The a16z Show

How many people spend more time organizing their “second brains”, instead of leveraging the information within them?  With consumer AI now capable of processing simple language prompts and interfacing with unstructured data, is the landscape of information management on the brink of a transformative evolution? Founders of Mem, Kevin Moody and Dennis Xu, plus writer Nat Eliason, explore what’s gotten in the way of a true second brain, and how AI may finally unlock what “knowledge management” tools have promised for so long.    Topics Covered: 00:00 - A true second brain 02:45 -  Knowledge management 06:01 - Thiago Forte's ‘Building a Second Brain’ 10:24 - Digital hoarding 12:53 - The fun of organizing  14:16 - Levels of utility 19:09 - Can the unstructured nature of AI help? 21:46 - What does a second brain unlock?  25:23 - Time spent  searching for information 31:07: LLMs and technology unlocks 34:22 - Personalization  36:24 - Is the second brain a new PA and EA? 38:57 - Challenges 44:32 - Moats and differentiators    Resources: Link to Mem’s website: https://mem.ai Find Kevin on Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevinfmoody Find Dennis on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DennisHXu FInd Nat on Twitter: https://twitter.com/nateliason Nat’s course on Effortless Output in Roam: https://www.effortlessoutput.com/   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. 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 exclusive conversation from a16z’s Bio and Health BUILD Summit, founding partner Ben Horowitz sits down with general partner Jorge Conde. They discuss everything from the inspiration behind Ben’s book The Hard Thing About Hard Things, how the open Internet was secured, the difference between wartime and peacetime CEOs, scaling culture, and understanding how bio & healthcare differs from other forms of technology.   Topics Covered: 00:00 - Introduction 02:09 - What are the most important lessons for a CEO? 08:45 - Surprising leaders in history 11:41 - Wartime CEO vs the peacetime CEO 14:54 - Cultures role 20:59 - Communication and scaling  25:39 - Culture as a moat 27:46 - The interplay between startups and incumbents 30:22 - Advice for founders on navigating AI   Resources: Find Ben on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bhorowitz Find Jorge on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jorgecondebio Ben’s Book: https://www.amazon.com/Hard-Thing-About-Things-Building/dp/0062273205   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. 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.

From artificial limbs to memory foam, many inventions have emerged from our quest to understand the cosmos.  In this episode we explore cosmic history, space's impact on technology, and the enduring human fascination with space exploration. To take us on this journey is astrophysicist John Mather, a Nobel Prize winner for his work on the COBE satellite and a key figure in the James Webb Space Telescope project. Prepare to be intrigued and left with a sense of wonder about the universe's influence on our world.   Topics Covered: 00:00 –  Innovations through the pursuit of space 03:52– John’s early life  06:44 – Proving The Big Bang Theory  13:30 – The mysteries of quantum mechanics 15:10 –  Leading the James Webb Telescope 17:12 – Images from James Webb 20:32 – Are we alone?  24:20 – New telescopes 25:18 – Engineering in space for earth 29:31 –  What would you like to see solved in your lifetime? 32:24 – What came before The Big Bang?  25:04 – Misconceptions about space 37:17 – Can humans be a multiplanetary species? 38:20 - Private vs public spending in space 40:24 – What’s the future of space exploration?   Resources: COBE satellite imagery: https://www.nasa.gov/topics/universe/features/cobe_20th.html Images from the James Webb Telescope: https://webbtelescope.org/images Exoplanet transmission spectrum: https://webbtelescope.org/contents/media/images/2022/032/01G72VSFW756JW5SXWV1HYMQK4   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 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.

With students learning in more places and different ways than we have ever seen, the pace of change in education is dizzying. Can this progress narrow learning gaps exacerbated by COVID-19 or will it fuel divides? How can we make the most of this once-in-a-generation opportunity? Join our panelists from Khan Academy, PrismsVR, and Minecraft Education as we discuss the classroom of the future, and how important technologies including AI, XR, and gaming should play a role in it.   Topics Covered: 00:00 – The classroom of 2023 04:30 – Data on the current classroom 05:40– Developing the next gen of STEM talent 08:00 –  AI in the classroom  13:10 – The role of gaming in the classroom 16:00 – Misconceptions of technology in classroom 17:51 – The ways teachers and students use AI 21:15 - The future role of a teacher 24:25 – Personalization and ownership in education 27:11 – Getting hardware into the classroom 29:54 - Misconceptions of teacher’s abilities and appetite for tech 31:25 – Why implement these changes now? 36:05 – Call to action for the classroom of 2050   Resources: Find Sal Khan on Twitter: https://twitter.com/salkhanacademy Find Romy Drucker on Twitter: https://twitter.com/romydrucker Find Allison Matthews on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allison-matthews-4050677/ Find Anurupa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anurupa-ganguly-92790379/ Learn more about Khan Academy: https://www.khanacademy.org/ Learn more about The Walton Family Foundation: https://www.waltonfamilyfoundation.org/ Learn more about Minecraft Education: https://education.minecraft.net/en-us Learn more about Prisms VR: https://www.prismsvr.com/ Watch more panel discussions from The Aspen Ideas Festival 2023: https://www.aspenideas.org/   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.   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.

With software becoming more important than ever, hardware is following suit. As the world generates more data, unlocking the full potential of AI means a constant need for faster and more resilient hardware.  But how much does this all really cost? In this final segment of our AI hardware series, we tackle that question head on.  Be sure to check part 1 and 2, where we explore the emerging architectures and the momentous competition for AI hardware.   Topics Covered: 00:00 – The cost of compute 02:20 – Is this sustainable? 03:23 – The cost to train a model 05:39 – Computation requirements 09:05  – The relationship between compute, capital, and technology 11:15 – GPT4 commenting on the technology with help from ElevenLabs   Resources:  Find Guido on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/appenz/ Find Guido on Twitter: https://twitter.com/appenz   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. 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.

