Ben Horowitz

a16z

2026-10-23 03:48:00

a16z Recasts Its Crypto Fund as Frontier, Expanding From Blockchain to AI, Robotics and Open Protocols

Andreessen Horowitz said its crypto-focused investment vehicle is being rebuilt and expanded into a broader frontier technology fund, a16z Frontier, led by Chris Dixon. In an a16z podcast episode released on Oct. 22, 2026, Dixon joined firm co-founders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz to argue that the most important startups are no longer confined to a single category such as crypto or AI. Instead, they described a wave of companies working across decentralized networks, embodied robotics, local AI agents, new compute systems, immersive media and other hard-tech fields. The three investors also pushed back on the idea that artificial intelligence must end in centralization. They said open-source models, combined with cryptographic systems and onchain ownership, could serve as a counterweight to large technology platforms and regulatory gatekeepers. The discussion also focused on what they called a widening gap between early builders and the broader public, the breakdown of the internet’s original creator-platform bargain in the age of AI scraping and closed-loop answers, and the kinds of skills young people should pursue as automation spreads. Their advice was direct: avoid standardized work likely to be automated, learn physics, math and systems engineering, and use AI tools to build at much higher speed.

90

a16z

2026-10-23 03:01:06

a16z Recasts Its Crypto Fund as Frontier, Expanding Into AI, Robotics and Open Systems

Andreessen Horowitz has formally expanded its crypto-focused investment strategy into a broader frontier technology mandate. In a new a16z podcast episode released on Oct. 22, 2026, Marc Andreessen, Ben Horowitz and Chris Dixon said the firm is restructuring a16z crypto into a new vehicle called a16z Frontier, with Dixon leading the effort. The new scope reaches beyond blockchain into hardware, embodied robotics, entertainment media, biology, decentralized networks and open-source intelligence. Across the conversation, the three partners argued that the gap between early builders and the mainstream public is now unusually wide, especially in AI. They pushed back on the idea that AI must end in centralization, saying open-source models combined with cryptographic systems can counter concentration of power. They also said the original economic bargain of the internet has broken down as AI systems absorb online content without returning traffic to creators. The discussion also covered agent-based internet infrastructure, onchain settlement for autonomous software, the limits of incremental product optimization, the possibility of post-smartphone hardware led by smart glasses, and advice for younger builders to focus on physics, math, systems engineering and direct use of AI tools.

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a16z

2026-10-05 01:04:49

Ben Horowitz says electrician shortage could slow AI infrastructure buildout

Andreessen Horowitz co-founder Ben Horowitz said a shortage of electricians could delay the construction of artificial intelligence infrastructure projects, according to a Techub News item citing Crypto Briefing. Horowitz said labor investment is critical for companies that want to meet future demand. The comment points to a practical constraint in AI buildouts: even if capital and hardware are available, project timelines can still be affected by shortages in skilled workers needed to complete physical infrastructure. The report did not provide additional details on specific projects, locations, or timelines, but it framed the labor gap as a factor that companies need to address as they prepare for rising AI-related demand.

500

AI data cente

2026-09-02 14:31:15

Andreessen, Horowitz, and OpenAI Co-Founder Fund AI Data Center Advocacy Campaign

A super PAC funded by Marc Andreessen, Ben Horowitz, and OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman has launched an advocacy campaign supporting AI data centers. The effort responds to growing opposition in the U.S., where 61% of the population opposes data center construction, according to Decrypt.

1050

a16z

2026-07-22 14:20:14

a16z Founder Ben Horowitz: AI Is Not a Bubble — Demand Intensity Unprecedented

a16z co-founder Ben Horowitz, drawing on 16 years of VC experience, argues AI is different: demand is real and unprecedented. He explains why AI will produce more winners, the limits of foundation models, and the art of managing genius.

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