The a16z Show

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

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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/

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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.

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Self-driving cars have been on the horizon for quite some time. But, they might actually be here.

We got to ride around in one all over San Francisco with Waymo’s Chief Product Officer, Saswat Panigrahi.

We discussed so much, including the five levels of autonomy, the infamous LIDAR vs video debate, regulation, UX, and the role of AI in fine-tuning these models. But most importantly, if autonomy is here… now what?!

Topics Covered:

• 00:00 - Introduction
• 03:20 - A first look at Waymo
• 05:21 - 5 levels of autonomy
• 09:45 - Technology challenges
• 14:32 - LiDAR vs video debate
• 18:19 - How Waymo differentiates
• 19:01 - Technological unlocks on the horizon
• 20:39 - The role of AI in autonomous vehicles
• 25:37 - How Waymo views safety
• 32:05 - Collaborating with regulators
• 37:26 - Learnings from the first 2m miles
• 39:45 - Driving user retention
• 43:47 - Waymo’s expansion strategy
• 47:00 - Changing regulation
• 47:41 - Societal unlocks enabled by autonomy
• 52:21 - Will self-driving cars replace humans?
• 52:58 - Closing thoughts

Resources:

Check out Waymo: https://waymo.com/

Check out Waymo's Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Waymo

Find Saswat on Twitter: https://twitter.com/saswat101

Check out a16z's 8-part series on the autonomous vehicle ecosystem: https://a16z.com/2018/02/03/autonomy-ecosystem-frank-chen-summit/

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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.

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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.

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with @skominers @smc90

In this deep dive and tour through key business concepts, from theory to practice, we cover the topics of strategy, competitive advantage,  network effects, moats, and more -- covering both both basic foundations, as well as the tricky nuances in a new world of open source, including web3.  In the first half of this discussion, we cover foundational business concepts and questions -- such as the nature of competition, and how it *really* changes in web3; as well as how network effects really work -- and then, in the second half (in case you want to skip ahead), we cover mindsets and general guidance for builders…

Our expert guest -- in conversation with editor in chief and host Sonal Chokshi -- is a16z crypto research partner Scott Duke Kominers, who is also a professor at Harvard Business School; a faculty affiliate in Harvard’s Department of Economics; and advises several companies on marketplace development, incentive design, and more; as well as advises, and is directly involved, in several NFT communities. 

Scott also teaches on these topics -- both at Harvard and also recently at our Crypto Startup School -- so be sure to subscribe to our playlist for those talks on the a16z crypto YouTube channel to get the latest updates as we release more videos from the 2023 cohort.  

Listen to web3 with a16z: https://web3-with-a16z.simplecast.com/

related links // see also:

• Can web3 bring back competition to digital platforms? by Christian Catalini and Scott Duke Kominers
• Why build in web3 by Jad Esber and Scott Duke Kominers
• Vampire attacks: A theory (and thread) on 'blood sucking' platform competition by John William Hatfield and Scott Duke Kominers
• Why NFT creators are going cc0 by Flashrekt and Scott Duke Kominers
• Decentralized identity: Your reputation travels with you by Scott Duke Kominers and Jad Esber
• Increasing returns and the new world of business (1996) by W. Brian Arthur
• Network effects, origin Stories, and the evolution of tech with W. Brian Arthur, Marc Andreeessen, and Sonal Chokshi
• The five competitive forces that shape strategy (2008 reformulation of 1979 paper) by Michael Porter
• Strategies for two-sided markets (2006) by Tom Eisenmann, Geoffrey Parker, and Marshall Van Alstyne

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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.

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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.

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This week, a16z’s own cofounder Marc Andreessen published a nearly 7,000-word article that aimed to dispel fears over AI's risks to our humanity – both real and imagined. Instead, Marc elaborates on how AI can "make everything we care about better." 

In this timely one-on-one conversation with a16z General Partner Martin Casado, Marc discusses how this technology will maximize human potential, why the future of AI should be decided by the free market, and most importantly, why AI won’t destroy the world. In fact, it may save it. 

Read Marc’s full article “Why AI Will Save the World” here: https://a16z.com/2023/06/06/ai-will-save-the-world/

Resources:

Marc on Twitter: https://twitter.com/pmarca 

Marc’s Substack: https://pmarca.substack.com/ 

gptplaysminecraft - Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/gptplaysminecraft

Why AI Will Save the World: https://a16z.com/2023/06/06/ai-will-save-the-world/

Youtube discussion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wIUK0nsyUg

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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.

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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.

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The holy grail of company building is finding product-market fit. But what most people don’t tell you is that once you’ve found it, product-market fit brings its own set of challenges, particularly when it comes to scaling rapidly and hiring the right executives at the right time.

Drawing from their extensive experiences, a16z cofounder Ben Horowitz and Databricks cofounder and CEO Ali Ghodsi sit down to talk about the hardest things about executive hiring and firing, and what is at stake.

They dive into the common reasons an exec fails, why sometimes micromanagement is a good idea, and the difference between someone who has written a playbook and someone who has only run one.

If you’d like to dive even deeper, the Growth team at a16z has spent the last year compiling insights from dozens of leaders at late-stage startups to literally write the book on hiring executives to scale. You can find that book at: http://a16z.com/executive-hiring-playbook

Topics Covered:

• 00:00 - When is it time to let someone go?
• 05:41 - When do you give someone a chance to grow into the role?
• 07:05-  Let go or level?
• 09:27 - How do you have the tough conversation? 
• 16:39 - Exit packages
• 18:40 - Setting a new leader up for success
• 24:27 - The importance of the first quick win 
• 26:24 - The impact a new leader has on culture
• 32:52 - Common ways new leaders fail
• 37:35 - Closing thoughts

Resources:

Read the Executive Hiring: The Key to Scaling in the Growth Stages: http://a16z.com/executive-hiring-playbook

Learn more about Databricks: https://www.databricks.com

Find Ben on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bhorowitz

Find Ali on Twitter: https://twitter.com/alighodsi

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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. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures

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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.

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