a16z Podcast: Why the Datacenter Needs an Operating System

Housing and healthcare make up nearly half of household spending, yet both sectors are riddled with inefficiency and rising costs.In this episode, Erik Torenberg is joined by a16z Growth partner Alex Immerman and Minna Song and Tony Stoyanov, cofounders of EliseAI, to discuss why they’re tackling these critical industries and how AI can transform everything from leasing and maintenance to patient scheduling and compliance.The conversation covers:Why the U.S. is 5 million housing units short — and how technology can help unlock existing supplyHow automation can cut waste, reduce labor costs, and improve affordabilityWhat fully autonomous buildings might look like, and how that model could extend to healthcareThis is about the costs that touch every household, and the role AI might play in finally bringing them down. Resources: Link to blog: https://a16z.com/announcement/investing-in-eliseai/Find Minna on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/minna-song/Find Tony on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/stoyan-tony-stoyanov-07690a53FInd Alex on X: https://x.com/aleximm Stay Updated: Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16zFind a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zSubscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/Follow our host: https://x.com/eriktorenbergPlease 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.

21 Elo 39min

Do tariffs help rebuild American manufacturing or hold it back? In this episode, American Compass founder and chief economist Oren Cass sits down with commentator and author Noah Smith and a16z General Partner Erik Torenberg for a lively debate on the future of U.S. industry. They discuss the case for tariff-driven re-industrialization versus free-market approaches, the role of allies in trade policy, and what the numbers really show about manufacturing jobs, investment, and output. Along the way, they challenge each other’s assumptions and explore what it would take to actually bring more production back to American soil. Timecodes:0:00 Introduction & Framing the Debate1:27 Oren Cass: Economic Philosophy & American Compass4:02 Manufacturing, Family, and Community5:00 Free Trade, Comparative Advantage, and Policy8:30 Tariffs: US vs. China and Historical Context9:30 Do Tariffs Help US Manufacturing?15:00 Data, Indicators, and Economic Predictions22:00 Theory, History, and the Role of Economics28:00 Trade Deficits, Scale, and Global Competition38:00 Negotiation, Game Theory, and Policy Tools46:00 Trade Deficits, Scale, and Global Competition1:03:23 Negotiating with Allies and the Limits of Tariff Threats Resources: Find Oren on X: https://https://x.com/oren_cassAmerican Compass: https://americancompass.org/Find Noah on X: https://x.com/noahpinionSubscribe to Noah’s Substack: https://www.noahpinion.blog/ Stay Updated: Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16zFind a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zSubscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/Follow our host: https://x.com/eriktorenbergPlease 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.

20 Elo 1h 12min

The AI hardware race is heating up, and NVIDIA is still far ahead. What will it take to close the gap?In this episode, Dylan Patel (Founder & CEO, SemiAnalysis) joins Erin Price-Wright (General Partner, a16z), Guido Appenzeller (Partner, a16z), and host Erik Torenberg to break down the state of AI chips, data centers, and infrastructure strategy.We discuss:Why simply copying NVIDIA won’t work, and what it takes to beat themHow custom silicon from Google, Amazon, and Meta could reshape the marketThe economics of AI model launches and the shift toward cost efficiencyInfrastructure bottlenecks: power, cooling, and the global supply chainThe rise of AI silicon startups and the challenges they faceExport controls, China’s AI ambitions, and geopolitics in the chip raceBig tech’s next moves: advice for leaders like Jensen Huang, Sundar Pichai, Mark Zuckerberg, and Elon MuskResources: Find Dylan on X: https://x.com/dylan522pFind Erin on X: https://x.com/espricewrightFind Guido on X: https://x.com/appenzLearn more about SemiAnalysis: https://semianalysis.com/dylan-patel/Stay Updated: Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16zFind a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zSubscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/Follow our host: https://x.com/eriktorenbergPlease 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.

18 Elo 1h 4min

Genie 3 can generate fully interactive, persistent worlds from just text, in real time.In this episode, Google DeepMind’s Jack Parker-Holder (Research Scientist) and Shlomi Fruchter (Research Director) join Anjney Midha, Marco Mascorro, and Justine Moore of a16z, with host Erik Torenberg, to discuss how they built it, the breakthrough “special memory” feature, and the future of AI-powered gaming, robotics, and world models.They share:How Genie 3 generates interactive environments in real timeWhy its “special memory” feature is such a breakthroughThe evolution of generative models and emergent behaviorsInstruction following, text adherence, and model comparisonsPotential applications in gaming, robotics, simulation, and moreWhat’s next: Genie 4, Genie 5, and the future of world models This conversation offers a first-hand look at one of the most advanced world models ever created. Timecodes: 0:00 Introduction & The Magic of Genie 30:41 Real-Time World Generation Breakthroughs1:22 The Team’s Journey: From Genie 1 to Genie 35:03 Interactive Applications & Use Cases8:03 Special Memory and World Consistency12:29 Emergent Behaviors and Model Surprises18:37 Instruction Following and Text Adherence19:53 Comparing Genie 3 and Other Models21:25 The Future of World Models & Modality Convergence27:35 Downstream Applications and Open Questions31:42 Robotics, Simulation, and Real-World Impact39:33 Closing Thoughts & Philosophical Reflections Resources:Find Shlomi on X: https://x.com/shlomifruchterFind Jack on X: https://x.com/jparkerholderFind Anjney on X: https://x.com/anjneymidhaFind Justine on X: https://x.com/venturetwinsFind Marco on X: https://x.com/Mascobot Stay Updated: Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16zFind a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zSubscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/Follow our host: https://x.com/eriktorenbergPlease 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.

