20 - Private vs public spending in space

40:24 – What’s the future of space exploration?

Resources:

• COBE satellite imagery: https://www.nasa.gov/topics/universe/features/cobe_20th.html
• Images from the James Webb Telescope: https://webbtelescope.org/images
• Exoplanet transmission spectrum: https://webbtelescope.org/contents/media/images/2022/032/01G72VSFW756JW5SXWV1HYMQK4

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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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:

00:00 – The classroom of 2023

04:30 – Data on the current classroom

05:40– Developing the next gen of STEM talent

08:00 –  AI in the classroom 

13:10 – The role of gaming in the classroom

16:00 – Misconceptions of technology in classroom

17:51 – The ways teachers and students use AI

21:15 - The future role of a teacher

24:25 – Personalization and ownership in education

27:11 – Getting hardware into the classroom

29:54 - Misconceptions of teacher’s abilities and appetite for tech

31:25 – Why implement these changes now?

36:05 – Call to action for the classroom of 2050

Resources:

• Find Sal Khan on Twitter: https://twitter.com/salkhanacademy
• Find Romy Drucker on Twitter: https://twitter.com/romydrucker
• Find Allison Matthews on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allison-matthews-4050677/
• Find Anurupa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anurupa-ganguly-92790379/
• Learn more about Khan Academy: https://www.khanacademy.org/
• Learn more about The Walton Family Foundation: https://www.waltonfamilyfoundation.org/
• Learn more about Minecraft Education: https://education.minecraft.net/en-us
• Learn more about Prisms VR: https://www.prismsvr.com/
• Watch more panel discussions from The Aspen Ideas Festival 2023: https://www.aspenideas.org/

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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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 – Is this sustainable?

03:23 – The cost to train a model

05:39 – Computation requirements

09:05  – The relationship between compute, capital, and technology

11:15 – GPT4 commenting on the technology with help from ElevenLabs

Resources: 

• Find Guido on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/appenz/
• Find Guido on Twitter: https://twitter.com/appenz

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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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 the backbone of the AI, how much the cost of compute truly costs!

Topics Covered:

00:00 – Supply and demand

02:44 –  Competition for AI hardware

04:32– Who gets access to the supply available

06:16– How to select which hardware to use

08:39– Cloud versus bringing infrastructure in house

12:43– What role does open source play? 

15:47– Cheaper and decentralized compute

19:04– Rebuilding the stack

20:29– Upcoming episodes on cost of compute

Resources: 

• Find Guido on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/appenz/
• Find Guido on Twitter: https://twitter.com/appenz

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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In 2011, Marc Andreessen said, “software is eating the world.” And in the last year, we’ve 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. We’ll explore what GPUs are, how they work, the key players like Nvidia competing for chip dominance, and also… whether Moore’s Law is dead?

Look out for the rest of our series, where we dive even deeper; covering supply and demand mechanics, including why we can’t just “print” our way out of a shortage, how founders get access to inventory, whether they should own or rent, where open source plays a role, and of course… how much all of this truly costs!

Topics Covered:

00:00 – AI terminology and technology

03:44 - Chips, semiconductors, servers, and compute

04:48 - CPUs and GPUs

06:07 - Future architecture and performance

07:01 - The hardware ecosystem

09:05 - Software optimizations

12:23 - What do we expect for the future?

14:35 - Upcoming episodes on market  and cost

Resources: 

• Find Guido on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/appenz/
• Find Guido on Twitter: https://twitter.com/appenz

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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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 confusing times in the past: Gina Gotthilf, leading Latitud and renowned for her impressive tenure as the VP of Growth at Duolingo; Kieran Flanagan, a long-time SVP of Marketing at HubSpot; and Bryan Kim, Consumer Partner at a16z, who held various leadership roles during Snap's hypergrowth phase up to its IPO.

Topics Covered:

00:00 – What growth opportunities exist in 2023?

03:00 – What still works in growth?

05:02 – The fundamentals and framework of growth

07:02 – Assessing growth potential and product lead growth

09:33 – Distribution

11:15 – Your moat and growth

14:00 – Integrating AI for product lead growth

16:23 –Trust as a moat

17:23 – B2C growth - discovery and breaking through

18:51 – Can you get ahead of the incumbents?

22:03 – Examples of companies and products

24:59 – How do you foster a growth culture?

28:38 – Experimentation  

34:20 – How companies using AI in distribution

44:43 – Growth challenge: What would you do with $10K?

