The a16z Show

Building AI Agents for Enterprise Operations 01.06.2026 46min

Anish Acharya and Olivia Moore speak with Pablo Palafox and Luis Paarup about the challenges of deploying AI agents in operationally complex industries. The conversation covers the evolution of voice AI, enterprise workflows, and why logistics became an early proving ground for agent-based systems. They discuss context, coordination, and execution inside large organizations, as well as the role of forward-deployed engineering, enterprise deployment, and what it takes to move AI from experimentation into production.

Why $1B Exits are Dead 29.05.2026 33min

David George, General Partner at a16z, and David Clark, CIO at VenCap, discuss how AI is reshaping venture capital and the technology industry itself. They examine why today’s AI companies are scaling faster than any previous generation of startups, and why the eventual outcomes may be significantly larger than most investors currently expect. The conversation covers frontier AI models, coding agents, open source competition, data center constraints, and who ultimately captures value in the AI ecosystem. They also discuss what these shifts mean for venture capital itself, including larger company outcomes, faster value creation, and the growing challenge of identifying durable winners in a market evolving at unprecedented speed.

Stablecoins, AI Agents, and The Future of Global Banking 28.05.2026 37min

Angela Strange speaks with Dileep Thazhmon, founder and CEO of Jeeves, about building a global financial operating system for enterprises across Latin America using stablecoins and AI. The conversation covers the challenges of building localized financial infrastructure across 25 countries, from regulation and payments to underwriting and compliance. They also discuss why stablecoin adoption is accelerating in Latin America, and how AI is helping Jeeves scale billions in payment volume while automating underwriting, customer support, reconciliation, and KYB workflows.

Marc Rowan on Private Markets, Software Repricing, and Capital Allocation 27.05.2026 56min

In 1990, Marc Rowan walked out of Drexel with his belongings in a cardboard box. Within a year, Apollo was managing $6 billion. David Haber speaks with Marc Rowan, Cofounder, CEO, and Chair of Apollo Global Management, about building Apollo into one of the world’s largest alternative asset managers and how private capital is reshaping the global economy. The conversation covers the rise of private credit, and why Rowan believes private markets are becoming increasingly central to financing the real economy. They also discuss AI, data centers, robotics, and the growing intersection between venture-backed technology companies and large-scale private financing. Along the way, they reflect on leadership, institutional culture, and why enduring organizations must adapt rather than protect the status quo.

Robin Hanson on Prediction Markets, Gambling, and the Future of Forecasting 26.05.2026 27min

Theo Jaffee and Sophia Puccini speak with economist Robin Hanson about prediction markets, gambling, and why he believes speculative markets are one of the most powerful tools humans have for aggregating information and forecasting outcomes. The conversation begins with Minnesota’s recent law criminalizing prediction markets before expanding into the broader backlash surrounding platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket. Hanson explains his long-term vision for “decision markets,” where markets could help guide choices made by companies, governments, and even individuals. Along the way, they discuss sports betting, games and human psychology, futurism, AI, and Hanson’s broader work on how societies misunderstand risk, incentives, and coordination

Why AI Isn’t Killing SaaS Yet 25.05.2026 40min

Originally aired on MTS segment, Monetary Matters, Jack Farley and Max Wiethe speak with Ara Kharazian, Lead Economist at Ramp, about what real business spending data says about AI adoption, why the “SaaSpocalypse” narrative is overblown, and how companies are actually buying and deploying AI tools. They also discuss Anthropic overtaking OpenAI in Ramp’s AI Index, token-based pricing, AI productivity gains, and why many legacy software firms may be more resilient than people expect.

Hugging Face's Clem Delangue on Open Source AI and the LLM Bubble | MTS Live 22.05.2026 15min

Clem Delangue joins MTS to discuss the global open-source AI landscape, the current large language model bubble, and the future of consumer robotics. Originally aired on MTS, Theo Jaffee and Sofia Puccini speak with Clément Delangue, CEO at Hugging Face, about the global open-source AI race, why he believes the real bubble is in API-based large language models, and how robotics could become the next major interface for AI. They also discuss AI safety, U.S.-China competition, open-weight models, and why Hugging Face became the infrastructure layer for open AI development.

How Superhuman Took Over Silicon Valley Email 21.05.2026 55min

Rahul Vohra is the founder and CEO of Superhuman, the premium email client for power users. He previously built the Gmail plug-in Reportive and sold it to LinkedIn. He began somewhere unexpected though, as a game designer on RuneScape. In this conversation, Rahul breaks down why most founders misunderstand product market fit, why premium can actually hurt your business, and how deliberate constraint can become your biggest advantage.

