The a16z Show

We’re sharing an episode from ChinaTalk that dives into one of the biggest recent reversals in U.S. tech policy. The U.S. banned Nvidia’s H20 AI chips to China in April. Now, just months later, they’re being sold—with a 15% export fee. What happened? Why the reversal? And what does it mean for the future of AI competition between the U.S. and China? Chris Miller—author of Chip War—and Lennart Heim from RAND join ChinaTalk host Jordan Schneider to unpack the policy flip-flop, why China is publicly downplaying interest in the H20, and why high-bandwidth memory and semiconductor manufacturing tools may be even more important than the Nvidia chips themselves. Resources: Listen to more from ChinaTalk: https://link.chtbl.com/chinatalk Check out the Horizon Fellowship to work in DC on emerging tech policy issues like AI chip export controls: https://horizonpublicservice.org/applications-open-for-2026-horizon-fellowship-cohort/ Outro Music: It's a Shame, The Spinners, 1970 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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

a16z partners Olivia and Justine Moore unpack the latest in consumer AI including:  - Grok’s “Imagine” and its instant, social-first creative tools - Google’s Genie 3 and the future of 3D worlds - GPT-5: what’s new, what’s missing, and why some want their old chatbot back - AI-generated music from ElevenLabs - Olivia’s vibecoded Jensen Huang selfie app   Timecodes:  0:00 Introduction & This Week's Topics 0:24 Grok Imagine: Social AI Image & Video Generation 4:48 GPT-5 Release & GPT-4 Deprecation 5:36 Comparing GPT-5 and GPT-4: Coding vs. Personality 9:13 AI for Mental Health: Illinois Law & Industry Impact 12:29 Genie 3: Interactive World Models from Google 16:53 ElevenLabs Music Model: Licensed AI Music Generation 19:16 Vibecoding: Consumer Experiments & Platform Evolution 24:14 The Future of Vibecoding & AI Tools 27:05 Conclusions    Resources: Find Olivia on X: https://x.com/omooretweets Find Justine on X: https://x.com/venturetwins Read Anish and Justine’s  vibecoding post: https://a16z.com/specialized-app-gen-platforms/   Stay Updated:  Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16z 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://x.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. 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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Fresh off the announcement of his move from Shopify to a16z, Alex Danco joins TBPN to talk about the “trade deal” that brought him here and his mission to make the firm’s written content truly world class. He discusses why he believes writing still matters in the age of AI, how great prose can act as “power transfer technology” for founders, and why he’s betting on the overlooked art of speechwriting. Alex also reflects on his years as a founder, investor, and longtime blogger, and shares the formats he’s most excited to explore, from deal memos to launch speeches.   Timecodes:  0:00 Joining a16z 0:41 The Power of Writing & Speechwriting 2:45 Reflections on Blogging & Communication 5:10 Writing as Power Transfer Technology 6:46 Formats & Content at a16z 8:09 The Underrated Art of Speechwriting 11:21 The Evolution of Blogging & Audience 12:23 Looking Forward: Brand & Legacy   Resources: Find Alex on X: https://x.com/Alex_Danco Watch TBPN: https://www.tbpn.com/ Follow TBPN on X: https://x.com/tbpn   Stay Updated:  Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16z 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://x.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. 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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

There’s been a wave of M&A deals lately - Meta and Scale, Windsurf and Google - and a lot of it points to something bigger: how regulation, capital, and innovation are colliding in 2025. In this episode Erik Torenberg brings together Steven Sinofsky, former Microsoft Executive and Balaji Srinivasan, founder of the Network School, and author of the Network State to break it all down.  From acquihires to “acquifires,” from FTC crackdowns to the deeper battle between the state and the network, this is a sharp conversation on the future of tech and power.   Resources Find Balaji on X: https://x.com/balajis Find Steven on X: https://x.com/stevesi Learn more about The Network State: https://thenetworkstate.com Learn more about The Network School: https://ns.com   Stay Updated:  Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16z 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://x.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. 