2024 Big Ideas: Voice-First Apps, AI Moats, Never-Ending Games, and Anime Takes Off

In this recent episode of The Ben & Marc Show, a16z co-founders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz sit down with Adam Neumann—founder of WeWork and now Flow—to unpack one of the most unlikely comeback storie s in tech.What began as a personal reckoning after a very public fall has become a bold new vision for how we live and belong. Flow isn’t just a real estate company—it’s an operating system for community, built on first-principles software, design, and soul.Joined by a16z General Partner Erik Torenberg, the group goes deep on:Why Adam’s childhood shaped his obsession with communityAdam’s fall from WeWork—and how he found a new path to redemptionHow Flow is re-architecting real estate from scratchWhy loneliness is the greatest design challenge of our timeWith reflections on dyslexia, the American dream, and the thin line between failure and greatness, this is a candid and wide-ranging conversation about redemption, vision, and building something that matters in this world. We hope you enjoy this deeply human conversation about the future of living.Timecodes00:00 Introduction 00:51 Adam's Early Life and Family Background07:56 Military Service and Discipline10:08 Transition to the US and Education14:43 Entrepreneurial Journey Begins17:49 The Concept of Flow and Vision20:28 Meeting and Partnership Formation25:22 Overcoming Challenges and Resilience28:30 The Isolation Phenomenon30:03 Navigating Post-Crisis Relationships31:50 Real Estate Strategies During COVID33:47 The Genesis of a New Venture36:47 Lessons from WeWork38:49 Building Flow: The Vision41:44 The Importance of Alignment51:23 Technological Innovations in Real Estate55:44 Revolutionizing Real Estate Software and Flexible Living Solutions56:28 Challenges and Innovations in Multifamily Housing Rental Markets58:40 Global Housing Crisis and Solutions01:06:10 Expanding to Saudi Arabia01:08:49 Success in Saudi Arabia01:12:43 Real Estate Funds and Future Plans01:19:10: Why Is This an Opportunity? 01:20:45 Impact of COVID on Living and Working01:26:14 Future Potential of Housing and LivingResources: Read Marc's blog post about Flow: https://a16z.com/announcement/flow/Marc on X: https://x.com/pmarca Marc’s Substack: https://pmarca.substack.com/ Ben on X: https://x.com/bhorowitz Erik on X: https://x.com/eriktorenberg Erik's Substack: https://eriktorenberg.substack.com/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 Jun 1h 29min

Things in consumer AI are moving fast. In this episode, Justine and Olivia Moore, investing partners (and identical twins!) at a16z, break down what’s real, what’s overhyped, and what’s next across the consumer AI space. They cover: Veo 3: how Google's video model unlocked a new genre of content OpenAI’s Advanced Voice Mode: upgrades, realism, and... um, human-like hesitation Apple's AI announcements 11Labs V3: expressive voice tags, real-time interruptions, and narrative tools for creators New data from a16z: AI consumer startups are ramping revenue faster than ever—and they show you how Justine walks through how she used ChatGPT, Ideogram, and Krea to launch a fully AI-assisted brand prototype (store photos and all)Timecodes: 00:00 Introduction  00:28 Meet the Hosts: Justine and Olivia00:44 Veo 3: The Game-Changer in AI Video06:34 ChatGPT's Advanced Voice Mode Updates10:22 Apple's AI Announcements and Siri's Shortcomings12:18 11 Labs' New Voice Model: 11 V315:50 Report from a16z: AI Revenue Growth23:14 Demo of the Week: AI in Brand CreationResources: Read ‘What “Working” Means in the Era of AI Apps’: https://a16z.com/revenue-benchmarks-a... Find Justine on X: https://x.com/venturetwins Find Olivia on X: https://x.com/omooretweetsTools Discussed: Veo 3: https://gemini.google/overview/video-... OpenAI: https://openai.com/chatgpt 11Labs (V3 voice model) – https://elevenlabs.io/ Ideogram (logo/image generation) – https://ideogram.ai/ Black Forest Labs/Flux Context (image editing via Krea) – https://www.krea.ai/ Flux Context demo (Krea launch post) – https://www.krea.ai/blog/flux-context Hedra: https://www.hedra.com/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 Jun 28min

