A16z Podcast

Today’s critical infrastructure—air traffic, logistics, defense—is powered by legacy software. And that’s a problem.In this episode, recorded live at the a16z American Dynamism Summit, a16z partner Leila Hay sits down with Phillip Buckendorf, CEO of Air Space Intelligence, and Lt. Gen. Leonard J. Kosinski (Ret.), ASI’s Chief Strategy Officer and former Director for Logistics on the Joint Staff for the Pentagon. They explore why software is now a weapon system, how dual-use tech can harden both civilian and military infrastructure, and what happens if we don’t modernize fast enough. Resources:Find Phillip on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phillipbuckendorf/?locale=en_USFind Lieutenant General Leonard J Kosinsk on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ljkosinski/Find Leila on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leilahay/ Stay Updated: Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16zFind a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zSubs

Are we nearing the end of the smartphone era?In this episode, a16z Growth General Partner David George talks with Meta CTO Andrew “Boz” Bosworth about what comes after apps and touchscreens. From smart glasses to AR headsets, Boz shares how AI is powering a new wave of computing—one that’s ambient, agentic, and driven by human intent.They explore what it takes to build for this future, the risks of changing interaction models, and why the next big platform shift may already be in motion.This episode is part of our AI Revolution series, where we explore how industry leaders are leveraging generative AI to steer innovation and navigate the next major platform shift. Discover more insights and content from the AI Revolution series at a16z.com/AIRevolution. Resources: Find Boz on X: https://x.com/boztankFind David on X: https://x.com/davidgeorge8 Stay Updated: Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16zFind a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/c

In today’s world, the battlefield extends far beyond war zones—it’s embedded in our tech stacks, supply chains, and airspace security systems. So who better to solve these modern challenges than those who’ve served on the front lines?Recorded live at the third annual American Dynamism Summit in Washington D.C., this episode features a16z’s Matt Shortal—a veteran himself—moderating a conversation with three founders who transitioned from military service to building cutting-edge defense startups:John Doyle, founder & CEO of Cape David Tuttle, cofounder & CEO of Rune Grant Jordan, founder & CEO of SkySafeThe panel covers their journeys from service to startups, how their time in uniform shaped what they chose to build, and whether veterans should go straight into entrepreneurship—or stop first at places like Palantir or Anduril. They also discuss how Ukraine changed the game, how dual-use tech is shifting the innovation landscape, and how to instill trust and culture in mission-driven companies.The

War has always been shaped by technology—from steel and gunpowder to GPS and nuclear weapons. But the decisive technologies of tomorrow aren’t coming—they’re already here.In this episode, recorded live at our third annual American Dynamism Summit, a16z’s Senior National Security Advisor Matt Cronin sits down with Ryan Tseng (cofounder & CEO, Shield AI) and Adam Bry (cofounder & CEO, Skydio) to discuss the rise of autonomous drones, AI-driven warfare, and the escalating great power competition with China. They cover:Why drones are reshaping the battlefield in Ukraine, Israel, and beyondThe asymmetry of $1,000 drones taking out $10M tanksWhy U.S. drone production lags China—and how to catch upThe ethical and tactical implications of autonomy in combatWhat it will take to reindustrialize America and maintain deterrenceIf the future of warfare is software-defined, who writes that software—and who deploys it first—matters more than ever. Resources: Find Adam on X: https://x.com/adampbryFind Ryan on LinkedI

When people think about startups working with the government, the phrase “black box” often comes up. But what if that box is finally being pried open?In this episode—recorded live at the American Dynamism Summit in DC—we talk with two Chief Technology Officers at the heart of American defense: Alex Miller, CTO for the Chief of Staff of the Army, and Justin Fanelli, CTO at the Department of the Navy. Along with a16z partner Leila Hay, they break down how the Department of Defense is shifting from decades-old processes to software-speed execution, why the real bottlenecks are cultural, not technical, and how startups can actually navigate and scale within this massive system.From replacing outdated procurement with faster pathways, to getting tech into the hands of warfighters faster, this is a rare look inside the government’s most ambitious efforts to modernize—and what it means for builders on the outside.Is it time to rip up the system and start fresh? Or are the seeds of change already in the ground?Resour

