a16z Podcast DNA's Potential to Store the World's Data
18 snips
Jan 5, 2024 
Vijay Pande, a General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz, dives into the incredible world of DNA as a data storage solution. He highlights how one gram of DNA can hold over 200 million gigabytes of data, vastly outpacing traditional storage methods. Pande discusses the advancements in DNA sequencing and synthesis, emphasizing the dramatic decrease in costs that could revolutionize data management. The conversation touches on potential applications in security and medicine, hinting at a future where biological computing might lead to exponential technological growth.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Data Storage and AI
- Data storage has been exponentially increasing, enabling advancements in AI.
- This exponential increase is driven by technologies like disk and SSD technologies.
DNA Sequencing vs. Synthesis
- DNA reading (sequencing) has advanced rapidly, while writing (synthesis) lags.
- The complexity of writing DNA, with no equivalent to shotgun sequencing, contributes to this.
DNA as Data Storage
- DNA is incredibly dense, readable, and long-lasting, making it suitable for data storage.
- Its density and longevity make it hard to beat with other technologies.