The web is unhealthy, and AI agents are about to rewrite how we shop.

In this episode, a16z General Partner Alex Rampell and Partner Justine Moore explore how AI agents will change commerce and the implications for Google’s business model, affiliate marketing, online shopping, and more.

Timecodes:

0:00 Introduction

0:12 The Role of AI Agents in Commerce

1:28 Affiliate Marketing & Impulse Buys

4:02 Observing Consumer Behavior & AI

6:08 Dynamic Pricing & E-commerce Trends

7:20 Online vs. Offline Shopping Behaviors

10:09 The Challenge of Attribution in Commerce

12:19 Aggregators, Brands, and Business Models

15:24 Trend Cycles & Single SKU Retailers

17:49 Google, Search, and the Freemium Model

22:41 The Unhealthy Web & Commercialization

26:04 Video Reviews & Trust in Commerce

29:10 The Costco Model & Consumer Trust

33:15 AI’s Impact on Different Types of Purchases

39:56 The Future: Specialized Shopping Agents

40:16 Opportunities for New Durable Companies

44:18 The Merchant Side: Infrastructure for AI Agents

Resources:

Read the article: http://a16z.com/ai-x-commerce/

Find Alex on X: https://x.com/arampell

Find Justine on X: https://x.com/venturetwins

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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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OpenAI’s Codex has already shipped hundreds of thousands of pull requests in its first month. But what is it really, and how will coding agents change the future of software?

In this episode, General Partner Anjney Midha goes behind the scenes with one of Codex’s product leads- Alexander Embiricos - to unpack its origin story, why its PR success rate is so high, the safety challenges of autonomous agents, and what this all means for developers, students, and the future of coding.

Timecodes:

0:00 Intro: The Vision for AI Agents

1:25 Codex’s Origin and Naming

3:20 Early Prototypes and Agent Form Factors

6:00 Cloud Agents: Safety and Security

9:40 Prompt Injection and Attack Vectors

12:00 PR Merging: Metrics and Transparency

17:00 The Future of Code Review and Automation

20:00 User Adoption: Internal vs. External Surprises

22:00 Multi-Turn Interactions and Product Learnings

29:30 Best-of-N, Slot Machine Analogy, and Creativity

33:00 Human Taste, Iteration, and Collaboration

40:00 AI’s Impact on Software Engineering Careers

45:00 Education, CS Degrees, and AI Integration

49:00 Prototyping, Hackathons, and Speed to Magic

55:00 Legacy Code, Modernization, and Global Adoption

1:00:00 Enterprise, Security, and Air-Gapped Environments

1:05:00 Product Roadmap and Future of Codex

1:10:00 Advice for Founders and Startups

1:15:00 Education Reform and Project-Based Learning

1:20:00 Hiring, Building, and New Grad Advice

Resources:

Find Alex on X: https://x.com/embirico

Find Anjney on X: https://twitter.com/AnjneyMidha

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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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Can we make science as fast as software?

In this episode, Erik Torenberg talks with Patrick Hsu (cofounder of Arc Institute) and a16z general partner Jorge Conde about Arc’s “virtual cells” moonshot, which uses foundation models to simulate biology and guide experiments.

They discuss why research is slow, what an AlphaFold-style moment for cell biology could look like, and how AI might improve drug discovery. The conversation also covers hype versus substance in AI for biology, clinical bottlenecks, capital intensity, and how breakthroughs like GLP-1s show the path from science to major business and health impact.

Resources:

Find Patrick on X: https://x.com/pdhsu

Find Jorge on X: https://x.com/JorgeCondeBio

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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 this conversation from Lenny’s Podcast, Ben Horowitz joins Lenny to discuss the psychological muscle every founder needs, why hesitation can be fatal for CEOs, when it’s time to replace a founder, and how to normalize failure while building confidence. They also explore the Databricks founding story, investing in Adam Neumann after WeWork, whether AI is in a bubble, where the real opportunities lie, and Ben’s work with the Paid in Full Foundation supporting hip-hop pioneers. The result is a candid look at leadership, product management, and what it takes to build enduring companies.

Timecodes:

00:00 Introduction

00:22 The Psychology of Leadership & Decision-Making

02:41 Leadership lessons from Shaka Senghor

07.56 Struggle, Pain, and Growth as a CEO

10:15 Running toward fear and why hesitation kills companies

19:35 Who shouldn’t start a company

22:36 The Databricks story: thinking bigger

24:54 Managerial leverage and CEO psychology

28:06 When founders should be replaced as CEOs

31:20 Normalizing failure for CEOs

37:57 Counterintuitive lessons about building companies

42:31 “Good Product Manager/Bad Product Manager”

48:21 Product managers as leaders

51:16 Why a16z invested in Adam Neumann after WeWork

56:23 Is AI in a bubble?

01:02:43 The biggest opportunities in AI

01:12:51 Why U.S. leadership in AI matters

01:18:53 The Paid in Full Foundation for hip-hop pioneers

01:23:18 Lightning round: book recommendations, products, and life mottos

Resources:

Find Ben on X: https://x.com/bhorowitz

Find Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/behorowitz/

Watch more of Lenny’s Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@LennysPodcast

Check out Lenny’s newsletter here: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com

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Listen to the a16z Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a16z-podcast/id842818711

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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 $13T U.S. mortgage market serves 50M homeowners but still runs on decades-old software.

In this episode, a16z GP Angela Strange hosts Tim Mayopoulos (ex-CEO of Fannie Mae and ex-president of Blend), Mike Yu (co-founder and CEO of Vesta), and Andrew Wang (co-founder and CEO of Valon) to unpack why standardization and regulation slow change, and how modern loan-origination and servicing platforms, cleaner data, and AI can cut costs, boost transparency, and reduce errors. They also discuss policy levers that could speed innovation and what a true one-tap mortgage could look like.

