Generative Now | AI Builders on Creating the Future

In this episode of Generative Now, Lightspeed Partner Michael Mignano sits down with Tanay Kothari, the co-founder and CEO of Wispr Flow, an AI-powered voice dictation platform. Tanay traces his path from building dozens of apps as a teen in Delhi to now, and how those experiences inspired him to make one of the first “zero-edit” voice products. Tanay gets into training in-house models, beating sub-second latency, and explains his approach to onboarding customers with the goal of changing behavior. He also discusses what’s next for the future of voice products and why he predicts a post-keyboard future.

For more information on Wispr Flow, please visit https://wisprflow.ai and

https://wisprflow.ai/careers 

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

01:26 Tenay's Background and Early Inspirations

02:29 Building and Selling Feather X

03:52 The Birth of Whisper Flow

04:25 Early App Development and Challenges

06:39 Innovative Projects and User Impact

11:45 Whisper Flow's Differentiated Approach

18:57 Technical Challenges and Solutions

22:23 Design and User Experience23:19 Personal Onboarding Experience

23:40 Building User Habits

24:43 Inspiration from Video Games

26:11 Onboarding Mechanics in Whisper

29:00 Challenges of Deep Integration

32:10 Transition from Hardware to Software

38:30 Future of Voice Technology

47:42 Upcoming Features and Opportunities

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The content here does not constitute tax, legal, business or investment advice or an offer to provide such advice, should not be construed as advocating the purchase or sale of any security or investment or a recommendation of any company, and is not an offer, or solicitation of an offer, for the purchase or sale of any security or investment product. For more details please see lsvp.com/legal.

Recorded live at Lightspeed’s offices in San Francisco, this special episode of Generative Now dives into the urgency and promise of AI interpretability. Lightspeed partner Nnamdi Iregbulem spoke with Anthropic researcher Jack Lindsey and Goodfire co-founder and Chief Scientist Tom McGrath, who previously co-founded Google DeepMind’s interpretability team. They discuss opening the black box of modern AI models in order to understand their reliability and spot real-world safety concerns, in order to build AI systems of the future that we can trust. 

Episode Chapters: 

00:42 Welcome and Introduction

00:36 Overview of Lightspeed and AI Investments

03:19 Event Agenda and Guest Introductions

05:35 Discussion on Interpretability in AI

18:44 Technical Challenges in AI Interpretability

29:42 Advancements in Model Interpretability

30:05 Smarter Models and Interpretability

31:26 Models Doing the Work for Us

32:43 Real-World Applications of Interpretability

34:32 Philanthropics' Approach to Interpretability

39:15 Breakthrough Moments in AI Interpretability

44:41 Challenges and Future Directions

48:18 Neuroscience and Model Training Insights

54:42 Emergent Misalignment and Model Behavior

01:01:30 Concluding Thoughts and Networking

Stay in touch:

• www.lsvp.com

• X: https://twitter.com/lightspeedvp

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lightspeed-venture-partners/

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• Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: generativenow.co

• Email: [email protected]

The content here does not constitute tax, legal, business or investment advice or an offer to provide such advice, should not be construed as advocating the purchase or sale of any security or investment or a recommendation of any company, and is not an offer, or solicitation of an offer, for the purchase or sale of any security or investment product. For more details please see lsvp.com/legal.

In this episode of Generative Now, Lightspeed Partner Michael Mignano sits down with Kayvon Beykpour, co-founder and CEO of Macroscope, which launches today, and the former co-founder of Periscope. They dive into how Macroscope will serve as an “understanding engine” for software companies, giving leaders real-time visibility and saving engineers time with AI-powered workflows. Kayvon reflects on his journey from building Periscope and leading product at Twitter to reimagining how teams manage both human and agentic workforces. They get into philosophies on starting companies, management styles, and how AI could be the thing that helps managers solve their biggest challenges. 