Resources:

• Check out Latitud: https://go.latitud.com/
• Check out Zapier: https://zapier.com/
• Find Bryan on Twitter: https://twitter.com/kirbyman01
• Find Kieran on Twitter :https://twitter.com/searchbrat
• Find Gina on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ginag

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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Today’s 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 Mark’s ideas to tackle the Gordian knot that is American healthcare.

Listen to our last two episodes on Healthcare x Fintech:

• When Two Giants Intersect: Healthcare Meets Fintech
• How Fintech is Reshaping Our $4T Healthcare Industry

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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Remote work is a big, divisive topic right now. Some think it’s the future, while others think it was an experiment gone wrong.

But it’s 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 talent in 2023
• 06:36 – What employees really care about
• 14:13 – Positives and negatives of benefits
• 17:32 – Generational differences
• 27:44 – Will the return to office work?
• 34:35 – Differentiating through benefits
• 38:35 – Advice to attract top talent
• 44:16 – Closing thoughts

Resources:

• A-Team study referenced:https://www.a.team/mission/college-grads-survey
• iCIMS study referenced: https://www.dropbox.com/s/2q3hepreozaurte/iCIMS-Class-of-2021-Report.pdf
• Most recent iCIMS study: https://www.icims.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/iCIMS-2023-Workforce-Report-FINAL.pdf
• Find AJ on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ItsAJThomas
• Find Rob on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RobFrohwein
• Find Hung on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HungLee
• Check out Keep Financial: https://keepfinancial.com/
• Check out Recruiting Brainfood: https://www.recruitingbrainfood.com/

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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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 Waymo’s 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 of autonomy
• 09:45 - Technology challenges
• 14:32 - LiDAR vs video debate
• 18:19 - How Waymo differentiates
• 19:01 - Technological unlocks on the horizon
• 20:39 - The role of AI in autonomous vehicles
• 25:37 - How Waymo views safety
• 32:05 - Collaborating with regulators
• 37:26 - Learnings from the first 2m miles
• 39:45 - Driving user retention
• 43:47 - Waymo’s expansion strategy
• 47:00 - Changing regulation
• 47:41 - Societal unlocks enabled by autonomy
• 52:21 - Will self-driving cars replace humans?
• 52:58 - Closing thoughts

Resources:

Check out Waymo: https://waymo.com/

Check out Waymo's Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Waymo

Find Saswat on Twitter: https://twitter.com/saswat101

Check out a16z's 8-part series on the autonomous vehicle ecosystem: https://a16z.com/2018/02/03/autonomy-ecosystem-frank-chen-summit/

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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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 network effects really work -- and then, in the second half (in case you want to skip ahead), we cover mindsets and general guidance for builders…

Our expert guest -- in conversation with editor in chief and host Sonal Chokshi -- is a16z crypto research partner Scott Duke Kominers, who is also a professor at Harvard Business School; a faculty affiliate in Harvard’s Department of Economics; and advises several companies on marketplace development, incentive design, and more; as well as advises, and is directly involved, in several NFT communities. 

Scott also teaches on these topics -- both at Harvard and also recently at our Crypto Startup School -- so be sure to subscribe to our playlist for those talks on the a16z crypto YouTube channel to get the latest updates as we release more videos from the 2023 cohort.  

Listen to web3 with a16z: https://web3-with-a16z.simplecast.com/

related links // see also:

• Can web3 bring back competition to digital platforms? by Christian Catalini and Scott Duke Kominers
• Why build in web3 by Jad Esber and Scott Duke Kominers
• Vampire attacks: A theory (and thread) on 'blood sucking' platform competition by John William Hatfield and Scott Duke Kominers
• Why NFT creators are going cc0 by Flashrekt and Scott Duke Kominers
• Decentralized identity: Your reputation travels with you by Scott Duke Kominers and Jad Esber
• Increasing returns and the new world of business (1996) by W. Brian Arthur
• Network effects, origin Stories, and the evolution of tech with W. Brian Arthur, Marc Andreeessen, and Sonal Chokshi
• The five competitive forces that shape strategy (2008 reformulation of 1979 paper) by Michael Porter
• Strategies for two-sided markets (2006) by Tom Eisenmann, Geoffrey Parker, and Marshall Van Alstyne

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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This week, a16z’s 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 won’t destroy the world. In fact, it may save it. 

