Andreessen Horowitz

The global race for AI leadership is no longer just about companies—it’s about nations. AI isn’t just computing infrastructure; it’s cultural infrastructure, economic strategy, and national security all rolled into one. NVIDIA’s Jensen Huang and Mistral AI’s Arthur Mensch sit down with Anjney Midha to discuss sovereign AI, national AI strategies, and why every country must take ownership of its digital intelligence on the a16z Podcast. Is this the most consequential technology shift of all time? If so, the stakes have never been higher. Find the link to the full video in the comments.

America should lead the world in AI innovation – but it will only be possible when public policy supports the evolving industry and the startups who are advancing it. America’s competitiveness agenda should be based around three pillars, writes our head of AI policy Matt Perault. 1. Policymakers must regulate harmful uses of AI, not impose onerous burdens on model development itself based on speculative fear. 2. States and the federal government both play distinct and important roles within AI policy. 3. The government should invest in AI talent and infrastructure to ensure that Little Tech has the ability to compete and thrive, Matt writes in his latest piece. The stakes are high: the release of DeepSeek, an open-source model developed by a startup in China, underscores the importance of ensuring that Little Tech can compete to offer the most innovative AI products in the world. In a recent report, China stated that it would “strive to create an enabling environment for innovation that encourages exploration and tolerates failure.” U.S. public policy must keep pace. Here’s how: https://bit.ly/3DNYLRy

We’re thrilled to share our investment in E3Tech, a company applying AI and operational excellence to industries where technology adoption has lagged, creating new opportunities for efficiency and growth. Their innovative approach, integrating technology with industry-leading strategy, enables them to seamlessly scale across a variety of industries–including accounting, marketing, and building design. Founder Ruediger Adolf has a proven track record; he previously built and successfully exited Focus Financial Partners, a leading investment advisory firm. More from Scott Kupor on why we led the latest round of funding and how E3Tech is reshaping legacy industries: https://bit.ly/4iCQsac

3 years ago, ‘building for the national interest’ was controversial—especially in Silicon Valley, where tech was built to scale globally. Now? It’s a movement pushing Silicon Valley and Washington closer together. Katherine Boyle & David Ulevitch on the evolution of American Dynamism—why it was once controversial, how it’s reshaping Silicon Valley, and what’s next. 👇

Great leaders don’t run from hard decisions – they run towards “pain and darkness,” for the benefit of their companies, Ben Horowitz says. He explains why: https://lnkd.in/eZMXAHa3  Big Think+

How did a tiny, scrappy team build one of the most powerful AI voice models? In a deep dive with Sesame CTO Ankit Kumar and a16z's Anjney Midha, we explore how Sesame is pushing the boundaries of AI conversation, why it open-sourced its speech generation model, and the power of small teams to outdo much larger AI labs on product focus. A part of their secret: A relentless focus on real-time, natural conversations over raw intelligence, and a deep commitment to voice, personality, and user experience. By opening up its speech generation model, Sesame is paving the way for even more breakthroughs in AI-native conversation. For more on how they did it, listen now: https://bit.ly/4bAFWxM

When it comes to apps, broad consumer appeal doesn’t always translate to revenue. So what can turn engagement into earnings? For our 4th installment of the Top 100 Gen AI Consumer Apps, we analyzed the top 50 AI mobile apps by usage and subscription revenue. Between them, there’s only 40% overlap. Many apps with lower usage proved to be the most effective at monetization, achieving significantly higher conversion rates and revenue per user. Those higher-earning apps are: 1. Niche apps catering to specific goals or skills, like plant identification, nutrition, or language learning. Though their audiences are less universal, these apps are more likely to attract users willing to pay for the product’s specialized value. 2. Apps with high-grade prosumer or enterprise-level features that more serious users will pay for. A notable mention: ChatGPT “copycats” – these apps mimic ChatGPT’s name and logo to falsely suggest they offer the same premium model at a lower price. These make 12% of both the mobile usage and revenue lists.

The next decade of global power is being shaped right now. America’s security, industry, and economic resilience will depend on the technologies we build today. These companies in the American Dynamism 50 aren’t just strengthening our ability to avoid conflict, they’re re-industrializing America in the process. From AI-driven defense to advanced manufacturing and energy innovation—these companies are leading the charge. See the full list: https://bit.ly/3DACqqv

Imagine a world where supply chains grind to a halt, entire industries shut down overnight, and economic stability crumbles. This isn’t just a hypothetical risk, as geopolitical tensions rise. But Washington has spent years preparing for this moment. And Silicon Valley is stepping up to bolster America’s competitive edge. The American Dynamism 50 highlights 50 companies working to deter conflict and strengthen our national resilience. From AI-driven defense to advanced manufacturing and energy innovation, technology is the frontline of global security. These are the companies leading the charge: https://bit.ly/3DACqqv

How did Deel go from startup to core infrastructure for global businesses in under six years? Deel now powers payroll and workforce management for 36,000+ customers, with native payroll engines in 50+ countries, and has completed 10+ acquisitions—redefining how businesses hire and pay talent worldwide. To help guide the business strategy of other startups, we went under the hood (and into the spreadsheets) of Deel. Five key factors in its unconventional approach: - Vertical integration: Speed + depth + accuracy - Modularity: Infinite product wedges - Acquisitions: M&A as a Secret Weapon - Speed: Move fast and fix things - Automation: Eliminating friction, from hiring to retiring For more on how they did it, read the full piece here: https://bit.ly/3FcNIl6