Ali Yahya

In this insightful discussion, Ali Yahya, a general partner at a16z crypto and former Google Brain contributor, and Stanford professor Dan Boneh, a cryptography and machine learning expert, explore the intersection of AI and blockchain. They delve into how AI can enhance crypto through decentralized frameworks and zero-knowledge techniques, while also addressing privacy in an age of deep fakes. The duo discusses the potential of personal AI mentors, the importance of human authentication, and innovative solutions for secure digital verification. Their conversation reveals a promising future at the crossroads of these transformative technologies.

with @alive_eth @danboneh @smc90This week's all-new episode covers the convergence of two important, very top-of-mind trends: AI (artificial intelligence) & blockchains/ crypto. These domains together have major implications for how we all live our lives everyday; so this episode is for anyone just curious about, or already building in the space. The conversation covers topics ranging from deep fakes, bots, and the need for proof-of-humanity in a world of AI; to big data, large language models like ChatGPT, user control, governance, privacy and security, zero knowledge and zkML; to MEV, media, art, and much more. Our expert guests (in conversation with host Sonal Chokshi) include: Dan Boneh, Stanford Professor (and Senior Research Advisor at a16z crypto), a cryptographer who’s been working on blockchains for over a decade and who specializes in cryptography, computer security, and machine learning -- all of which intersect in this episode;Ali Yahya, general partner at a16z crypto, who also previously worked at Google -- where he not only worked on a distributed system for a fleet of robots (a sort of "collective reinforcement learning") but also worked on Google Brain, where he was one of the core contributors to the machine learning library TensorFlow built at Google.The first half of the hallway-style conversation between Ali & Dan (who go back together as student and professor at Stanford) is all about how AI could benefit from crypto, and the second half on how crypto could benefit from AI... the thread throughout is the tension between centralization vs. decentralization.  So we also discuss where the intersection of crypto and AI can bring about things that aren't possible by either one of them alone...pieces referenced in this episode/ related reading:The Next Cyber Reasoning System for Cyber Security (2023) by Mohamed Ferrag, Ammar Battah, Norbert Tihanyi, Merouane Debbah, Thierry Lestable, Lucas CordeiroA New Era in Software Security: Towards Self-Healing Software via Large Language Models and Formal Verification (2023) by  Yiannis Charalambous, Norbert Tihanyi, Ridhi Jain, Youcheng Sun, Mohamed Ferrag, Lucas CordeiroFixing Hardware Security Bugs with Large Language Models (2023) by Baleegh Ahmad, Shailja Thakur, Benjamin Tan, Ramesh Karri, Hammond PearceDo Users Write More Insecure Code with AI Assistants? (2022) by Neil Perry, Megha Srivastava, Deepak Kumar, Dan BonehAsleep at the Keyboard? Assessing the Security of GitHub Copilot's Code Contributions (2021) by Hammond Pearce, Baleegh Ahmad, Benjamin Tan, Brendan Dolan-Gavitt, Ramesh KarriVoting, Security, and Governance in Blockchains (2019) with Ali Yahya and Phil Daian    As a reminder: none of the following should be taken as investment, legal, business, or tax advice; please see a16z.com/disclosures for more important information -- including to a link to a list of our investments – especially since we are investors in companies mentioned in this episode.

Chris Dixon, founding general partner at a16z Crypto, shares his deep expertise in blockchain technology. Ali Yahya, a former software engineer at Google X, brings insight into AI's intersection with crypto. Tim Roughgarden, a Columbia professor, offers academic perspectives on blockchain governance. They discuss the unique incentives of decentralized systems, the evolution of consensus protocols, and the challenges of scaling blockchain technologies. Transformative possibilities in governance and economic structures through Web3 are also highlighted, making for an insightful dialogue.

Dan Boneh, a Stanford professor specializing in cryptography, and Ali Yahya, a general partner at a16z crypto, unravel the intricacies of zero-knowledge proofs and their pivotal role in blockchain. They discuss the nuances of SNARKs vs. STARKs, the magic behind recursive SNARKs, and the urgent need for privacy in decentralized applications. Their conversation explores how zkEVMs are essential for Ethereum's scalability and the potential of zero-knowledge technology in various sectors, from finance to social networks, while addressing challenges such as trusted setups and regulatory compliance.

When it comes to top-tier VCs, very few equal Andreessen Horowitz' (a16z) impressive portfolio, which stretches over both Web2 and Web3. Their crypto venture arm includes investments in most industry verticals, from infrastructure projects to NFTs and blockchain gaming. Constructing such a solid investment thesis requires conviction in the long-term prospects of the industry, as well as an influential network.We were joined by Ali Yahya, GP at Andreessen Horowitz, to discuss about a16z structure, operations and investment thesis, as well as the broader crypto landscape and value proposition.Topics covered in this episode:Ali’s backgroundWhy Google didn’t embrace cryptoa16z’s team structureThe role of a GP in a VCa16z’s thesis when it comes to crypto investingWhich crypto niches Ali is most bullish onGovernance vs. platform riskValuation-based investmentsProtocol revenue and monetary premium for L1sToken vs. EquityHow to prevent banking crisis contagion for crypto projectsEpisode links: Ali Yahya on Twittera16z cryptoa16zThis episode is hosted by Sebastien Couture & Meher Roy. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/494