With the world constantly generating more data, unlocking the full potential of AI means a constant need for faster and more resilient hardware. In this episode – the second in our three-part series – we explore the challenges for founders trying to build AI companies. We dive into the delta between supply and demand, whether to own or rent, where moats can be found, and even where open source comes into play. Look out for the rest of our series, where we dive into terminology and technology that is the backbone of the AI, how much the cost of compute truly costs!   Topics Covered: 00:00 – Supply and demand 02:44 –  Competition for AI hardware 04:32– Who gets access to the supply available 06:16– How to select which hardware to use 08:39– Cloud versus bringing infrastructure in house 12:43– What role does open source play?  15:47– Cheaper and decentralized compute 19:04– Rebuilding the stack 20:29– Upcoming episodes on cost of compute   Resources:  Find Guido on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/appenz/ Find Guido on Twitter: https://twitter.com/appenz   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. 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 2011, Marc Andreessen said, “software is eating the world.” And in the last year, we’ve seen a new wave of generative AI, with some apps becoming some of the most swiftly adopted software products of all time. So if software is becoming more important than ever, hardware is following suit. In this episode – the first in our three-part series – we explore the terminology and technology that is now the backbone of the AI models taking the world by storm. We’ll explore what GPUs are, how they work, the key players like Nvidia competing for chip dominance, and also… whether Moore’s Law is dead? Look out for the rest of our series, where we dive even deeper; covering supply and demand mechanics, including why we can’t just “print” our way out of a shortage, how founders get access to inventory, whether they should own or rent, where open source plays a role, and of course… how much all of this truly costs!   Topics Covered: 00:00 – AI terminology and technology 03:44 - Chips, semiconductors, servers, and compute 04:48 - CPUs and GPUs 06:07 - Future architecture and performance 07:01 - The hardware ecosystem 09:05 - Software optimizations 12:23 - What do we expect for the future? 14:35 - Upcoming episodes on market  and cost   Resources:  Find Guido on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/appenz/ Find Guido on Twitter: https://twitter.com/appenz   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. 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.

Despite the ease of product building, sustainable growth has become increasingly challenging as many traditional channels no longer deliver the same results. In these challenging times, we explore the remaining growth opportunities. How can we achieve a balance between efficiency, profitability, and growth? Which channels are still relevant and how can they be effectively mastered in 2023? Join us as we discuss these questions with three seasoned experts who have successfully navigated similar confusing times in the past: Gina Gotthilf, leading Latitud and renowned for her impressive tenure as the VP of Growth at Duolingo; Kieran Flanagan, a long-time SVP of Marketing at HubSpot; and Bryan Kim, Consumer Partner at a16z, who held various leadership roles during Snap's hypergrowth phase up to its IPO.   Topics Covered: 00:00 – What growth opportunities exist in 2023? 03:00 – What still works in growth? 05:02 – The fundamentals and framework of growth 07:02 – Assessing growth potential and product lead growth 09:33 – Distribution 11:15 – Your moat and growth 14:00 – Integrating AI for product lead growth 16:23 –Trust as a moat 17:23 – B2C growth - discovery and breaking through 18:51 – Can you get ahead of the incumbents? 22:03 – Examples of companies and products 24:59 – How do you foster a growth culture? 28:38 – Experimentation   34:20 – How companies using AI in distribution 44:43 – Growth challenge: What would you do with $10K?   Resources: Check out Latitud: https://go.latitud.com/ Check out Zapier: https://zapier.com/ Find Bryan on Twitter: https://twitter.com/kirbyman01 Find Kieran on Twitter :https://twitter.com/searchbrat Find Gina on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ginag   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. 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.

Today’s episode is with Mark Cuban, founder of multiple businesses, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, one of the sharks on Shark Tank, and cofounder of the Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company. He is joined by Vijay Pande, founding partner of a16z Bio + Health.  Together, they talk market forces in healthcare, the importance of trust to patients, and Mark’s ideas to tackle the Gordian knot that is American healthcare.   Listen to our last two episodes on Healthcare x Fintech: When Two Giants Intersect: Healthcare Meets Fintech How Fintech is Reshaping Our $4T Healthcare Industry   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. 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.

Remote work is a big, divisive topic right now. Some think it’s the future, while others think it was an experiment gone wrong. But it’s also not the only way to attract top talent. And the equation for doing so has only gotten more confusion as a myriad of trends intersect, from layoffs to emerging technologies like AI. So how can companies navigate this storm and truly attract the talent that matters? Listen in to find out. Topics Covered: 00:00 – Introduction 03:26 – What it takes to attract top talent in 2023 06:36 – What employees really care about 14:13 – Positives and negatives of benefits 17:32 – Generational differences 27:44 – Will the return to office work? 34:35 – Differentiating through benefits 38:35 – Advice to attract top talent 44:16 – Closing thoughts Resources: A-Team study referenced:https://www.a.team/mission/college-grads-survey iCIMS study referenced: https://www.dropbox.com/s/2q3hepreozaurte/iCIMS-Class-of-2021-Report.pdf Most recent iCIMS study: https://www.icims.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/iCIMS-2023-Workforce-Report-FINAL.pdf Find AJ on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ItsAJThomas Find Rob on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RobFrohwein Find Hung on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HungLee Check out Keep Financial: https://keepfinancial.com/ Check out Recruiting Brainfood: https://www.recruitingbrainfood.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.