Generative Now | AI Builders on Creating the Future
Lightspeed Venture Partners
Generative Now is a weekly series from Lightspeed, highlighting the stories, strategies and insights behind today's most exciting AI companies and how they’ll c...
Rajarshi Gupta: Artificial Intelligence and Crypto at Coinbase
This week on the podcast, we’re looking at how machine learning is optimizing how crypto giant Coinbase operates. Coinbase Head of Machine Learning Rajarshi Gupta joins the Generative San Francisco stage to discuss with Anand Iyer, Lightspeed Venture Partner focused on crypto.
(00:00) Introduction(00:26) Rajarshi Gupta’s Career Journey(01:54) Exploring Early Android Malware Detection(04:44) Machine Learning at Coinbase(09:03) Generative AI Initiatives at Coinbase(13:52) Evaluating and Managing AI Deployments(21:10) GPU Availability Challenges(23:27) Workflow with Specific Hosted Instances(25:43) Coinbase: Scaling and Future Plans(29:09) Opportunities for AI Startups(31:46) Audience Q&A: Data Gap with AI Startups(34:48) Audience Q&A: Agentic AI and Crypto Integration(38:26) Audience Q&A: Guardrails and Frameworks for AI(42:43) Audience Q&A: Evaluating LLMs(45:40) Closing Thoughts
Stay in touch:www.lsvp.comX: https://twitter.com/lightspeedvpLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lightspeed-venture-partners/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lightspeedventurepartners/Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: generativenow.coEmail: [email protected] content here does not constitute tax, legal, business or investment advice or an offer to provide such advice, should not be construed as advocating the purchase or sale of any security or investment or a recommendation of any company, and is not an offer, or solicitation of an offer, for the purchase or sale of any security or investment product. For more details please see lsvp.com/legal.
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43:30
Anu Atluru: Will AI Change How We Use Social Utilities?
In this episode of Generative Now, host Michael Mignano, Partner at Lightspeed, chats with Anu Atluru—a startup founder, operator, angel investor, and co-runner of Slang—a product studio dedicated to social consumer products. Anu shares her insights on the evolving landscape of social products, the difference between social utilities and social networks, and how AI could reshape the healthcare landscape.
Episode Chapters
(00:00) Introduction to Generative Now
(02:55) Exploring Social Utilities and Networks
(10:21) Subscription Services and Consumer Behavior
(17:14) The Role of AI in Social Utilities
(34:06) The Future of Software Creation
(37:34) The Value of Software Creation
(38:34) Ecosystem and Marketplaces for Software
(39:34) Artistic Side of Software
(47:42) AI in Medicine and Healthcare
(52:21) Will we have AI Doctors?
(01:05:19) Lightning Round
(01:12:13) Closing Thoughts
Stay in touch:
www.lsvp.com
X: https://twitter.com/lightspeedvp
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lightspeed-venture-partners/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lightspeedventurepartners/
Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: generativenow.co
Email: [email protected]
The content here does not constitute tax, legal, business or investment advice or an offer to provide such advice, should not be construed as advocating the purchase or sale of any security or investment or a recommendation of any company, and is not an offer, or solicitation of an offer, for the purchase or sale of any security or investment product. For more details please see lsvp.com/legal.
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1:12:53
Bill Dally: NVIDIA’s Evolution and Revolution of AI and Computing (Encore)
Inspired by NVIDIA’s announcements at CES, we are looking back at one of our favorite episodes. The explosion of generative AI-powered technologies has forever changed the tech landscape. But the path to the current AI revolution was paved by many breakthroughs. Bill Dally had a hand in quite a few of them.
In this week’s episode of Generative Now, we are revisiting a conversation Lightspeed Partner and host Michael Mignano had with Bill Dally, NVIDIA's Chief Scientist and Senior Vice President for Research, whose nearly four-decade long career spans from experiments with neural networks in the 1980s to leading NVIDIA's groundbreaking research. He discusses the work at NVIDIA in advancing GPU technology, as well as the shift towards generative AI. Michael and Bill also explore the challenges of keeping up with rapid advancements in AI, the future implications for the industry, and advice for aspiring engineers.
Bill Dally joined NVIDIA in January 2009 as chief scientist, after spending 12 years at Stanford University, where he was chairman of the computer science department. He has published over 250 papers, holds over 120 issued patents, and is an author of four textbooks. Bill received a bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from Virginia Tech, a master’s in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University and a Ph.D. in Computer Science from CalTech.
