In this conversation with a16z general partner David George, Scale AI founder and CEO Alexandr Wang discusses the three pillars of AI—models, compute, and data—and how creating abundant data is core to the evolution of gen AI. With Scale’s work across enterprise, automotive, and the public sector, Alex is also building the critical infrastructure that will allow any organization to use their proprietary data to build bespoke gen AI applications. In addition to talking about frontier data, Alex also shares his learnings from the growth of Scale, his approach to leadership, and what he thinks growth-stage founder/CEOs tend to get wrong about hiring.

Read more, including a full transcript, here: https://a16z.com/frontier-data-foundries-alex-wang-scale-ai/

Timestamps:

[00:00:58] How frontier data will change gen AI

[00:08:47] Are big tech companies over-investing in AI?

[00:14:39] Where the best AI businesses will thrive

[00:17:05] How enterprise businesses are approaching AI adoption

[00:19:50] What does the next phase of gen AI products look like?

[00:23:23] Alex's approach to scaling Scale

[00:25:36] The founder fallacy

[00:30:12] MEI and how Alex views talent acquisition

a16z general partner David Haber talks to John Stecher, Chief Technology Officer at Blackstone, where he advances cutting-edge technology, heads up innovation investing, and advises the firm’s investment teams and portfolio companies. The conversation covers how he decides whether to build tech in-house or partner with startups, what qualities he’s looking for in early stage companies, and how he sees AI impacting real estate, credit, energy, and ecommerce.

0:00-1:05 Intro

1:06-3:55 Changes in finance x tech over the past 2 decades

3:56-5:06 Investing in "themes" across asset classes

5:07-7:00 What the CTO role entails

7:01-9:00 "Build it" vs. "buy it": trade-offs

9:01-11:57 Advice for early stage companies

11:58-16:37 Ways Blackstone is incorporating generative AI

16:38-17:46 How AI changes the role of an analyst

17:47-21:04 Gen AI's impact on private equity, real estate, credit, more

21:05-22:54 How Blackstone will evolve over the next five years

22:55-23:26 Outro

Please 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.

a16z general partner David Haber and fintech partner Marc Andrusko talk to Tim Karpoff, the Global Head of Strategy at Citi, where he guides the bank’s core focus areas, as well as future investment in emerging tech like AI. The conversation covers the shifting landscape of banking policy and regulation, the increasingly important role startups are playing in partnership with big banks, and where Tim disagrees with the zeitgeist when it comes to the adoption of AI in financial services.

0:00-1:05 Intro

1:06-2:28 Navigating bureaucracy

2:29-4:26 What "chief strategy officer" entails

4:27-8:18 Citi's role in the banking ecosystem

8:19-9:16 Fallout from the 2023 banking crisis

9:17-13:10 Citi's revised risk controls and tech investment

13:11-14:59 How Citi works with startups

15:00-20:00 Citi's future: AI and regulation

20:01-23:33 What people get wrong when it comes to AI

23:33-24:12 Outro

Please 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.