This month, a16z’s Consumer team released the fourth edition of the GenAI 100 — a data-driven ranking of the top 50 AI-first web products and mobile apps, based on unique monthly visits and active users.In just six months, the consumer AI landscape has shifted dramatically. Some products surged ahead, others plateaued, and a few unexpected players reshaped the leaderboard entirely.In this episode, a16z General Partner Anish Acharya and Partner Olivia Moore join us to unpack the latest rankings and explore the key cultural and product moments that brought us to this point.Which applications are leading the pack — and which ones are quietly on the rise? What do trends like AI video, companion apps, and “vibe coding” reveal about the future of consumer AI? And for the first time, the team also analyzed which products aren’t just gaining users, but generating real revenue.If you’re looking to understand where we are in the GenAI adoption cycle — and what might come next — this episode offers a data-backed view in

The global race for AI leadership is no longer just about companies—it’s about nations. AI isn’t just computing infrastructure; it’s cultural infrastructure, economic strategy, and national security all rolled into one.In this episode, Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA, and Arthur Mensch, cofounder and CEO of Mistral, sit down to discuss sovereign AI, national AI strategies, and why every country must take ownership of its digital intelligence.How AI will reshape global economies and GDPThe full AI stack—from chips to models to AI factoriesWhy AI is both a general purpose technology and deeply specializedThe open-source vs. closed AI debate and its impact on sovereigntyWhy no one will build AI for you—you have to do it yourselfIs this the most consequential technology shift of all time? If so, the stakes have never been higher.Resources: Find Arthur on X: https://x.com/arthurmenschFind Anjney on X: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anjney/Find NVIDIA on X: https://x.com/nvidiaFind Mistral: https://x.com/Mistr

AI voice technology has been around for years — think Siri or Alexa — but the magic has been missing. That’s changing, and quickly!In this episode, Anish Acharya, General Partner at a16z, and Olivia Moore, Partner at a16z, explore why AI voice is reaching a breakthrough moment, how today’s models feel more human than ever, and why voice is poised to become the primary way people interact with AI.With businesses already making tens of thousands of AI-driven phone calls daily, AI-powered conversations are no longer a distant vision—they’re happening now. Whether it's AI companions, customer service bots, or enterprise applications, voice tech is here—and it’s improving faster than anyone expected. Resources:Find Anish on X: https://x.com/illscienceFind Olivia on X: https://x.com/omooretweetsRead the report: https://a16z.com/ai-voice-agents-2025-update/Listen to Raising Health’s episode on how voice AI is solving healthcare’s workforce challenges : https://a16z.com/podcast/voice-ai-solving-healthcares-workforce-

For over a century, the United States has been the birthplace of world-changing innovation – from the Wright brothers’ first flight to the invention of the transistor, the moon landing, and the birth of the internet. But in recent years, belief in American progress has wavered.Three years ago, a16z General Partner Katherine Boyle wrote a bold thesis called Building American Dynamism, challenging this apathy and calling for startups to tackle the country’s biggest problems. The idea spread fast – first as a meme, then as a movement, and today as a $600M dedicated fund.In this episode, Katherine and fellow a16z General Partner David Ulevitch discuss:The origins of American Dynamism—and why it was controversial at firstHow Washington and Silicon Valley can come togetherAmerica’s competitiveness in today’s great power competitionThe latest American Dynamism 50 list focused on the Indo-Pacific, showcasing the top startups building for the national interestIf you’re curious about the future of America, this is a co

Henry Ward, cofounder and CEO of Carta, has spent over a decade scaling his company from an early-stage startup to a 2,000-person industry leader. In this a16z Speedrun conversation with Games partner Josh Lu, Henry shares hard-earned lessons on:Hiring missionaries vs. mercenaries — and how to keep company culture intact as you scaleThe reality of product-market fit and why many founders try to sell too soonThe evolution of a CEO — from building a product to building a system around youInputs vs. outputs, and why companies should focus on the right leading indicatorsTransparency in leadership, including when (and when not) to shareThis episode is packed with candid insights and lessons on company building. Recorded live at the a16z Speedrun program, you can learn more at a16z.com/games/speedrun. Resources: Find Henry on X: https://x.com/henryswardFind Josh on X: https://x.com/JoshLu Stay Updated: Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16zFind a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16