Episode Chapters: 

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

00:52 Introducing Macroscope: The New Product

01:24 The Problem Macroscope Solves

02:30 How Macroscope Works

03:52 The Future of AI in Software Development

08:58 Empowering Leaders with Macroscope

10:56 Kayvon's Journey: From College Startup to Macroscope

16:22 The Periscope Story: From Idea to Acquisition

28:22 The Rise and Challenges of Periscope

32:43 Twitter's Live Feature Evolution

33:59 Integrating Audio Conversations

35:07 Challenges in Twitter's Product Strategy

35:32 The Clubhouse Acquisition Attempt

36:27 Twitter's Cultural Shift with Spaces

38:48 Managing Large Teams at Twitter

44:05 Macroscope: The Genesis

47:03 The Role of LLMs in Macroscope

48:36 The Elon Musk Encounter

54:23 The Pivot to Macroscope

59:21 Future of Macroscope and Product Development

Stay in touch:

• www.lsvp.com

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• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lightspeed-venture-partners/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lightspeedventurepartners/

• Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: generativenow.co

• Email: [email protected]

The content here does not constitute tax, legal, business or investment advice or an offer to provide such advice, should not be construed as advocating the purchase or sale of any security or investment or a recommendation of any company, and is not an offer, or solicitation of an offer, for the purchase or sale of any security or investment product. For more details please see lsvp.com/legal.

In this special episode of Generative Now, Lightspeed Partner Michael Mignano talks with Semil Shah, founder and partner of Haystack VC and partner at Lightspeed. Together, they have a wide-ranging, unfiltered conversation on the state of AI, venture capital, and the future of media. They get into everything from Meta’s high-stakes AI talent spree and Apple’s uncertain strategy, to the Figma IPO, to the evolution of the seed stage, and the brewing battle between AI agents and the open web. Semil also shares hard-earned insights on founder strategy, brand building, and why design still wins.

Episode Chapters: 

00:00 Introduction

00:30 Reflecting on Long Island

01:47 M&A Frenzy and Talent Wars

02:10 Meta's Strategic Moves

06:30 Apple's AI Strategy

11:12 Figma's IPO Success

21:33 The State of Seed Investing

25:30 The Model's Mathematical Basis

26:00 Case Study: Firebase Acquisition

27:19 Seed Fund Strategies and Challenges

30:30 Founders' Incentives and Signal Risk

36:40 AI Agents vs. CDNs: A Legal Playground

42:57 The Evolution of Podcasts and Media

51:31 The Future of AI Branding

56:03 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Stay in touch:

• www.lsvp.com

• X: https://twitter.com/lightspeedvp

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lightspeed-venture-partners/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lightspeedventurepartners/

• Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: generativenow.co

• Email: [email protected]

The content here does not constitute tax, legal, business or investment advice or an offer to provide such advice, should not be construed as advocating the purchase or sale of any security or investment or a recommendation of any company, and is not an offer, or solicitation of an offer, for the purchase or sale of any security or investment product. For more details please see lsvp.com/legal.

In this episode of Generative Now, Lightspeed Partner Michael Mignano sits down with Rahul Vohra, founder of the email client Superhuman, to unpack the future of AI-powered productivity. Rahul shares the origin story of Superhuman, how game design principles shaped its blazing speed and keyboard-first UX, and why time—not email—is the real problem it solves. He dives into the thinking behind their recent acquisition by Grammarly, his vision for an AI-native productivity suite, and what it means to build both apps and agents for the future.

Episode Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Guest Overview

01:00 The Superhuman Email Experience

02:28 Building Superhuman: Challenges and Innovations

04:50 The Importance of Speed and Efficiency

05:36 Superhuman's Unique Features and Early Decisions

11:44 The Acquisition by Grammarly

15:35 The Vision for an AI Native Productivity Suite

22:32 Exploring Verticalized Workflows

22:52 The Excitement of the Superhuman-Grammarly Deal

24:23 The Strategy of Bundling

28:10 AI's Role in Future Productivity

32:26 Superhuman's Use of AI

41:53 Lessons from Previous Acquisitions

Stay in touch:

• www.lsvp.com

• X: https://twitter.com/lightspeedvp

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lightspeed-venture-partners/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lightspeedventurepartners/

• Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: generativenow.co

• Email: [email protected]

The content here does not constitute tax, legal, business or investment advice or an offer to provide such advice, should not be construed as advocating the purchase or sale of any security or investment or a recommendation of any company, and is not an offer, or solicitation of an offer, for the purchase or sale of any security or investment product. The views expressed by our guests do not necessarily represent the views of Lightspeed. For more details please see lsvp.com/legal.

