a16z Live

Alexandr Wang, Founder and CEO of Scale AI, discusses the vital link between human data and AI progress. He highlights how abundant data fuels the growth of generative AI, emphasizing innovative algorithms and diverse data sources. Wang also critiques big tech's investment strategies and identifies where the best AI businesses will flourish. He shares insights on hiring challenges faced by growth-stage founders and offers a thoughtful approach to scaling companies while maintaining culture and team dynamics.

John Stecher, Chief Technology Officer at Blackstone and a leader in tech innovation, shares insights on the evolving intersection of finance and technology. He discusses the pivotal choice between in-house tech development versus startup partnerships, emphasizing the need for strategic resource allocation. Stecher also highlights how AI is revolutionizing sectors like real estate and private equity, reshaping analyst roles, and creating new opportunities in the investment landscape. His advice for startups focuses on understanding market dynamics and delivering quick value.

Tim Karpoff, the Global Head of Strategy at Citi, dives into a fast-paced discussion on the intersection of AI and banking innovation. He explores the vital role of startups partnering with traditional banks and challenges the common perceptions surrounding AI adoption in finance. The talk includes insights into Citi's revamped risk controls following recent banking crises and the delicate balancing act between cutting costs and driving revenue growth through AI. Karpoff's views illuminate the future regulatory landscape that will shape banking's technological evolution.

Waymo co-CEO Dmitri Dolgov joined a16z general partner David George to discuss how Waymo is using genAI to help them build safer, sustainable, and more accessible transportation. In the conversation, Dmitri talks about the potential of embodied AI, the value of simulations and building training data, and his approach to leading a company focused on solving the challenges of building AI that can navigate the real world.[00:01:22] The early days of autonomous vehicles[00:05:27] Layering genAI into traditional AI/ML[00:09:42] The value of simulation[00:15:56] The hard part about integrating AI in autonomous systems[00:22:45] AI in the real world[00:28:47] Where does Waymo go from here?[00:37:21] Dmitri's learnings from hard problemsThis conversation is part of our AI Revolution series, which features some of the most impactful builders in the field of AI discussing and debating where we are, where we’re going, and the big open questions in AI. Find more content from our AI Revolution series on www.a16z.com/AIRevolution.

Edo Liberty, CEO of Pinecone, focuses on enhancing genAI prototypes, while Harrison Chase, CEO of LangChain, crafts production-ready tools. Sarah Wang, a General Partner at a16z Growth, guides scaling efforts. They delve into the challenges of transitioning from prototypes to production. The trio discusses the choice between building versus buying tech solutions, highlights the critical nature of data selection, and underscores the importance of strategic partnerships for successful genAI implementation—all while balancing immediate needs with long-term goals.

Mark Casey, an equity portfolio manager at Capital Group with over 20 years of experience, shares his long-term investment philosophy. He discusses his unique approach to customer-centric metrics and the importance of dividends in investing. Casey reflects on communicating with CEOs and what he learned from Jeff Bezos, emphasizing transparency in financial communication. He also delves into macro trends, the potential of AI, and highlights the essential qualities that make a great public company.

In this conversation, which took place at a16z's Connect Fintech event, a16z General Partner Angela Strange, Plaid CEO and cofounder Zach Perret, and Marqeta CEO Simon Khalaf discuss how AI will shape the future of banking, the battle between payment rails in the U. S., and how there's still opportunity to transform the basic credit card into a fully digital product. 0:00-1:42 Intro1:42-1:56 Topics: Generative AI, payment rails shift, and regulation in open banking and sponsor banking1:56-4:46 GenAI's potential impact on credit modeling and fraud4:46-7:09 Implications of payment products becoming digital products ("The open face of the internet")7:09-8:33 Why brands need to embed finance, and why every company will eventually be a fintech company8:33-11:01 The card vs. pay-by-bank debate11:01-12:24 New infrastructure to combat fraud12:24-17:27 Reassessing traditional "top-of-wallet" tactics and longstanding business models17:27-20:04 Potential implications of Visa/Mastercard antitrust suit20:04-24:12 Regulation around open banking and sponsor banks24:12-24:40 OutroPlease 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.

Marty Chavez, partner and vice chairman of Sixth Street Partners, discusses merging technology and finance. Topics include his transition to Wall Street, AI's impact, AI in biotech, and the regulatory challenges of AI in finance.

Goldman Sachs CIO Marco Argenti discusses merging fintech and finance, converting developers into clients, and AI's impact on technology. They delve into AI in financial services and the shift towards external resources for strategic growth.

Former Global Payments CEO Jeff Sloan discusses spotting industry trends, making strategic bets, and the impact of AI on financial services with a16z General Partner Angela Strange.