Being a creator in 2025 is tough—but building for creators is even harder. Perhaps no one understands this conundrum better than Scott Belsky. As the founder of Behance, a longtime executive at Adobe, and an advisor to companies like Pinterest and Atlassian, Scott has spent his career at the intersection of technology, design, and creativity.In this speedrun episode, recorded live in San Francisco during the fourth iteration of our a16z Games Speedrun program, we dive into:How AI can actually enable creators—and where its toolset should endThe evolution from the "prompt era" to the "controls era" of AIWhether people really want bespoke, personalized experiences or simply crave familiarityWhat happens when creative scarcity disappears and AI-generated content becomes ubiquitousThe future of creative tooling, from generative UI to AI-native interfacesPlus, Scott shares insights from his time building Behance, leading product strategy at Adobe, and investing in the next generation of creative tools.If you want t

Technology doesn’t grow in isolation—it evolves in waves. Just as mobile, cloud, and SaaS shaped the internet of the past 20 years, so too could crypto, AI, and new hardware usher in an era of the internet that’s pro-innovation, pro-startup, and pro-creator. Speaking with a16z Growth General Partner David George, a16z crypto Founder and Managing Partner Chris Dixon breaks down his vision for a new internet, from using crypto to decentralize AI infrastructure and kickstart network effects, to why AI will be this era’s native form of media just as film was in the 1930s. He also explores why the internet’s original covenant—where content creators traded free access for search traffic—is breaking today, and how a better internet could introduce entirely new business models for creators. Right now, we have a choice to make: will the next era of the internet be shaped by a handful of centralized players, or transformed into an open ecosystem where power and control flow to creators across the globe?Resources:Watch

Critical materials like copper, lithium, and gallium have been mined for decades, but their role in core technologies, geopolitics, and the energy transition have come to a height in recent years.In this episode, a16z partner Connie Chan discusses how technology is changing the game of  identification and exploration, together with leading company KoBold and their VP of Geoscience, VP of Technology, and CEO of Africa.Resources:Learn more about KoBold Metals: https://www.koboldmetals.com/Stay Updated: Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16zFind a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zSubscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/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 affili

Two words have caught the Internet by storm. DeepSeek. The Chinese reasoning model r1 is rivaling others at the frontier with an open-source MIT license, methods that some claim may be 45x more efficient, an alleged $5.6m cost, the release of reasoning traces, a follow-on image model, and the fact that all of this was released by a hedge fund China.Many are already referring to this as a Sputnik moment. If that’s true, how should we – whether founder, researcher, policy maker – not just react, but act? Joining us to tease out the signal from the noise are a16z General Partner Martin Casado and a16z board partner, Steven Sinofsky. Both Martin and Steven have been on the frontlines of prior computing cycles, from the switching wars to the fiber buildout, and have witnessed the trajectories of companies like Cisco to AOL to ATT – even Worldcom.So what really drove this DeepSeek frenzy and more importantly what should we take away? Today, we answer that question through the lens of Internet history. Resources:Ste

This week, a16z cofounder Ben Horowitz had a rare and invaluable conversation with Dr. Clarence B. Jones, a pivotal figure in American history. Dr. Jones, who served as speechwriter, attorney, and advisor to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., shared his personal insights on race, inclusion, and the lasting legacy of the civil rights movement in 2025.In their wide-ranging discussion, Dr. Jones reflected on the timeless wisdom of Dr. King, quoting one of the most enduring lines from the "I Have a Dream" speech: “I want my four children to be judged by the content of their character, not by the color of their skin.”“That, to me, is still, that’s the template,” Dr. Jones said. “That still remains a template.”Their conversation covered critical themes in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, delving into the history of the movement, the lessons from "Letter from Birmingham Jail," and the profound impact Dr. King’s work continues to have today.It was a rare opportunity to hear directly from someone who not only witnessed hist