Marc Andreessen on AI, California, and the Future of America | Joe Rogan 20.05.2026 3t 4min

Marc Andreessen joins Joe Rogan for a conversation on AI, politics, technology, and the future of American society. They discuss how artificial intelligence is rapidly moving from novelty to infrastructure, and why Andreessen believes its long-term impact will be overwhelmingly positive despite growing public fear around automation and surveillance. The conversation covers the explosion of AI coding tools, the emergence of “AI agents,” and how these systems are already reshaping software development, medicine, and education. Andreessen argues that AI should be understood less as replacement technology and more as a universal layer of cognitive augmentation, giving individuals access to capabilities that previously required teams of experts. They also discuss the political and cultural dynamics surrounding AI, from fears about mass unemployment and surveillance to concerns about censorship, centralized power, and China’s accelerating AI ecosystem. Along the way, the discussion expands into California politics, wealth taxes, urban decline, crime, housing, nuclear energy, and whether America can still build ambitious things at scale.

Rebuilding The American Shipyard 19.05.2026 12min

Erin Price-Wright speaks with Michael Duffey and Dino Mavrookas about what it will take to rebuild the American defense industrial base for a new era of competition. As production capacity becomes a central constraint, they outline how the system must shift toward speed, scale, and modern manufacturing. The conversation covers the role of autonomy in both defense systems and industrial processes, and how new approaches to design, labor, and production can dramatically reduce cost and complexity. Mavrookas explains how building for software and autonomy enables entirely new classes of platforms, while Duffey emphasizes the need for structural changes in how the Department of Defense works with industry. They also discuss the importance of commercial markets in supporting defense capabilities, the fragility of existing supply chains, and why aligning private capital with national priorities is essential to long-term resilience.

The Plan to Make American Crime Obsolete 18.05.2026 11min

David Ulevitch speaks with Col. Jeffrey Glover and Rahul Sidhu about how AI, drones, and sensor networks are reshaping public safety and what it takes to bring new technology into law enforcement at scale. As departments face staffing shortages, burnout, and rising complexity, they examine how the right tools can make officers more effective, safer, and better supported. The conversation covers how drone-as-first-responder programs are changing the speed and safety of emergency response, from high-risk warrant service to Amber Alert pursuits. Glover describes how Arizona DPS is building a full technology ecosystem around its officers, including body-worn camera analytics for burnout detection, brain scan wellness checks, and international intelligence-sharing partnerships ahead of FIFA and the Olympics. Sidhu explains how Flock Safety's layered sensor network — license plate readers, gunshot detection, and drone dispatch — is turning reactive policing into proactive, data-driven response. They also discuss what founders get wrong when building for law enforcement, why spending time on the beat matters more than any product spec, and how the next decade will fundamentally change the skills required to be a police officer in America.

Vitalik Buterin on Human Agency in the AI Era 15.05.2026 26min

Sophia Dew and Binji Pande speak with Vitalik Buterin about technology, human agency, and how the internet is changing the way people think, build, and relate to the world around them. Drawing from his writings and personal reflections, Buterin discusses how his worldview has evolved over the last decade, from creating Ethereum as a teenager to thinking more deeply about the social and philosophical implications of technology today. The conversation explores the idea of “sanctuary technology,” systems that provide safety and coordination without removing individual freedom or agency. They also discuss the changing relationship between humans and AI, the risks of over-relying on automated systems, and why actively learning and thinking for yourself may become even more important as AI capabilities improve. Along the way, Buterin reflects on creativity, community, identity, and the challenge of staying intentional in a world that increasingly pushes people toward autopilot.

Ben Horowitz - "Your ONLY job is Right Product, Right Time" 14.05.2026 18min

Ben Horowitz shares lessons from building and scaling companies, drawing on his experience as a founder and CEO. He explains why a founder’s primary responsibility comes down to one thing: delivering the right product at the right time. The conversation covers how strategy actually develops in practice, why a company’s story is inseparable from its strategy, and how founders should think about hiring, fundraising, and decision-making in fast-changing environments. Horowitz also discusses how AI is reshaping teams, the increasing importance of creativity and relationships, and why roles may evolve toward more generalist “builders.” He also reflects on navigating uncertainty, the reality of pivots, and why defensibility still comes down to solving hard problems and building meaningful relationships with customers.

Energy, Minerals, and the Physical Stack Behind AI 13.05.2026 24min

Erin Price-Wright speaks with Turner Caldwell and Drew Baglino about what it will take to close America's critical minerals gap and modernize the power infrastructure that underpins the AI economy. With the US more than 50 years behind China in critical mineral supply and grid infrastructure built on systems designed a century ago, they examine where the real bottlenecks are and how to move faster. The conversation covers how automation, reinforcement learning, and vertically integrated operations can compress the timelines for mining and refining, and why co-locating supply chains matters more than labor costs in the race to reshore manufacturing. Baglino explains how solid state transformers can replace aging mechanical grid equipment with silicon and software, while Caldwell outlines how Mariana Minerals is applying autonomous systems to remove the know-how bottleneck from critical mineral processing. They also discuss the lessons both founders carried from Tesla — techno-optimism, appetite for risk, and mission-driven talent — and what durable industrial policy, smarter permitting, and a federal grid investment framework would unlock for American competitiveness.

