a16z co-founders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz discuss Marc's latest article, “The Techno-Optimist Manifesto”, as well as how technological advancements can improve the quality of human life, uplift marginalized communities, and even encourage us to answer the bigger questions of the universe.
Nov 19
Why Silicon Valley Turned Against Defense (And How We’re Fixing It)
<p>Palmer Luckey got fired from Meta for backing the wrong candidate—now he's the hero saving American defense, and that shift tells you everything about how fast the ground moved beneath Silicon Valley's feet. For decades, tech and defense were allies, then came 15 years of host ... Show More
1h 14m
Sep 29
China Has Mass. Can America Catch Up?
<p>Ben, Marc, and Erik Torenberg are joined by Brian Schimpf, Cofounder & CEO of Anduril, and Chris Power, Founder & CEO of Hadrian. Together, they dig into America’s defense production gap: why the U.S. can out-innovate but not out-produce—and what it will take to turn that arou ... Show More
56m 21s
Aug 22
AI and Accelerationism with Marc Andreessen
<p>Marc Andreessen, cofounder Andreessen Horowitz, joins the Hermitix podcast for a conversation on AI, accelerationism, energy, and the future.</p><p>From the thermodynamic roots of effective accelerationism (E/acc) to the cultural cycles of optimism and fear around new technolo ... Show More
1h 9m
Mar 2025
The Man Who Predicted the Downfall of Thinking
Few thinkers were as prescient about the role technology would play in our society as the late, great Neil Postman. Forty years ago, Postman warned about all the ways modern communication technology was fragmenting our attention, overwhelming us into apathy, and creating a societ ... Show More
58m 57s
Oct 2024
The Deepfake Dilemma: The Technology, Policy, and Economy
<p>Deepfakes—AI-generated fake videos and voices—have become a widespread concern across politics, social media, and more. As they become easier to create, the threat grows. But so do the tools to detect them.</p><p>In this episode, Vijay Balasubramaniyan, cofounder and CEO of Pi ... Show More
34m 59s
Dec 2019
Ray Dalio: Principles, the Economic Machine, Artificial Intelligence & the Arc of Life
Ray Dalio is the founder, Co-Chairman and Co-Chief Investment Officer of Bridgewater Associates, one of the world's largest and most successful investment firms that is famous for the principles of radical truth and transparency that underlie its culture. Ray is one of the wealth ... Show More
1h 30m
Dec 2024
Fixing Education in America: What's Stopping Us?
<p>Over half of Americans live in childcare deserts, while 90% of brain development happens before the age of five. All the while, education and childcare remain among the most resistant sectors to technological change. Billions of dollars have been spent, but outcomes continue t ... Show More
38m 54s