In this episode of Generative Now, Lightspeed Partner Michael Mignano sits down with two co-investors: Steve Jang, Co-Founder and Partner at Kindred Ventures, and Scott Belsky, Partner at A24 and founder of A24 Labs. Together they explore the current state and future of consumer AI, from why most products still look like chatbots, to what’s next in AI-powered hardware, browsers, and personal agents. They dive into the concept of “personal AI,” discussing memory, context, and the emerging opportunities (and risks) around consumer data and model control. They also touch on use cases like AI-powered dating wingmen, simulated versions of ourselves, and the next generation of AI-first operating systems.

Episode Chapters: 

(00:00) Welcome and Introductions

(00:43) The Current State of AI Products

(02:48) Surprises and Challenges with LLMs

(05:24) Future of Consumer AI and Personal AI

(15:49) Memory and Personalization in AI

(21:52) Potential Risks and Business Models

(24:22) The Battle for User Data in AI

(25:11) Optimism in AI Model Inference

(27:00) The Role of Open Source Models

(28:13) The Future of AI Hardware

(28:54) Challenges and Opportunities in AI Hardware Startups

(30:29) The Evolution of Consumer Hardware

(38:36) The Reinvention of Browsers

(46:23) The Potential of AI-Enhanced Browsers

(47:54) Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Stay in touch:

• www.lsvp.com

• X: https://twitter.com/lightspeedvp

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lightspeed-venture-partners/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lightspeedventurepartners/

• Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: generativenow.co

• Email: [email protected]

The content here does not constitute tax, legal, business or investment advice or an offer to provide such advice, should not be construed as advocating the purchase or sale of any security or investment or a recommendation of any company, and is not an offer, or solicitation of an offer, for the purchase or sale of any security or investment product. For more details please see lsvp.com/legal.

In this episode, Lightspeed Partner Michael Mignano sits down with the Foundation for American Innovation’s Chief Economist Sam Hammond to talk AI policy. Sam breaks down the key infrastructure needed for AI developments and how policymakers are adapting to rapid technological change. He also shares insights on AI training data and fair use, workforce disruption, and how, when it comes to AI, everything can change in just a few months.

Episode Chapters: 

00:00 Introduction 

00:55 Meet Sam Hammond: Background and Role

03:06 The Big AI Policy Issues

05:09 Energy and Chip Policy

06:47 Fair Use and Copyright in AI

13:37 The Urgency of AI Regulation

17:03 Potential AI Crisis and Legislative Response

20:25 Challenges in AI Regulation

21:39 Acceleration vs. Regulation in AI Development

22:34 AI Safety and National Security

23:51 Fair Use and Copyright in AI Training Data

25:39 AI-Induced Labor Disruptions

33:36 State-Level AI Regulation 

36:02 Global Cooperation on AI Safety

37:29 Advice for AI Startups

38:34 Optimism for AI and Policy Advancements

41:07 Conclusion

Stay in touch:

• www.lsvp.com

• X: https://twitter.com/lightspeedvp

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lightspeed-venture-partners/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lightspeedventurepartners/

• Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: generativenow.co

• Email: [email protected]

The content here does not constitute tax, legal, business or investment advice or an offer to provide such advice, should not be construed as advocating the purchase or sale of any security or investment or a recommendation of any company, and is not an offer, or solicitation of an offer, for the purchase or sale of any security or investment product. For more details please see lsvp.com/legal.

In this episode of Generative Now, Lightspeed partner Michael Mignano sits down with the former Stitch Fix COO and founder of The Yes, Julie Bornstein. They talk about Julie’s latest venture: Daydream, an AI-powered fashion discovery engine built for the LLM era. Julie shares how her decades at Nordstrom, Sephora, and Pinterest shaped her vision, why now is the moment for natural language search in shopping, and how AI will transform fashion.

