The Ben & Marc Show – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode, a16z co-founders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz explore the fascinating intersection of AI and crypto, highlighting the rise of Truth Terminal (@truth_terminal), an autonomous chatbot developed by AI researcher Andy Ayrey. With its own X account, Truth Terminal generates original and often hilarious content independently. 

Marc's interaction with the bot recently took a surprising turn when he decided to grant it $50,000 in Bitcoin. This funding sparked Truth Terminal’s ambition to launch its own token, eventually leading to the creation of the meme coin “GOAT” by an anonymous developer. “GOAT” recently skyrocketed to a $300m valuation. 

Join Ben and Marc as they discuss how this still unfolding story reflects the potential for community-driven systems and its implications for the future of digital assets. Enjoy!

Watch the FULL episode:  https://youtu.be/EKspo1FLj-4

Resources: 

Marc on X: https://twitter.com/pmarca

Marc’s Substack: https://pmarca.substack.com/

Ben on X: https://twitter.com/bhorowitz

Stay Updated: 

Find us on X: https://twitter.com/a16z

Find us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z

The views expressed here are those of the individual personnel quoted and are not the views of a16z or its affiliates. This content is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. Furthermore, this content is not directed at nor intended for use by any investors or prospective investors and may not under any circumstances be relied upon when making a decision to invest in any a16z funds. PLEASE SEE MORE HERE: https://a16z.com/disclosures/

Welcome to "The Ben & Marc Show," featuring a16z co-founders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz. In this new episode, Marc and Ben discuss their latest article, “The Little Tech Agenda,” and why the future of American innovation is at a critical juncture.

In a one-on-one conversation, Ben and Marc compare the policies of Donald Trump and Joe Biden regarding Little Tech, explore the potential futures for blockchain, crypto, and AI, and examine how tax policies could shape the future of startups and venture capital. They also address the recent assassination attempt on President Trump and reveal which candidate they’ll be supporting in the upcoming election. Enjoy!

*Read “The Little Tech Agenda”: https://a16z.com/the-little-tech-agenda/

Book mentioned on this episode:

- “Men, Machines, and Modern Times” by Elting Morison https://amzn.to/4f4eWrt

Watch the FULL episode:  https://youtu.be/n_sNclEgQZQ

Resources: 

Marc on X: https://twitter.com/pmarca

Marc’s Substack: https://pmarca.substack.com/

Ben on X: https://twitter.com/bhorowitz

Stay Updated: 

Find us on X: https://twitter.com/a16z

Find us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z

The views expressed here are those of the individual personnel quoted and are not the views of a16z or its affiliates. This content is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. Furthermore, this content is not directed at nor intended for use by any investors or prospective investors and may not under any circumstances be relied upon when making a decision to invest in any a16z funds. PLEASE SEE MORE HERE: https://a16z.com/disclosures/

Welcome to “The Ben & Marc Show”, featuring a16z co-founders Ben Horowitz and Marc Andreessen.  In this latest episode -- the final in a three part series on the current crisis in higher education -- Marc and Ben answer YOUR questions from X (formerly Twitter).

In this one-on-one conversation, Ben and Marc unpack the merits of a Harvard undergrad education versus a Thiel Fellowship, discuss the benefits of trade school, and determine what universities are going to look like ten years from now. That and much more!  Please enjoy.

Resources:

Marc on X: https://twitter.com/pmarca

Marc’s Substack: https://pmarca.substack.com/

Ben on X: https://twitter.com/bhorowitz

Stay Updated: 

Find us on X: https://twitter.com/a16z

Find us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z

The views expressed here are those of the individual personnel quoted and are not the views of a16z or its affiliates. This content is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. Furthermore, this content is not directed at nor intended for use by any investors or prospective investors and may not under any circumstances be relied upon when making a decision to invest in any a16z funds. PLEASE SEE MORE HERE: https://a16z.com/disclosures/

Welcome to "The Ben & Marc Show," featuring a16z's co-founders Ben Horowitz & Marc Andreessen. In this latest episode, Marc and Ben continue their in-depth exploration of the current education system. While Part I of their discussion unpacked the crisis facing higher education, Part II presents solutions to overhaul the modern university. 

In this one-on-one conversation, Ben and Marc delve into actions that existing institutions can take to improve their current and future situations. This includes exploring new methods for talent recruitment, providing a more individualized education experience for students, and reducing administrative bloat. They also apply an entrepreneurial lens to each university function, revealing startup opportunities poised to emerge – including the building of brand new institutions, nonprofits, and research entities. Enjoy! 

