Martin Casado has a rare blend of operational experience and technical depth – he co-founded Nicira (acquired by VMware for $1.2B) before becoming a General Partner at a16z focusing on enterprise and AI investments. In our conversation, he challenges conventional wisdom about technical moats in AI and unpacks why Chinese models like DeepSeek are shaking up the industry.

We cover the economics of open source AI, how architectural innovations are reshaping cost structures, and why the AI market is fragmenting into specialized verticals. Martin also opens up about his nightly routine of coding retro games in Cursor and using AI to explore the genealogy of economic theory.

Listen for practical insights from someone who sits on 24 boards and sees the AI revolution from the inside. 

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You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Martin Casado on X at @martin_casado.

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