In this episode Jack Altman, CEO of Lattice and host of Uncapped, interviews Marc Andreessen on how venture capital is evolving — from small seed funds to billion-dollar barbell strategies — and why today’s most important tech companies don’t just build tools, they replace entire industries. They cover:The end of “picks and shovels” investingWhy missing a great company matters more than backing a bad oneThe power law math behind fund size and asymmetric returnsAI as the next computing platform — and a test for Western civilizationPreference falsification, media power, and what founders can’t say out loudThis is a conversation about ambition at scale, the structure of modern venture, and the deep forces reshaping startups, innovation, and power.Resources: Listen to more from Uncapped: https://linktr.ee/uncappedpodFind Jack on Xhttps://x.com/jaltmaFind Marc on X: https://x.com/pmarcaFind Uncapped on X: https://x.com/uncapped_podTimecodes: 00:00 What You Can’t Say  01:20 Founders, Funders, and the Future  02:00 Fund Size and Power Law Math  06:45 From Tools to Full Stack Startups  10:00  Market Sizing and Asymmetric Bets  13:00 Public Markets Mirror Venture Dynamics  17:00 The Barbell Strategy in Venture  20:00 The Conflict Dilemma in Venture  25:00 Staying in Early-Stage Venture  29:30 The Death of the Middle  32:00 Why It’s So Rare to Build a New Top VC Firm  35:00 The Case for Power in Venture  37:45 Limiting Factors for Big Companies  41:00 AI as the Next Computing Platform  45:30 Betting on Startups, Not Incumbents  48:00  How a16z Thinks About Risk  51:00 Building a Top-Tier GP Team  55:00 Taste, Timing, and Getting Into the Scene  57:00 Raising Capital Is the Easy Part  1:00:30 AI’s Existential Stakes  1:05:00 Autonomous Weapons, Ethics, and War  1:11:00 Tech, Government, and Power  1:13:00 Media, Mistrust, and Narrative Collapse  1:24:00 Preference Falsification and Cultural Cascades  1:32:00 The Thought Experiment  1:33:00 Career Advice for Young Builders  1:35:00 Marc vs. the Huberman Protocol  1:39:30 What Would Prove You Right?  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.

11 Jun 1h 41min

What if crypto isn’t just a speculative asset class—but the next foundational layer of the internet?In this episode, Chris Dixon, founding partner of a16z crypto and one of the earliest, most forward-thinking investors in the space, joins TBPN for a wide-ranging conversation on the real, long-term promise of crypto—and why we're still early.He unpacks:Why stablecoins are already functioning as internet-native moneyHow blockchains can serve as global, programmable financial infrastructureWhy programmability, not just low fees, is the real unlockThe evolving regulatory landscape and new bipartisan momentumThe rise of AI agents, decentralized platforms, and real-world crypto use casesThis episode is about long-term thinking, technical optimism, and building open infrastructure for the future of the internet.Resources: Find Chris on X: https://x.com/cdixonWatch TBPN: https://www.tbpn.com/ Timecodes:00:00 Meet Chris Dixon: Crypto Visionary00:26 The Evolution of Stable Coins02:49 The Future of Stable Coins and Global Payments06:04 Lobbying Efforts and Legislative Impact09:01 Adoption Across Different Sectors11:53 Competitive Forces in the Crypto Market14:37 The Crypto Talent Shortage15:05 Opportunities in the Crypto Space17:08 Crypto Fund Performance19:04 Venture Capital in Crypto23:30 Real World Assets on Blockchain26:34 Social Engineering and Proof of Humanity29:10 Conclusion and Final Thoughts 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.