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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode, Marc Andreessen joins TBPN for an unfiltered conversation spanning everything from ads in LLMs to why Apple’s AI strategy may be risky for anyone not named Apple. Marc breaks down the current state of AI: why open source is resurging, how foundational research is (or isn’t) turning into product, and whether we’ve hit the moment when phones start to fade as dominant platforms. He also shares his candid thoughts on Meta’s wearable wins, Vision Pro’s imperfections, and how humor and deep research are his two favorite use cases for AI today. Timecodes: 0:00 Intro   2:41  The Pace of AI and Technology Cycles   4:03  Research vs. Productization in AI Companies   5:15  Apple’s Strategy: Last Mover Advantage   7:09  The Future Beyond Smartphones   10:23  Open Source AI: Progress and Challenges   13:49  Ads in AI: Business Models and User Experience   15:52  Legal Frameworks for AI and Data   17:53  Lightning Round: How Mark Uses AI   19:01  Breaking into Venture Capital in 2025   20:34  M&A, Survivorship Bias, and Company Resilience   Resources Watch TBPN: https://www.tbpn.com/ Marc on X:   https://x.com/pmarca Marc’s Substack: https://pmarca.substack.com/ 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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

ChatGPT-5 just launched, marking a major milestone for OpenAI and the entire AI ecosystem. Fresh off the live stream, Erik Torenberg was joined in the studio by  three people who played key roles in making this model a reality: Christina Kim, Researcher at OpenAI, who leads the core models team on post-training Isa Fulford, Researcher at OpenAI, who leads deep research and the ChatGPT agent team on post-training Sarah Wang, General Partner at a16z, who helped lead our investment in OpenAI since 2021 They discuss what’s actually new in ChatGPT-5—from major leaps in reasoning, coding, and creative writing to meaningful improvements in trustworthiness, behavior, and post-training techniques. We also discuss: How GPT-5 was trained, including RL environments and why data quality matters more than ever The shift toward agentic workflows—what “agents” really are, why async matters, and how it’s empowering a new golden age of the “ideas guy” What GPT-5 means for builders, startups, and the broader AI ecosystem going forward Whether you're an AI researcher, founder, or curious user, this is the deep-dive conversation you won't want to miss. Timecodes: 0:00 ChatGPT Origins 1:57 Model Capabilities & Coding Improvements 4:00 Model Behaviors & Sycophancy 6:15 Usage, Pricing & Startup Opportunities 8:03 Broader Impact & AGI Discourse 16:56 Creative Writing & Model Progress 32:37 Training, Data & Reflections 36:21 Company Growth & Culture 41:39 Closing Thoughts & Mission Resources Find Christina on X: https://x.com/christinahkim Find Isa on X: https://x.com/isafulf Find Sarah on X: https://x.com/sarahdingwang Stay Updated:  Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16z 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://x.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 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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What happens when a startup becomes a giant—and then has to reinvent itself all over again? In this episode, Martin Casado sits down with Raghu Raghuram (former CEO of VMware) and Jeetu Patel (President and CPO at Cisco) for a deep, tactical conversation on scaling, disruption, and navigating transformation from the inside. They share hard-won lessons from leading two of the most iconic infrastructure companies in tech—through waves like virtualization, cloud, containers, and now AI. They cover: How to keep innovation alive inside large companies Why the best companies operate with a founder’s mindset, even without founders The difference between selling to buyers vs. practitioners Why the story is the strategy, and how to tell it at scale How Cisco is rebuilding its startup DNA in the age of AI If you're building or leading through a major tech wave, this episode is a playbook.   Timecodes: 0:00 Introduction  2:02 Weapons of Mass Disruption: Abstractions, Business Models, and Cloud   5:57 Cisco’s Missed Cloud Wave & Resetting for Innovation   6:39 Operating Like a Startup: Speed, Scale, and Leadership   10:00 Go-to-Market Challenges: Fencing Off Innovation   11:04 Organic vs. Inorganic Growth: Lessons from VMware   12:04 The 10x Rule and Competing with Incumbents   14:39 Structuring for Disruption: Two-Pizza Teams and Ideal Customer Profiles   18:43 Storytelling as Strategy: Galvanizing Large Organizations   19:42 The AI Wave: Consumerization and Infrastructure Demands   25:34 Founders vs. Operators: Leading Transformations   31:47 Product-Led Organizations: From Sales to Product Focus   34:35 The Future of Infrastructure: AI, Market Size, and Vertical Integration   39:34 Timing, Market, Team, Product, Brand, and Scale   41:19 Authenticity, Opportunity, and Final Thoughts     Resources: Find Martin on X: https://x.com/martin_casado Find Raghu on X: https://x.com/raghuraghuram Find Jeetu on X: https://x.com/jpatel41   Stay Updated:  Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16z 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://x.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. 