Read Marc’s full article “Why AI Will Save the World” here: https://a16z.com/2023/06/06/ai-will-save-the-world/

Resources:

Marc on Twitter: https://twitter.com/pmarca 

Marc’s Substack: https://pmarca.substack.com/ 

gptplaysminecraft - Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/gptplaysminecraft

Why AI Will Save the World: https://a16z.com/2023/06/06/ai-will-save-the-world/

Youtube discussion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wIUK0nsyUg

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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The holy grail of company building is finding product-market fit. But what most people don’t tell you is that once you’ve 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 dive into the common reasons an exec fails, why sometimes micromanagement is a good idea, and the difference between someone who has written a playbook and someone who has only run one.

If you’d like to dive even deeper, the Growth team at a16z has spent the last year compiling insights from dozens of leaders at late-stage startups to literally write the book on hiring executives to scale. You can find that book at: http://a16z.com/executive-hiring-playbook

Topics Covered:

• 00:00 - When is it time to let someone go?
• 05:41 - When do you give someone a chance to grow into the role?
• 07:05-  Let go or level?
• 09:27 - How do you have the tough conversation? 
• 16:39 - Exit packages
• 18:40 - Setting a new leader up for success
• 24:27 - The importance of the first quick win 
• 26:24 - The impact a new leader has on culture
• 32:52 - Common ways new leaders fail
• 37:35 - Closing thoughts

Resources:

Read the Executive Hiring: The Key to Scaling in the Growth Stages: http://a16z.com/executive-hiring-playbook

Learn more about Databricks: https://www.databricks.com

Find Ben on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bhorowitz

Find Ali on Twitter: https://twitter.com/alighodsi

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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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 Highland Electric Fleets, dive into how the electrification movement is shaping the future of transport and technology.

Topics Covered:

• 00:00 - Introduction
• 03:29 - The sustainable aviation industry
• 04:47 - Electric school, municipal and government vehicles
• 07:57 - Electric boats
• 10:49 - What can be transferred from the EV car market?
• 14:06 - Battery challenges and architecture
• 19:06 - Providing grid services 
• 22:55 - Building a multimodal business
• 33:19 - Gaps in the market
• 46:16 - Do you make, buy, or borrow?
• 57:26 - What does the future look like for each industry?

Resources:

Learn more about Arc Boats: https://arcboats.com

Learn more about Highland Electric Fleets: https://highlandfleets.com

Learn more about Eviation: https://www.eviation.com

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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Today’s 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 pizza—with Nobell cheese—at any pizza shop across the country.

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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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, you’ll learn which companies are uniquely designed to weather this storm and what attributes these exponential organizations have. We’re joined by the co-authors of Exponential Organzations, Peter Diamandids and Salim Ismail, both also well-known for their involvement in XPrize and Singularity University, among many other companies.

Topics Covered:

• 00:00 - Introduction
• 03:11 -What is an ‘Exponential Organization’?
• 04:46 - What has changed in business since 2014
• 07:06 - Building companies with minimal cost supply ***
• 11:49 - Can  incumbents become exponential organizations?
• 16:27 - Massive Transformative Purpose (MTPs)
• 19:04 - How can you tell if you have a good MTP
• 22:34 - Unilever’s MTP
• 23:27 - Staff on demand
• 29:35 - Building interfaces and dashboards
• 30:36 - The importance of experimenting
• 34:19 - The economic downturn and restructuring
• 38:00 - Peer-to-peer collaborative technologies
• 42:30 - Digitizing your business
• 43:53 - Kodak example
• 45:37 - Automation and the humans role
• 52:06 - How have you seen companies integrate AI?
• 56:56 - Emerging roles due to exponential trends
• 59:56 - The framework and diagnostic survey
• 01:00:02 - Creating APIs you can build on
• 01:05:00 - Opportunities in the market

Resources:

Attend the Exponential Organization workshop on June 6: https://www.diamandis.com/exo

Learn more about Peter: https://www.diamandis.com/about

Learn more about Salim: https://salimismail.com/

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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In this episode, you’ll hear directly from 6 founders trying to reinvent the healthcare system with the help of Fintech.

