a16z Podcast
AI is reshaping the tech landscape, but a big question remains: is this just another platform shift, or something closer to electricity or computing in scale and impact? Some industries may be transformed. Others may barely feel it. Tech giants are racing to reorient their strategies, yet most people still struggle to find an everyday use case. That tension tells us something important about where we actually are.
In this episode, technology analyst and former a16z partner Benedict Evans joins General Partner Erik Torenberg to break down what is real, what is hype, and how much history can guide us. They explore bottlenecks in compute, the surprising products that still do not exist, and how companies like Google, Meta, Apple, Amazon, and OpenAI are positioning themselves.
Finally, they look ahead at what would need to happen for AI to one day be considered even more transformative than the internet.
Timestamps:
0:00 – Introduction
0:17 – Defining AI and Platform Shifts
1:50 – Patterns in Technology Adoption
6:04 – AI: Hype, Bubbles, and Uncertainty
13:25 – Winners, Losers, and Industry Impact
19:00 – AI Adoption: Use Cases and Bottlenecks
24:00 – Comparisons to Past Tech Waves
32:00 – The Role of Products and Workflows
40:00 – Consumer vs. Enterprise AI
46:00 – Competitive Landscape: Tech Giants & Startups
51:00 – Open Questions & The Future of AI
Resources:
Follow Benedict on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benedictevans/
Stay Updated:
If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to like, subscribe, and share with your friends!
Find a16z on X: https://x.com/a16z
Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z
Listen to the a16z Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5bC65RDvs3oxnLyqqvkUYX
Listen to the a16z Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a16z-podcast/id842818711
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 http://a16z.com/disclosures.
Stay Updated:
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.
A Big Week in Tech: NotebookLM, OpenAI’s Speech API, & Custom Audio
Last week was another big week in technology. Google’s NotebookLM introduced its Audio Overview feature, enabling users to create customizable podcasts in over 35 languages. OpenAI followed with their real-time speech-to-speech API, making voice integration…
From Swipe to Scale: How Tinder Became #1
In 1995, just 2% of couples met online. Today, that number has surged to over 50%, making online dating the top way couples connect. In this episode, a16z General Partner Andrew Chen chats with Tinder…
Human Data is Key to AI: Alex Wang from Scale AI
What if the key to unlocking AI’s full potential lies not just in algorithms or compute, but in data? In this episode, a16z General Partner David George sits down with Alex Wang, founder and CEO…
The Frontier of Spatial Intelligence with Fei-Fei Li
Fei-Fei Li and Justin Johnson are pioneers in AI. While the world has only recently witnessed a surge in consumer AI, our guests have long been laying the groundwork for innovations that are transforming industries…
Apple’s Big Reveals, OpenAI’s Multi-Step Models, and Firefly Does Video
This week in consumer tech: Apple’s big reveals, OpenAI’s multi-step reasoning, and Adobe Firefly’s video model. Olivia Moore and Justine Moore, Partners on the a16z Consumer team, break down the latest announcements and how these…
Grand Challenges in Healthcare AI
Vijay Pande, founding general partner, and Julie Yoo, general partner at a16z Bio + Health, come together to discuss the grand challenges facing healthcare AI today. The talk through the implications of AI integration in…
Governing democracy, the internet, and boardrooms
with @NoahRFeldman, @ahall_research, @rhhackett Welcome to web3 with a16z. I’m Robert Hackett and today we have a special episode about governance in many forms — from nation states to corporate boards to internet services and…
It’s Time to Build in Healthcare
Half of prescribed medications are never taken, and 88% of Americans are metabolically unhealthy. Despite spending 20% of our GDP on healthcare—twice that of any other developed nation—our outcomes still lag behind. In this episode,…
Latin America: A Tech Powerhouse?
Latin America is emerging as a tech powerhouse, but it’s not a one-size-fits-all market. In this episode, we explore why what works in Argentina won’t necessarily fly in Brazil or Mexico, and how companies are…
The SSN Breach: What Now?
In this episode, we cover the recent data breach of nearly 3B records, including a significant number of social security numbers. Joining us to discuss are security experts Joel de la Garza and Naftali Harris.…