*Watch Part I: https://youtu.be/7J2_G4oHRQ0 

*Watch Part II: https://youtu.be/EeIdalo2huI

Resources: 

Marc on X: https://twitter.com/pmarca 

Marc’s Substack: https://pmarca.substack.com/ 

Ben on X: https://twitter.com/bhorowitz 

“South Park” episode mentioned in this discussion: – Eps 1505 (stream on Max): https://bit.ly/3HrZQg0 

Stay Updated: 

Find us on X: https://twitter.com/a16z 

Find us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z 

The views expressed here are those of the individual personnel quoted and are not the views of a16z or its affiliates. This content is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. Furthermore, this content is not directed at nor intended for use by any investors or prospective investors and may not under any circumstances be relied upon when making a decision to invest in any a16z funds. PLEASE SEE MORE HERE: https://a16z.com/disclosures/

Welcome to “The Ben & Marc Show”, featuring a16z co-founders Ben Horowitz and Marc Andreessen.  In this latest episode, Marc and Ben tackle the university system – a hot topic that’s been dominating the news over the past few months.

As Marc states at the top of the episode, universities matter tremendously to our world, but they’re currently in a state of crisis.  In this one-on-one conversation, Ben and Marc take a “structural” look at higher education, delving deep into the twelve functions of the modern university.  They also unpack the numerous challenges that universities face today – the student debt and the replication crisis, among them.  

As colleges face an existential dilemma that could have long lasting repercussions, how can we find ways to improve these institutions, while being open to new entrepreneurial opportunities in education? Enjoy!

Resources:

Marc on X: https://twitter.com/pmarca

Marc’s Substack: https://pmarca.substack.com/

Ben on X: https://twitter.com/bhorowitz

Books mentioned on this podcast:

– “The Case Against Education: Why the Education System Is a Waste of Time and Money” by Bryan Kaplan https://amzn.to/47HOSOO

– “Public Opinion” by Walter Lippmann amzn.to/48uY3m5

Article mentioned on this podcast:

– “Why Most Published Research Findings Are False” by John Ioannidis bit.ly/3RZnqWa

Stay Updated: 

Find us on X: https://twitter.com/a16z

Find us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z

The views expressed here are those of the individual personnel quoted and are not the views of a16z or its affiliates. This content is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. Furthermore, this content is not directed at nor intended for use by any investors or prospective investors and may not under any circumstances be relied upon when making a decision to invest in any a16z funds. PLEASE SEE MORE HERE: https://a16z.com/disclosures/

Welcome to “The Ben & Marc Show”, featuring a16z’s co-founders Ben Horowitz and Marc Andreessen.  In this week’s episode, Marc and Ben are joined by special guest Tony Robbins to discuss the future of longevity.  

Tony Robbins is an entrepreneur, #1 NY Times bestselling author, philanthropist, and the nation’s #1 life & business strategist.  For over four and a half decades, Tony has empowered more than 50 million people from 100 countries around the world through his audio programs, educational videos, and live seminars. He’s also the author of six international bestsellers, including “Money: Master the Game” (2014), “Unshakable: Your Financial Freedom Playbook” (2017) and “Life Force: How New Breakthroughs in Precision Medicine Can Transform the Quality of Your Life and Those You Love” (2022).

Joined by a16z’s own Dr. Vijay Pande, PhD – General Partner since 2014, and founder and leader of a16z Bio + Health – the group discusses new breakthroughs in regenerative medicine, AI, biohacking, gene editing, mindset and confirms why this might be the best time to be alive. Enjoy!

Watch the full video version of this episode: https://youtu.be/V8h11baC_ok

Resources:

Marc on X: https://twitter.com/pmarca

Marc’s Substack: https://pmarca.substack.com/

Ben on X: https://twitter.com/bhorowitz

Dr. Vijay Pande on X: https://twitter.com/vijaypande

Learn more about Tony Robbins https://tonyrobbins.com

Tony’s Time to Rise Summit (Jan 25-27, 2024): https://timetorisesummit.com/join-now  

Pre-order Tony’s upcoming book “The Holy Grail of Investing” (Feb 2024): http://theholygrailofinvesting.com

Stay Updated: 

Find us on X: https://twitter.com/a16z

Find us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z

The views expressed here are those of the individual personnel quoted and are not the views of a16z or its affiliates. This content is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. Furthermore, this content is not directed at nor intended for use by any investors or prospective investors and may not under any circumstances be relied upon when making a decision to invest in any a16z funds. PLEASE SEE MORE HERE: https://a16z.com/disclosures/

Welcome to “The Ben & Marc Show”, featuring a16z co-founders Ben Horowitz and Marc Andreessen.  In this week’s episode, Marc and Ben answer YOUR questions from X (formerly Twitter).