16 Elo 41min

a16z General Partners Martin Casado and Anjney Midha join Erik Torenberg to unpack one of the most dramatic shifts in tech policy in recent memory: the move from “pause AI” to “win the AI race.”They trace the evolution of U.S. AI policy—from executive orders that chilled innovation, to the recent AI Action Plan that puts scientific progress and open source at the center. The discussion covers how technologists were caught off guard, why open source was wrongly equated to nuclear risk, and what changed the narrative—including China's rapid progress.The conversation also explores:How and why the AI discourse got captured by doomerismWhat “marginal risk” really means—and why it mattersWhy open source AI is not just ideology, but business strategyHow government, academia, and industry are realigning after a fractured few yearsThe effect of bad legislation—and what comes nextWhether you're a founder, policymaker, or just trying to make sense of AI's regulatory future, this episode breaks it all down.Timecodes:0:00 Introduction & Setting the Stage0:39 The Shift in AI Regulation Discourse2:10 Historical Context: Tech Waves & Policy6:39 The Open Source Debate13:39 The Chilling Effect & Global Competition15:00 Changing Sentiments on Open Source21:06 Open Source as Business Strategy28:50 The AI Action Plan: Reflections & Critique32:45 Alignment, Marginal Risk, and Policy41:30 The Future of AI Regulation & Closing ThoughtsResourcesFind Martin on X: https://x.com/martin_casadoFind Anjney on X: https://x.com/anjneymidhaStay Updated:Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16zFind a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zSubscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/Follow our host: https://x.com/eriktorenbergPlease 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.

15 Elo 42min

We’re sharing an episode from ChinaTalk that dives into one of the biggest recent reversals in U.S. tech policy.The U.S. banned Nvidia’s H20 AI chips to China in April. Now, just months later, they’re being sold—with a 15% export fee. What happened? Why the reversal? And what does it mean for the future of AI competition between the U.S. and China?Chris Miller—author of Chip War—and Lennart Heim from RAND join ChinaTalk host Jordan Schneider to unpack the policy flip-flop, why China is publicly downplaying interest in the H20, and why high-bandwidth memory and semiconductor manufacturing tools may be even more important than the Nvidia chips themselves.Resources:Listen to more from ChinaTalk: https://link.chtbl.com/chinatalkCheck out the Horizon Fellowship to work in DC on emerging tech policy issues like AI chip export controls: https://horizonpublicservice.org/applications-open-for-2026-horizon-fellowship-cohort/Outro Music: It's a Shame, The Spinners, 1970

14 Elo 1h 6min

a16z partners Olivia and Justine Moore unpack the latest in consumer AI including: - Grok’s “Imagine” and its instant, social-first creative tools- Google’s Genie 3 and the future of 3D worlds- GPT-5: what’s new, what’s missing, and why some want their old chatbot back- AI-generated music from ElevenLabs- Olivia’s vibecoded Jensen Huang selfie app Timecodes: 0:00 Introduction & This Week's Topics0:24 Grok Imagine: Social AI Image & Video Generation4:48 GPT-5 Release & GPT-4 Deprecation5:36 Comparing GPT-5 and GPT-4: Coding vs. Personality9:13 AI for Mental Health: Illinois Law & Industry Impact12:29 Genie 3: Interactive World Models from Google16:53 ElevenLabs Music Model: Licensed AI Music Generation19:16 Vibecoding: Consumer Experiments & Platform Evolution24:14 The Future of Vibecoding & AI Tools27:05 Conclusions  Resources:Find Olivia on X: https://x.com/omooretweetsFind Justine on X: https://x.com/venturetwinsRead Anish and Justine’s  vibecoding post: https://a16z.com/specialized-app-gen-platforms/ Stay Updated: Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16zFind a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zSubscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/Follow our host: https://x.com/eriktorenbergPlease 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.

13 Elo 27min

Fresh off the announcement of his move from Shopify to a16z, Alex Danco joins TBPN to talk about the “trade deal” that brought him here and his mission to make the firm’s written content truly world class.He discusses why he believes writing still matters in the age of AI, how great prose can act as “power transfer technology” for founders, and why he’s betting on the overlooked art of speechwriting. Alex also reflects on his years as a founder, investor, and longtime blogger, and shares the formats he’s most excited to explore, from deal memos to launch speeches. Timecodes: 0:00 Joining a16z0:41 The Power of Writing & Speechwriting2:45 Reflections on Blogging & Communication5:10 Writing as Power Transfer Technology6:46 Formats & Content at a16z8:09 The Underrated Art of Speechwriting11:21 The Evolution of Blogging & Audience12:23 Looking Forward: Brand & Legacy Resources:Find Alex on X: https://x.com/Alex_DancoWatch TBPN: https://www.tbpn.com/Follow TBPN on X: https://x.com/tbpn Stay Updated: Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16zFind a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zSubscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/Follow our host: https://x.com/eriktorenbergPlease 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.

13 Elo 15min