Episode Chapters: 
00:00 Introduction to the Interview
01:06 Julie Bornstein's New Venture: Daydream
02:44 The Evolution of E-commerce and AI
03:28 From Nordstrom to Daydream
05:35 Technological Innovations in Fashion
12:02 The Yes: Launching During a Pandemic
15:15 Acquisition by Pinterest and Future Plans
17:49 The Vision for Daydream
22:57 Introduction to Style Passport
23:27 Iterative Shopping Experience
24:02 Bringing Brands Together
24:45 Technical Implementation of Models
25:24 Challenges with Large Models
26:12 Building Mini Models for Fashion
27:28 Competition from Large Model Providers
30:25 Video Shopping and Social Media Integration
31:43 The Role of Agents in Shopping
35:20 Future of Shopping Interfaces
37:13 Being a Serial Founder
41:48 Launch and Future Plans
43:09 Conclusion and Farewell

Stay in touch:

• www.lsvp.com

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• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lightspeed-venture-partners/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lightspeedventurepartners/

• Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: generativenow.co

• Email: [email protected]

The content here does not constitute tax, legal, business or investment advice or an offer to provide such advice, should not be construed as advocating the purchase or sale of any security or investment or a recommendation of any company, and is not an offer, or solicitation of an offer, for the purchase or sale of any security or investment product. For more details please see lsvp.com/legal.

This week, Lightspeed Partner Mike Mignano sits down with his colleague Bucky Moore, a fellow partner at Lightspeed to explore the rapidly shifting landscape of AI and infrastructure. They unpack the evolution from hardware to cloud to AI-native architectures, the growing momentum behind open-source models, and the rise of AI agents and reinforcement learning environments. Bucky also shares how his early days at Cisco shaped his bottom-up view of enterprise software, and why embracing the new is the key to spotting trillion-dollar opportunities.

Episode Chapters: 

(00:00) Introduction to the Conversation

(00:38) Bucky Moore's Background and Early Career

(01:39) Insights from Cisco: Old World Meets New World

(03:54) Transition to Venture Capital

(08:15) The Evolution of Infrastructure Investment

(15:50) Impact of AI on Infrastructure

(24:37) Training AI Agents: Challenges and Innovations

(25:07) The Future of Reinforcement Learning Environments

(25:51) Infrastructure for AI Agents

(26:49) Emerging Opportunities in AI Infrastructure

(28:58) The Impact of Salesforce's Data Policies

(33:00) The Evolution of AI Compute

(39:47) The Role of New AI Architectures

(42:47) The Future of Venture Capital in AI

(46:44) Predicting the Next Trillion-Dollar AI Companies

Stay in touch:

• www.lsvp.com

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• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lightspeed-venture-partners/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lightspeedventurepartners/

• Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: generativenow.co

• Email: [email protected]

The content here does not constitute tax, legal, business or investment advice or an offer to provide such advice, should not be construed as advocating the purchase or sale of any security or investment or a recommendation of any company, and is not an offer, or solicitation of an offer, for the purchase or sale of any security or investment product. For more details please see lsvp.com/legal.

This week, Lightspeed Partner Mike Mignano sits down with Moritz Baier-Lentz, Partner and Head of Gaming and Interactive Media at Lightspeed. From the world’s #1 ranked Diablo II player to Goldman Sachs banker to VC, Moritz has lived multiple lives—all shaped by a deep passion for games. In this episode, Moritz joins Michael Mignano to talk about the AI revolution in gaming: how generative tech is transforming studios, gameplay, and player experiences. They dive into what makes games work in 2025 and why the next billion-dollar games may not look like games at all. 

Episode Chapters: 

00:00 Introduction and Guest Overview

01:16 Moritz Bayer's Gaming Journey

02:53 The Economics of Gaming

06:28 Competitive Gaming and Personal Growth

09:32 Marathon Adventures and Life Philosophy

13:16 Venture Capital in Gaming

24:38 AI's Impact on Gaming

29:50 Future of Gaming and AI

39:40 Game Theory Podcast and Final Thoughts

Stay in touch:

• www.lsvp.com

• www.lsvp.com/gametheory 

• X: https://twitter.com/lightspeedvp

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lightspeed-venture-partners/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lightspeedventurepartners/

• Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: generativenow.com

• Email: [email protected]

The content here does not constitute tax, legal, business or investment advice or an offer to provide such advice, should not be construed as advocating the purchase or sale of any security or investment or a recommendation of any company, and is not an offer, or solicitation of an offer, for the purchase or sale of any security or investment product. For more details please see lsvp.com/legal.