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Author: a16z Podcast

  • Safety in Numbers: Keeping AI Open

    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/

    Stay Updated: 

    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. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

  • 2024 Big Ideas: Miracle Drugs, Programmable Medicine, and AI Interpretability

    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

     

    Stay Updated: 

    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. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

  • The Quest for AGI: Q*, Self-Play, and Synthetic Data

    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: 

    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. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

  • Financial Freedom, Company Building, More with David Marcus

    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:

     

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

     

    Stay Updated: 

    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. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

     

  • When Business is Battle: Inside the Boardrooms of the CEOs that Survived the Storm

    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:

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

     

    Stay Updated: 

    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. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

  • The Worlds She Sees with Godmother of AI, Fei-Fei Li

    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/

     

    Stay Updated: 

    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. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

  • From Sims to Sapiens: Crafting Reality with Code

    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

    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. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

  • Fintech Fuels Global Payments

    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

    Stay Updated: 

    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. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

  • The Techno-Optimist Manifesto with Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz

    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!

     

    Stay Updated: 

    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. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

  • A New Era of VR: From the Court to the Classroom

    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:

    Stay Updated: 

    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. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.