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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode, Erik Torenberg is joined in the studio by Dwarkesh Patel and Noah Smith to explore one of the biggest questions in tech: what exactly is artificial general intelligence (AGI), and how close are we to achieving it? They break down: Competing definitions of AGI — economic vs. cognitive vs. “godlike” Why reasoning alone isn’t enough — and what capabilities models still lack The debate over substitution vs. complementarity between AI and human labor What an AI-saturated economy might look like — from growth projections to UBI, sovereign wealth funds, and galaxy-colonizing robots How AGI could reshape global power, geopolitics, and the future of work Along the way, they tackle failed predictions, surprising AI limitations, and the philosophical and economic consequences of building machines that think, and perhaps one day, act, like us.   Timecodes:  0:00 Intro 0:33 Defining AGI and General Intelligence 2:38 Human and AI Capabilities Compared 7:00 AI Replacing Jobs and Shifting Employment 15:00 Economic Growth Trajectories After AGI 17:15 Consumer Demand in an AI-Driven Economy 31:00 Redistribution, UBI, and the Future of Income 31:58 Human Roles and the Evolving Meaning of Work 41:21 Technology, Society, and the Human Future 45:43 AGI Timelines and Forecasting Horizons 54:04 The Challenge of Predicting AI's Path 57:37 Nationalization, Geopolitics, and the Global AI Race 1:07:10 Brand and Network Effects in AI Dominance 1:09:31 Final Thoughts    Resources:  Find Dwarkesh on X: https://x.com/dwarkesh_sp Find Dwarkesh on YT: https://www.youtube.com/c/DwarkeshPatel Subscribe to Dwarkesh’s Substack: https://www.dwarkesh.com/ Find Noah on X: https://x.com/noahpinion Subscribe to Noah’s Substack: https://www.noahpinion.blog/   Stay Updated:  Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16z 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://x.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. 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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What really caused the breakdown between tech and media—and what comes next? Erik Torenberg sits down with Balaji Srinivasan (entrepreneur, investor, and author of The Network State) to explore the long-building conflict between Silicon Valley and legacy journalism. Balaji explains how the collapse of traditional media business models gave rise to political capture, clickbait, and adversarial coverage of the tech industry. They discuss why “going direct” is no longer optional, how tech became the villain in establishment narratives, and what it would take to build a new truth infrastructure - from decentralized content creation to cryptographic verification. This episode covers power, distribution, and the future of media, with a signature mix of historical insight, social analysis, and Balaji’s forward-looking frameworks. Timecodes:  0:00 Introduction  1:26 The Media vs. Tech Conflict 2:11 The Collapse of Journalism Revenue 2:39 Rise of Wokeness and Political Realignment 6:50 State vs. Network: A New Framework 9:00 The Power Structure of Media Institutions 19:25 The Role of Distribution and the Internet 29:20 The Social War: Red vs. Blue America 30:05 X Day and the Shift in Social Media Power 42:56 Strategies for Technologists: Go Direct 48:36 The Importance of Individual Creators 1:10:00 Decentralized Truth and the Ledger of Record 1:36:00 The Future of Media, Democracy, and Equality 1:37:08 Conclusion & Final Thoughts Resources Find Balaji on X: https://x.com/balajis Stay Updated:  Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16z 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://x.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. 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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What happens when AI starts generating content for everyone—and no one wants to watch it? In this episode, MSNBC’s Chris Hayes and ad tech veteran Antonio García Martínez join a16z General Partner, Erik Torenberg to unpack the shifting economics of attention: from the rise of “AI slop” and spammy feeds to the difference between what we want to pay attention to and what platforms push on us. They explore: How AI changes what gets created and what gets seen Why internet ads still mostly suck The return of group chats—and the slow death of mass culture Based on Chris’s new book The Sirens Call, this is a candid look at what AI might amplify or break in our online lives.   Timecodes: 0:00 Introduction  1:47 Meet the Guests: Chris Hayes & Antonio Garcia Martinez 3:01 The Economics of Attention & AI Slop 6:38 Acquisition vs. Retention: The Attention Challenge 10:01 Fame, Identity, and Social Media Fragmentation 13:21 The Group Chat Solution & Privacy 16:01 Business Models, Community, and Technology 19:01 Mass Culture, Fragmentation, and the Algorithm 23:01 Ad Tech, Personalization, and Advertising Effectiveness 29:01 The Future: AI, Growth, and Abundance   Resources:  Find Chris on X: https://x.com/chrislhayes Find Antonio on X: https://x.com/antoniogm Learn more about Chris’ book ‘The Sirens' Call’: https://sirenscallbook.com/ Learn more about Antonio’s book ‘Chaos Monkeys’: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/chaos-monkeys-antonio-garcia-martinez?variant=32207601532962   Stay Updated:  Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16z 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://x.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. 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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.