Ben Horowitz on Investing in AI: AI Bubbles, Economic Impact, and VC Acceleration
The a16z Show
Why Verticalization Scales Teams
Ben explains verticalization to keep investing teams small and coherent, using basketball-team size as a model.
AI is changing how companies are built and how venture firms operate, forcing faster decisions, clearer judgment, and new ways of working.
In this exclusive conversation, Ben Horowitz shares how Andreessen Horowitz adapts to that shift. He explains why managing GPs is different from running a company, how investors are evaluated at the moment of decision rather than years later, and why verticalized teams help the firm scale without internal politics.
Ben also breaks down the current AI cycle, from treating AI as a new computing platform to why application design and model orchestration matter more than raw model size. He discusses the return of M&A and why today’s AI market reflects real demand, not just inflated valuations.
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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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