How is AI reshaping modern warfare? Speaking with a16z Growth General Partner David George, Anduril cofounder and CEO Brian Schimpf discusses how AI helps humans make better strategic decisions by sorting through the enormous amount of data collected from modern battlefields. Schimpf also discusses navigating the US government’s complex procurement processes, using commercial technologies to kickstart their own product development, and the growing opportunities for startups in defense. Throughout, Brian offers a deep dive into the intersection of technology, geopolitics, and the future of defense.This episode is part of our AI Revolution series, where we explore how industry leaders are leveraging generative AI to steer innovation and navigate the next major platform shift. Discover more insights and content from the AI Revolution series at a16z.com/AIRevolution. Resources: Find Brian on X: https://x.com/schimpfbrianFind David on X: https://x.com/davidgeorge83 Stay Updated: Let us know what you think: https:/

Intelligent automation is transforming industries by tackling messy, unstructured workflows that traditional Robotic Process Automation (RPA) couldn’t handle. In this episode, a16z partner Kimberly Tan discusses the shift from rigid RPA systems to AI-powered agents and why this evolution unlocks massive opportunities in legacy markets.Drawing on her article "RIP to RPA: The Rise of Intelligent Automation," Kimberly shares real-world examples of companies revolutionizing referral management, and highlights how startups can build impactful solutions in this space.Resources:Find Kimberly on X: https://x.com/kimberlywtanRead Kimberly’s article: https://a16z.com/rip-to-rpa-the-rise-of-intelligent-automation/Stay Updated: Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16zFind a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zSubscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/Follow our host: https://twitter.com/stephsmithioPlease note tha

Healthcare is a $4 trillion industry, making up nearly a fifth of the U.S. economy—but despite having some of the best doctors and advanced technology, the system often delivers poor outcomes at skyrocketing costs. Why is this the case, and what will it take to fix it?In this episode, a16z cofounder Marc Andreessen and General Partners Vijay Pande and Julie Yoo tackle some of the biggest questions shaping the future of healthcare:Is the solution to our healthcare crisis a policy, technology, or competition problem?Will AI and technology transform the industry, or are regulatory and structural barriers too entrenched?Who will crack the code—healthcare incumbents, tech giants, or AI-native startups?From chronic care to cost curves, from disruptive technologies to shifting patient agency, this conversation offers an unfiltered look at what’s broken in the healthcare system and how it might finally change.Resources: Find Marc on X: https://x.com/pmarcaFind Vijay on X: https://x.com/vijaypandeFind Julie on X: http

Email, a technology from 1971, is powering one of today’s most disruptive media platforms.In this episode, Substack cofounder and CEO Chris Best joins a16z General Partner Andrew Chen to discuss the origins and evolution of Substack, a platform redefining media and empowering creators to connect directly with their audiences. They dive into how Substack’s early days led to over 3 million paid subscribers, why creators are moving away from traditional platforms to establish direct connections with their audiences, and how the future of media in the AI era is reshaping opportunities for writers, podcasters, and video creators.From Chris’s lessons scaling Kik Messaging to Substack’s profound impact on the creator economy, this conversation shares insights on building platforms, culture, and opportunity in the modern era. Resources: Find Chris on Substack: https://cb.substack.com/Find Andrew Chen on Substack: https://andrewchen.substack.com/ Stay Updated: Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a1

with @sambroner @meigga @darenmatsuoka @jneu_net @chrislyons and @rhhackett @smc90Welcome to our special end-of-year episodes -- which also look ahead to 2025 --  covering our annual Big Ideas lists, where various a16z crypto team members share what they are personally excited about. (You can see the firmwide list, also including all the trends of the crypto team,  here.)This episode is part 1 of 2 -- but you don't have to listen to them in any particular order -- covering the trends and themes of:stablecoins, payments, and where the early adopters will come from;app store distribution, curation, and discovery;where the next crypto users will come from, turning passive holders into active users;how builders improve, and better choose, infrastructure; andsimplifying user experience. Covering each of these -- and coming from the investing, go-to-market, data science, research, and media teams are:  Sam Broner, Maggie Hsu, Daren Matsuoka, Joachim Neu, and Chris Lyons; in conversation with hosts Sonal Chokshi and