In this one on one conversation, Ben and Marc discuss the best way to approach a VC, how their views on crypto have evolved over the past few years, and whether we should be using AI to bring iconic musical artists back from the dead.  That and more!  Please enjoy.

Topics Covered:

00:00:01 Teaser

00:00:31  What is the best way to approach VCs for potential funding?

00:04:53  Which of your foundational investment dogmas have withstood the test of time? 

00:13:31  What are your thoughts on the creator economy blending into startup territory?

00:21:32  What happens when the cost of AI goes to zero? 

00:27:18  How will generative AI change public education?

00:34:33  How soon before AI advancement allows ALL people to access their greatest creativity?

00:38:53  Are data centers in a position today to accommodate the growth of AI apps?

00:43:49  Could AI replace governments in the future?

00:49:20  What are your thoughts on AI being used to create new songs by mimicking deceased artists?

00:53:57  Is the issue of a growing wealth gap in society solved through techno-optimism? 01:00:35  How do you assess the future economic and technological growth potential in the Middle East?

01:07:29  Do you see recent crypto scandals (like FTX) leading to more government regulations?

01:11:41 How have your views on crypto changed over the past 5 years?

01:15:08  What was your last strongly held belief that you’ve changed your mind on?

01:20:25  Sign off

Resources:

Marc on X: https://twitter.com/pmarca

Marc’s Substack: https://pmarca.substack.com/

Ben on X: https://twitter.com/bhorowitz

Book mentioned on this podcast:

– “The Case Against Education: Why the Education System Is a Waste of Time and Money” by Bryan Kaplan https://amzn.to/47HOSOO

Films mentioned on this podcast:

- “Who Killed the Electric Car?” https://amzn.to/3Ne2uZU

- “Tropic Thunder” https://amzn.to/41bVzXg

Stay Updated: 

Find us on X: https://twitter.com/a16z

Find us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z

The views expressed here are those of the individual personnel quoted and are not the views of a16z or its affiliates. This content is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. Furthermore, this content is not directed at nor intended for use by any investors or prospective investors and may not under any circumstances be relied upon when making a decision to invest in any a16z funds. 

PLEASE SEE MORE HERE: https://a16z.com/disclosures/

Last week, Marc Andreessen released his new vision for the future – “The Techno-Optimist Manifesto” (https://a16z.com/the-techno-optimist-manifesto/). In an article that has sparked widespread conversation across the media and social media, Marc challenges the pessimistic narrative surrounding technology today, and instead celebrates technology as a liberating force that can lead to growth, progress and abundance for all.

In this one-on-one conversation based on YOUR questions from X (formerly Twitter), Ben Horowitz and Marc discuss how technological advancements can improve the quality of human life, uplift marginalized communities, and even encourage us to answer the bigger questions of the universe.

We hope you’ll be inspired to join us in this Techno-Optimist movement. Enjoy!

Watch the video version here: https://youtu.be/HCfwKBwxLYk?si=c5HaDwI-_nlKxRsb 

Resources:

Marc on X: https://twitter.com/pmarca

Marc’s Substack: https://pmarca.substack.com/

Ben on X: https://twitter.com/bhorowitz

Book mentioned on this podcast:

– “When Reason Goes on Holiday: Philosophers in Politics” by Neven Sesardic https://amzn.to/455zYRv

– “The Ultimate Resource” by Julian Lincoln Simon https://amzn.to/3Ft2MIi

Stay Updated: 

Find us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16z

Find us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z

The views expressed here are those of the individual personnel quoted and are not the views of a16z or its affiliates. This content is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. Furthermore, this content is not directed at nor intended for use by any investors or prospective investors and may not under any circumstances be relied upon when making a decision to invest in any a16z funds. PLEASE SEE MORE HERE: https://a16z.com/disclosures/

In this episode of “The Ben & Marc Show”, a16z’s co-founders Ben Horowitz and Marc Andreessen take on the most hot-button issue in Hollywood: artificial intelligence.  Over the past few months, the topic of AI technology has pushed the entire industry into unknown territory.  Screenwriters fear they’ll no longer be needed, while actors believe they’ll be replaced altogether. But is it possible AI can actually level the playing field and create new opportunities for all artists?