Episode Chapters
(00:00) Introduction
(00:22) Bill Dally's Journey from Neural Networks to NVIDIA
(01:39) The Evolution of AI and Computing: A Personal Account
(05:48) The AI Revolution: Expectations vs. Reality
(08:58) Inside NVIDIA: The Role of Chief Scientist and the Power of Research
(11:30) Exploring the Frontiers of Generative AI and Research
(15:24) AI’s Role in the Future of Autonomous Vehicles
(21:54) The Impact of AI on Chip Design and Efficiency
(26:56) Building NVIDIA's Elite Research Team
(37:01) Anticipating the Future: Advice for the Next Generation
(40:59) Closing Thoughts
Stay in touch:
www.lsvp.com
X: https://twitter.com/lightspeedvp
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lightspeed-venture-partners/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lightspeedventurepartners/
Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: generativenow.co
The content here does not constitute tax, legal, business or investment advice or an offer to provide such advice, should not be construed as advocating the purchase or sale of any security or investment or a recommendation of any company, and is not an offer, or solicitation of an offer, for the purchase or sale of any security or investment product. For more details please see lsvp.com/legal.
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41:06
Nir Zicherman: Looking Back at Anchor and the Future of Oboe
Nearly a decade after launching Anchor, cofounders Michael Mignano and Nir Zicherman have a new venture: Oboe. Oboe’s mission is to make humanity smarter through AI-powered tutors. The duo delves deep into their entrepreneurial journey, starting from the early days of Anchor to their latest venture, Oboe, where Nir is the CEO. They discuss the trials and errors of building Anchor, their vision for Oboe, and why AI-driven learning could revolutionize education. Additionally, they touch upon the evolution of social audio, challenges in growth marketing today, and answer questions from X.
Episode Chapters
(00:00) Introduction
(00:36) Reflecting on Anchor's Early Days
(02:08) Podcasting Challenges and Insights
(03:11) Introducing Oboe: The New Venture
(05:03) The Limitations of LLMs in Education
(09:40) Lessons from Being a Second-Time Founder
(13:04) The Evolution of Product Development
(17:36) Are MVPs relevant anymore?
(24:56) Reflecting on Social Audio and Anchor
(28:32) The Early Days of Anchor
(29:33) The Bet on Podcasting
(30:27) Distribution Challenges
(31:29) What if Anchor Had Pivoted to Video?
(34:14) The Future of Audio and Video
(37:30) Hybrid Work Model
(43:26) Acquisition by Spotify
(52:27) The Future of Learning with AI
(57:26) Closing Thoughts
Stay in touch:
www.lsvp.com
X: https://twitter.com/lightspeedvp
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lightspeed-venture-partners/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lightspeedventurepartners/
Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: generativenow.co
The content here does not constitute tax, legal, business or investment advice or an offer to provide such advice, should not be construed as advocating the purchase or sale of any security or investment or a recommendation of any company, and is not an offer, or solicitation of an offer, for the purchase or sale of any security or investment product. For more details please see lsvp.com/legal.
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58:01
Generative Quarterly with Semil Shah: AI Expectations vs Reality, Tech Trends, and 2025 Predictions
Did 2024 live up to the AI hype? Investor Semil Shah joins Lightspeed Partner Michael Mignano for another installment of Generative Quarterly. They cover key tech trends from 2024, including Jensen Huang’s Rockstar CEO status and AI consumer devices. Looking ahead to 2025, the duo delves into venture capital dynamics, IPO and M&A prospects, and the influence of tech in Washington D.C. Plus, Michael spins Juan Soto's signing into a lesson for Tech.
Episode Chapters
00:00 Introduction
01:09 Reflecting on 2024: AI Expectations and Reality
02:31 The Cost and Progress of AI
09:53 Funding and Valuation in AI
11:42 Private vs Public Markets
18:21 AI Devices: Hits and Misses
28:59 Jensen Huang: The Rockstar CEO
32:58 The Rise and Risks of AI Giants
35:29 Tech's Influence in Washington
38:45 M&A Predictions and IPO Outlook
43:32 Emerging GPs and Venture Capital Trends
57:41 Juan Soto and the Tech-Baseball Connection
01:02:54 Closing Thoughts
Stay in touch:
www.lsvp.com
X: https://twitter.com/lightspeedvp
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lightspeed-venture-partners/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lightspeedventurepartners/
Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: generativenow.co
Email: [email protected]
The content here does not constitute tax, legal, business or investment advice or an offer to provide such advice, should not be construed as advocating the purchase or sale of any security or investment or a recommendation of any company, and is not an offer, or solicitation of an offer, for the purchase or sale of any security or investment product. For more details please see lsvp.com/legal.
About Generative Now | AI Builders on Creating the Future
Generative Now is a weekly series from Lightspeed, highlighting the stories, strategies and insights behind today's most exciting AI companies and how they’ll change everything about the way we work. Inspired by the popular in-person Generative Meetups in places like New York, San Francisco, LA and Europe, host and Lightspeed Partner Michael Mignano will speak with founders, engineers, designers and other leaders that are leveraging AI to take their product to new heights. Listen and follow Generative Now wherever you get your podcasts.