The a16z Show

Why a16z's Martin Casado Believes the AI Boom Still Has Years to Run

318 snips
Dec 30, 2025
Guest
Martin Casado
Martin Casado, General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz, shares insights from his journey as a founder and investor. He discusses why he believes we are still early in the AI boom, likening it to the dot-com era. Casado highlights the potential of AI coding as a multi-trillion-dollar market and the importance of open-source models. He also emphasizes the value of product experience over technical skills in investing and warns that U.S. lagging in open-source could lead to risks of losing ground to China.
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INSIGHT

Market-First Investing Wins

  • Martin Casado says market-first investing beats company-first pitching because markets usually create companies.
  • Start by identifying growing markets, then ask if the founder fits that market.
ADVICE

Back Spaces With Multiple Founders

  • Do prioritize spaces where multiple strong founders are already building before making bets.
  • If a leader emerges, move quickly to invest but wait if it's too early to tell.
INSIGHT

AI Reminds Him Of 1996, Not 2000

  • Casado compares today's AI energy to the 1996 dot-com optimism rather than the late‑90s bubble.
  • He argues we're early and more value-backed this time because companies already generate revenue.
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