Timecodes:

00:00 Introduction

00:59 The Scale and Structure of the US Mortgage Market

01:33 Why Mortgage Tech is Slow to Change

02:00 Challenges of Standardization and Regulation

03:41 The Human Side of Home Buying

07:43 Old Software and Its Impact on Homeowners

11:16 Data Transparency and Capital Markets

13:17 Building New Mortgage Infrastructure: LOS and Servicing

16:22 Operational Challenges and Opportunities in Servicing

22:04 Driving Digital Adoption at Fannie Mae

25:15 Modernizing Data and Appraisals

28:27 Core Replacement vs. Wrappers: Tech Strategies

35:29 AI in Mortgage: Today and Tomorrow

40:42 AI, Regulation, and the Future of Compliance

43:54 Advice for Lenders Preparing for an AI Future

47:49 Visions for the Future of Mortgages

Resources:

Find Angela on X: https://x.com/astrange

Find Tim on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothy-j-mayopoulos-56972a45/

Find Andrew on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wangandrewd/

Find Mike on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeyu1/

Stay Updated:

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Follow our host: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg

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.

Stay Updated:

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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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Why do some consumer products explode into networks that reshape the internet, while others fade away?

Today on the podcast, a16z general partners Anish Acharya and Chris Dixon take on that question. Anish invests in AI-native consumer products and the next wave of consumer tech. Chris is best known for his work in Web3 and network economies, and he’s also led some of a16z’s biggest consumer bets.

Together, they cover the history and power of consumer networks, the exponential forces that shape how they grow, and what it all means for founders building in the age of AI.

Timecodes:

00:00 Introduction

00:43 The Power of Networks in Tech

02:19 Moore’s Law, Composability, and Network Effects

06:39 Building Networks: Tools vs. Networks

10:49 Brand, Pricing, and Consumer Software Trends

14:33 Movements, Communities, and Niche Markets

20:02 Decentralization, AI, and the Open Web

24:45 Platform Shifts and the Idea Maze

29:55 Native vs. Skeuomorphic Technologies

36:14 Open Source, Policy, and the Future of AI

42:03 Closing Thoughts & Outro

Resources:
Find Chris on X: https://x.com/cdixon

Find Anish on X: https://x.com/illscience

Stay Updated:

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Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16z

Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z

Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/

Follow our host: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg

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.

Stay Updated:

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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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What happens when AI collides with salesmanship, streaming-era sports, and healthcare?

In this episode, Erik Torenberg is joined by Mark Cuban, entrepreneur, Dallas Mavericks co-owner, and founder of Cost Plus Drugs.

Topics include fiery group chats and how dissent sharpens thinking, the sales playbook of modern politics, and concrete fixes for U.S. healthcare like ending PBM opacity, publishing real prices, and government-backed patient financing. Mark also explains how AI is pushing media from “social” to algorithmic, why he expects millions of models, and why ESOPs are an underrated wealth engine. He shares what he’d build today and weighs in on NBA economics under the new collective bargaining agreement.

Timecodes:

00:00 Introduction

00:47 Salesmanship, Politics, and Social Media

04:05 AI, Algorithms, and the Future of Media

06:29 Fragmentation of Social Platforms

09:04 Political Messaging & Economic Populism

12:05 Wealth, Equity, and Employee Ownership

16:39 AI’s Impact on Education and Healthcare

21:32 Fixing the US Healthcare System

29:39 Entrepreneurship in the Age of AI

33:38 Business Success, Sports, and Investments

35:32 NBA Economics and Team Building

50:44 Personal Priorities & Closing Thoughts

Resources:

Find Mark on X: https://x.com/mcuban

Stay Updated:

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Follow our host: https://x.com/eriktorenberg

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.

Stay Updated:

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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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Who’s speaking up for startups in Washington, D.C.?

In this episode, Matt Perault (Head of AI Policy, a16z) and Collin McCune (Head of Government Affairs, a16z) unpack the “Little Tech Agenda” for AI- why AI rules should regulate harmful use, not model development; how to keep open source open; the roles of the federal government vs states in regulating AI; and how the U.S. can compete globally without shutting out new founders.

Timecodes:

0:00 – Introduction

1:12 – Defining the Little Tech Agenda

4:40 – Challenges for Startups vs. Big Tech

6:37 – Principles of Smart AI Regulation

9:55 – History of AI Policy & Regulatory Fears

19:26 – The Role of Open Source and Global Competition

23:45 – Motivations Behind Policy Approaches

26:40 – Debates on Regulating Use vs. Development

35:15 – Federal vs. State Roles in AI Policy

39:24 – AI Policy and U.S.–China Competition

40:45 – Current Policy Landscape & Action Plans

42:47 – Moratoriums, Preemption, and Political Dynamics

50:00 – Looking Forward: The Future of AI Policy

56:16 – Conclusion & Disclaimers

Resources:

Read the Little Tech Agenda: https://a16z.com/the-little-tech-agenda/

Read ‘Regulate AI Use, Not AI Development : https://a16z.com/regulate-ai-use-not-ai-development/

Read Martin’s article ‘Base AI Policy on Evidence, Not Existential Angst: https://a16z.com/base-ai-policy-on-evidence-not-existential-angst/

Read ‘Setting the Agenda for Global AI Leadership’:

https://a16z.com/setting-the-agenda-for-global-ai-leadership-assessing-the-roles-of-congress-and-the-states/

Read ‘The Commerce Clause in the Age of AI”:

https://a16z.com/the-commerce-clause-in-the-age-of-ai-guardrails-and-opportunities-for-state-legislatures/

Find Matt on X: https://x.com/MattPerault

Find Collin on X: https://x.com/Collin_McCune

Stay Updated:

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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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