9 Jun 29min

In this episode, a16z General Partner Erik Torenberg is joined by the a16z Consumer team—General Partner Anish Acharya and Partners Olivia Moore, Justine Moore, and Bryan Kim—for a conversation on the current state (and future) of consumer tech.They unpack why it feels like breakout consumer apps have slowed down, how AI is changing the game, and what might define the next era of products. Topics include:The rise of AI-native consumer tools and companion appsWhy users are now spending $200+/month on AI productsThe missing AI-powered social graphWhy speed and iteration may matter more than traditional moatsAnd what it means to build for a world where software touches everythingFrom shifting business models to new behavior patterns, this is your pulse check on where we are—and where consumer is heading next.Timecodes:00:00:00 – Introduction to Consumer AI00:01:00 – The Evolution of Consumer Breakouts00:03:18 – The Shift in Consumer Spending00:08:00 – The Future of Social Networks with AI00:13:00 – Enterprise Adoption of AI00:20:42 – The Rise of Voice Technology00:23:06 – AI's Role in Enterprise Conversations00:25:25 – AI in Education and Personal Development00:26:34 – AI Companions: The New Norm00:31:52 – The Future of AI Companions00:38:50 – Speculating on New AI Platforms00:42:07 – The Social Norms of AI IntegrationResources: Find Anish on X: https://x.com/illscienceFind Olivia on X: https://x.com/omooretweetsFind Justine on X: https://x.com/venturetwinsFind Bryan on X: https://x.com/kirbyman01Stay 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.

6 Jun 47min

What if the next leap in artificial intelligence isn’t about better language—but better understanding of space?In this episode, a16z General Partner Erik Torenberg moderates a conversation with Fei-Fei Li, cofounder and CEO of World Labs, and a16z General Partner Martin Casado, an early investor in the company. Together, they dive into the concept of world models—AI systems that can understand and reason about the 3D, physical world, not just generate text.Often called the “godmother of AI,” Fei-Fei explains why spatial intelligence is a fundamental and still-missing piece of today’s AI—and why she’s building an entire company to solve it. Martin shares how he and Fei-Fei aligned on this vision long before it became fashionable, and why it could reshape the future of robotics, creativity, and computational interfaces.From the limits of LLMs to the promise of embodied intelligence, this conversation blends personal stories with deep technical insights—exploring what it really means to build AI that understands the real (and virtual) world.Resources: Find Fei-Fei on X: https://x.com/drfeifeiFind Martin on X: https://x.com/martin_casadoLearn more about World Labs: https://www.worldlabs.ai/ 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.

4 Jun 22min

What does it take to build a venture firm from scratch—and scale it across multiple waves of technological and cultural change?In this special episode recorded at the a16z LP Summit, Marc Andreessen joins Erik Torenberg for a conversation on the origins and evolution of Andreessen Horowitz. From raising Fund I during the depths of the 2008 financial crisis to shaping the firm’s multistage, multi-sector strategy, Marc reflects on how the firm was built—and rebuilt—as the tech landscape shifted.They discuss the rise of “Little Tech,” why policy now matters to startups, how scale became a strategic advantage in venture capital, and why the move from generalists to vertical specialists was inevitable.Along the way, Marc shares behind-the-scenes stories on Facebook’s near-sale to Yahoo, the evolution of founder archetypes, the global talent arbitrage, and what too many people still misunderstand about tech’s role in society.Resources: Find Marc on X: https://x.com/pmarcaFind Erik on X: https://x.com/eriktorenbergStay 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.

2 Jun 32min

What happens when two of the biggest tech waves—AI and crypto—start to converge?In this LP Summit conversation, a16z General Partners Chris Dixon and David George explore how stablecoins are creating a new global financial layer, why generative AI is reshaping market structures, and how the next tech giants will be built.From network effects to native AI business models, this is a sharp look at the future of innovation and investing. Resources: Find Chris on X: https://x.com/cdixonFind David on X: https://x.com/DavidGeorge83Watch ‘What is an AI Agent?’: https://youtu.be/xGEUPLLuEIo?si=RM-tD-R8H9XfbIP 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.

31 Mai 33min