They’re 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 billing
• 14:32 - Getting health clinics paid on time
• 20:00 - Mental health support for the masses
• 24:58 - Millions about to lose Medicaid
• 29:12 - Adopting virtual-first care

Resources:

• Learn more about the intersection of Healthcare and Fintech: https://a16z.com/healthcare-meets-fintech/
• Check out Turquoise: https://turquoise.health/
• Check out Cedar: https://www.cedar.com/
• Check out Camber Health: http://camber.health/
• Check out Headway: https://headway.co/
• Check out Propel: https://www.joinpropel.com/
• Check out Firefly: https://www.firefly.health/
• Find Chris on Twitter: https://twitter.com/crsevern?lang=en
• Find Florian on Twitter: https://twitter.com/flottobrasil?lang=en
• Find Jade on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jadeyychan/
• Find Andrew on Twitter: https://twitter.com/andrewlangadams?lang=en
• Find Jimmy on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jimmychen?lang=en
• Find Fay on Twitter: https://twitter.com/fyietc

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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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 forefront of integrating AI into their existing products. From navigating data privacy concerns to optimizing accuracy and managing costs, these leaders are navigating the complexities of this new superpower.

Topics Covered:

• 00:00 - Introduction
• 02:51 - How AI can enhance customer service
• 08:26 - Using AI to shape data and analytics
• 09:33 - Solving the challenges on contextual understanding
• 12:01 - Giving AI the right information and context
• 13:31 - Tools that help build language Models (LLMs)
• 15:39 - Building open source tools
• 18:40 - Constructing prompts
• 22:26 - How do you differentiate?
• 23:48 - Customization as a moat
• 25:26 - Privacy challenges
• 29:14 - Language models and search engines
• 30:41 - Cost and pricing of models
• 32:48 - What does the contact center look like in 2028?

Resources:

Find Barry McCardel on Twitter https://twitter.com/barrald

Find Beyang Liu on Twitter: https://twitter.com/beyang

Find Zayd Enam on Twitter: https://twitter.com/zaydenam

Recent AI episodes:

• From Promise to Reality: Inside a16z's Data and AI Forum
• Beyond Avatars: How AI is Reshaping Online Identity
• Unlocking Creativity with Prompt Engineering

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. For more details please see

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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Most people don’t need a reminder of the state of healthcare in America. But it’s not just the consumer that’s 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 here: https://a16z.com/healthcare-meets-fintech/

Topics Covered:

• 00:00 - Introduction
• 02:50 - The intersection of healthcare and fintech 
• 05:40 - The problems within US healthcare 
• 09:00 - The stats behind US healthcare
• 12:10 - Where do the problems stem from in healthcare?
• 15:50 - New opportunities and regulatory changes
• 17:50 - Pushback on regulations
• 19:40 - Provider and patient models and transparency
• 21.10 -  The ‘No Surprises Act’ and the ‘Cures Act’
• 23:20 - Applying fintech infrastructure to healthcare
• 26:00 - Example: how Juniper in embedding fintech in healthcare
• 30:10 - Opportunities in the healthcare/fintech market
• 33:05 - Payvidors unbundled 
• 34:55 - The financial operating system for healthcare
• 37:40 - How founders can approach the problems
• 39:23 - The investor standpoint on company opportunities
• 41:00 - Unsolved problems in the market
• 45:25 - The bridge between start-ups and incumbents 
• 47:20 - Healthcare incumbent stats  
• 48:50 - The window of opportunity for healthcare and fintech

Resources:

• Read the article ‘Healthtech x Fintech’s Biggest Prize: The Financial Operating System for Healthcare: https://a16z.com/2023/02/07/healthtech-x-fintechs-biggest-prize/
• Read the article ‘ Payvidors, Unbundled: Opportunities in Healthcare Fintech’:https://a16z.com/2022/06/01/payvidors-unbundled-opportunities-in-healthcare-fintech/
• Find Julie on Twitter :https://twitter.com/julesyoo
• Find David on Twitter: https://twitter.com/dhaber

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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Nvidia’s 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 a16z’s 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://hex.tech/

Follow Cody on Twitter: https://twitter.com/codyaustun

Follow Myle on Twitter: https://twitter.com/myleott

Follow Barry on Twitter: https://twitter.com/barrald

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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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 democratization of creativity, they discuss the potential of AI in shaping the future of digital expression.