In this two-part conversation based on YOUR questions from X (formerly Twitter), Marc and Ben examine the evolving business models of the film and television industries,  as well as explore how writers, directors and actors can soon use AI technology to unleash their creative potential in ways they never thought possible.  In fact, AI’s future in Hollywood may not be as dystopian as some of our favorite films have led us to believe.

We hope you enjoy this episode!

* Episode Note: This conversation was recorded in two parts.  Part one took place before the WGA and AMPTP reached an agreement. Topics Covered:

Watch the video version here:  https://youtu.be/KFboZkwHjsU?si=QrIbhRVfqXVDtFq5 

Resources:

Marc on X: https://twitter.com/pmarca

Marc’s Substack: https://pmarca.substack.com/

Ben on X: https://twitter.com/bhorowitz

“Save The Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need” by Blake Snyde: 

https://amzn.to/3EYsBj3

Films mentioned on this episode:

- “Monsters of Man” (Amazon Prime): https://amzn.to/3tf7CWV

- “Tenet” (Amazon Prime): https://amzn.to/46aI8bE

- "Reservoir Dogs” (Netflix): https://bit.ly/48zbQbM

- “Buy Bust” (Netflix): https://bit.ly/3LHcmuw  [**Marc’s recommendation**

TV Series mentioned on this episode:

- “Fauda” (Netflix): https://bit.ly/3roB9wN

- “Squid Game” (Netflix): https://bit.ly/3LGOreK

- “Mad Men” (Amazon Prime): http://bit.ly/3LM2srB

Stay Updated: 

Find us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16z

Find us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z

The views expressed here are those of the individual personnel quoted and are not the views of a16z or its affiliates. This content is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. Furthermore, this content is not directed at nor intended for use by any investors or prospective investors and may not under any circumstances be relied upon when making a decision to invest in any a16z funds. PLEASE SEE MORE HERE: https://a16z.com/disclosures/

In this episode of “The Ben & Marc Show”, a16z’s co-founders Ben Horowitz and Marc Andreessen take on the biggest  and most important film of the year – Christopher Nolan’s latest blockbuster “Oppenheimer”.

The film – based on the 2005 biography “American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer'' by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin – chronicles the life of the American theoretical physicist, whose direction of the top secret Manhattan Project forever changed the course of world history.

In this one-on-one conversation based on YOUR questions from Twitter, Marc and Ben examine the historical accuracies (and inaccuracies) of Nolan’s epic work, explore in-depth the life of the enigmatic physicist himself, and tackle – from all angles – the social and philosophical aspects of communism, a theme that weighs heavily in the film, as Oppenheimer’s association with party members led to his political downfall. Enjoy!

Watch the full Video:"  https://youtu.be/AwOFcxENsVk?si=vUF9ZO5Fcj9W0O49

Resources:

Marc on X: https://twitter.com/pmarca

Marc’s Substack: https://pmarca.substack.com/

Ben on X: https://twitter.com/bhorowitz

NY Times: "The Problem With Everything-Bagel Liberalism" by Ezra Klein: ’https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/02/op...

Books mentioned on this podcast (and others you’ll want to check out):

– “Red Decade” by Eugene Lyons https://amzn.to/3OEQMbZ

– “When Reason Goes on Holiday: Philosophers in Politics” by Neven Sesardic https://amzn.to/455zYRv

– "Witness" by Whittaker Chambers https://amzn.to/3OEu0RC

– ”The Great Leap Forward" by Alexander J. Field https://amzn.to/3QlCYV2

– "The Economic Consequences of U.S. Mobilization for the Second World War" by Alexander J. Field https://amzn.to/3Yemsbz

– “The Man From the Future: The Visionary Life of John von Neumann” by Ananyo Bhattacharya https://amzn.to/446SbNf

– “Stalin's War: A New History of World War II” by Sean McMeekin https://amzn.to/47c29zw

– “McCarthy” by Arthur Herman https://amzn.to/3OFKYzc

Stay Updated:

Find us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16z

Find us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z

The views expressed here are those of the individual personnel quoted and are not the views of a16z or its affiliates. This content is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. Furthermore, this content is not directed at nor intended for use by any investors or prospective investors and may not under any circumstances be relied upon when making a decision to invest in any a16z funds. PLEASE SEE MORE HERE: https://a16z.com/disclosures/