Venture capital powerhouse Andreessen Horowitz, aka a16z, because vowels are apparently optional in Silicon Valley, has been quietly shaping the generative AI boom with its biannual “Top 100” ranking of AI-first apps. In this episode, host Emily Laird breaks down how a16z went from a $300 million moonshot to a $46 billion kingmaker, why they’re tracking AI startups like it’s the Billboard charts, and what wildcards like DeepSeek are doing to dethrone the usual suspects. If you’ve ever wondered who’s really calling the shots in AI, spoiler: it’s the folks with the money, and they’ve got a list.

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