Topics Covered:

• 00:00 - Introduction
• 03:08 - The key insight
• 08:00 - The photo studio of the future
• 09:44 - Programs and models behind deep fakes
• 10:58 - How the technology is used today
• 12:36 - How real is today’s content?
• 15:29 - The cost of a virtual model
• 17:13 - Industry benefits
• 19:28 - Market appetite
• 23:25 - Evolving tech
• 25:15 - Unlocking a new wave of creativity
• 28:38 - Future predictions
• 30:23 - Keeping up with tech
• 32:02 - Finding a moat
• 34:09 - Stacked AI models
• 35:25 - Running your own GPUs and models
• 37:33 - Product ideas

Resources:

Find Danny Postma on Twitter: https://twitter.com/dannypostmaa

Headshot Pro, ProfilePicture.Ai plus all of Danny’s projects at: https://www.postcrafts.com/

Find Sinéad Bovell on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sineadbovell/?hl=en

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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There is arguably nothing that impacts our daily lives more than consumer technology. This technology can drive our ability to change careers, build an audience, or feel understood. 

And in this episode, listeners get a sneak peek into our new consumer series, Field Notes, where a16z’s very own Connie Chan speaks with the builders, creators, and investors behind the technology that shapes our daily lives.

If you like these segments, you can find the full episodes at a16z.com/fieldnotes.

Topics Covered:

• 00:00 - Introduction
• 02:13 - Chris Schroder
• 08:15 - Brian Wong
• 15:35 - Tracy Sun
• 23:03 - Deb Liu
• 30:56 - Susan Plagemann

Resources: 

Find the full series: https://a16z.com/fieldnotes

Find Connie on Twitter: https://twitter.com/conniechan

Deb's Part 1:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Is2pm06MNt8

Deb's Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osJp6S66u2U

Chris's episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zux1wVirUjs

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Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/

Follow our host: https://twitter.com/stephsmithio

Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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Follow our host: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg

Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

with @amandacassatt @kimbatronic @smc90

All about marketing, and web3 -- not just for marketers already in or seeking to enter web3, but also anyone doing community marketing/ community management, devrel (developer relations); or simply doing marketing in web2 or classic growth marketing, seeking to understand the latest trends and tactics.

With the  author of the new book, Web3 Marketing: A Handbook for the Next Internet Revolution, Amanda Cassatt (who was also the first CMO at ConsenSys, helping bring Ethereum to market; and also founded and leads the pioneering, native web3-marketing agency Serotonin). Also joining this episode to share insights on marketing web3 -- in conversation with host and editor in chief Sonal Chokshi -- is Kim Milosevich, CMO at a16z crypto, where she oversees brand, marketing, events, and communications (and before that was VP of communications at Coinbase, where she took the company through its direct listing while leading internal, policy, product, and corporate communications internationally). 

The episode also covers key top of mind questions for web3 builders and others, including how to do community marketing, manage "profiles" in decentralized and open source, and finding your audience... including feedback for product-market fit. And much. much more! 

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Follow our host: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg

Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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People often say that building a hardware company is like “playing on hard mode”. Building a hardware company during a global pandemic, with the unpredictability of supply chains and markets, is harder than hard. Trying to penetrate the phone market in particular – where only a few players own almost all the market share – is REALLY hard.

In today’s episode we chat with Carl Pei, founder of Nothing. Between Nothing and previously co-founding OnePlus, Carl has twice managed to do what many others have failed to do. Nothing has sold over 1m units and built a team of over 400. In this episode, Carl chats with us about why he’s at it again, what it takes to successfully build hardware, and how he thinks about making technology fun again.

Timestamps:

• 02:11 - The hardware market
• 02:53 - Breaking into the phone market
• 05:19 - Securing factories and stakeholders
• 07:39 - Differentiating products
• 10:32 - Hardware design
• 11:53 - Strengthening software proposition
• 16:04 - Table stakes
• 17:49 - Marketing and Youtube
• 19:34 - Underestimating the value chain
• 21:50 - Manufacturing
• 23:27 - Supply chain
• 26:05 - Remote work
• 27:36 - The future of hardware
• 30:45 - Breakthrough hardware
• 32:35 - Making tech fun again

Resources:

• Nothing website: https://us.nothing.tech/
• Nothing’s Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@NothingTechnology
• Find Carl on Twitter: https://twitter.com/getpeid
• Find Nothing on Twitter: https://twitter.com/nothing
• Nothing’s recently launched Ear (2): https://us.nothing.tech/products/ear-2

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• Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16z
• Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z
• Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/
• Follow our host: https://twitter.com/stephsmithio

Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

Stay Updated:

Find a16z on YouTube: YouTube

Find a16z on X

Find a16z on LinkedIn

Listen to the a16z Show on Spotify

Listen to the a16z Show on Apple Podcasts

Follow our host: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg

Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

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