Lloyd Blankfein on Risk, Crisis, and Leadership 12.05.2026 1t 12min

David Haber speaks with Lloyd Blankfein, former CEO of Goldman Sachs, about leadership, risk, and navigating moments of extreme uncertainty. Drawing on his experience leading Goldman through the financial crisis, Blankfein shares how organizations can build resilience, make decisions under pressure, and maintain culture while scaling. They discuss the importance of risk management as both a discipline and a mindset, the difference between being wrong and being reckless, and how great organizations balance taking risk with protecting against it. Blankfein also reflects on Goldman’s partnership culture, how it shaped decision-making and accountability, and what it takes to build enduring institutions over time. The conversation also touches on technology, from the role it played in transforming financial markets to the implications of AI today, including its potential, risks, and the challenges of operating in systems that are increasingly complex and harder to fully understand.

Marc Andreessen on Builder Culture in the Age of AI 11.05.2026 1t 4min

Erik Torenberg speaks with Marc Andreessen about the state of AI, media, and the broader cultural and economic shifts shaping the internet. They discuss how narratives around AI, from fear to hype, are influencing public perception, and why real-world usage tells a very different story. The conversation covers AI’s impact on jobs and productivity, the rise of “AI-native” builders, and why increased capability tends to expand work rather than eliminate it. Andreessen also examines how companies are adapting, from restructuring teams to rethinking roles around more generalist “builders.” They also explore the changing media landscape, from the dynamics of influence and information to the breakdown of traditional authority, and what it means for trust, culture, and generational attitudes. Along the way, they touch on topics ranging from institutional power to emerging internet subcultures, offering a wide-ranging look at how technology is reshaping both systems and society.

Ben Horowitz on the Next Technology Era 08.05.2026 29min

David Ulevitch speaks with Ben Horowitz about what it means to lead the technology industry at scale, and the responsibilities that come with it. Following the firm’s largest-ever fundraise, they discuss how venture capital, technology, and national strategy are increasingly intertwined. The conversation covers America’s role in the next technological revolution, from AI to advanced manufacturing, and why maintaining technological leadership is critical not just for economic growth, but for global influence. Horowitz also shares his perspective on working with government, supporting national security innovation, and building systems that give more people the opportunity to contribute. They also discuss how venture capital is evolving, the shift toward larger firms and specialized strategies, and why optimism about technology, and its potential to improve lives, remains essential even amid growing skepticism.

Crypto Fund 5: We Raised $2.2B. Here’s Why. 07.05.2026 1t 2min

Robert Hackett speaks with the general partners at a16z crypto about the launch of their fifth crypto fund and the current state of the industry. They reflect on how crypto has evolved from an ideological movement into a more pragmatic, product-focused ecosystem, shaped by real-world use cases and increasing regulatory clarity. The conversation covers the rise of stablecoins, onchain finance, and new market infrastructure, as well as the growing overlap between crypto and AI. The group also discusses how founders are shifting toward building products that work within existing systems, rather than attempting to replace them, and why this moment may represent a new phase of mainstream adoption. They also look ahead to what success looks like for the next generation of crypto companies, from onboarding billions of users to enabling AI agents as economic actors, and the role crypto could play in shaping more open, decentralized systems in an increasingly consolidated technology landscape.

The New Space Race: NASA, Artemis, and the Race to the Moon 06.05.2026 29min

Morgan Brennan speaks with NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman about the next phase of American space exploration and the urgency behind returning to the moon. They discuss the Artemis program, the challenges of cost, speed, and execution, and how a new competitive landscape is reshaping NASA’s priorities. The conversation covers the role of public-private partnerships, the rise of commercial space companies, and the need to rebuild core capabilities within NASA. Isaacman also outlines how the agency is shifting toward faster iteration, clearer demand signals for industry, and a more focused strategy to compete in what he describes as a new space race.

Building Blackstone, Backing Costco, with Tony James 05.05.2026 1t 23min

David Haber speaks with Tony James about building enduring firms across multiple eras of finance. From joining DLJ when it was a subscale firm to helping grow Blackstone into one of the largest asset managers in the world, James reflects on the decisions, structures, and cultural principles that enabled long-term success. They discuss the origins of leveraged buyouts, the evolution of private markets, and how identifying structural opportunities early can create lasting competitive advantage. James also shares lessons from backing companies like Costco, where culture, customer focus, and long-term thinking drove exceptional outcomes. The conversation covers leadership, talent development, and the challenges of scaling organizations while maintaining performance. James also reflects on succession, firm-building, and why culture, incentives, and alignment ultimately determine whether an organization compounds or stagnates.