The State of American AI Policy: From ‘Pause AI’ to ‘Build’

a16z General Partners Martin Casado and Anjney Midha join Erik Torenberg to unpack one of the most dramatic shifts in tech policy in recent memory: the move from “pause AI” to “win the AI race.”They trace the evolution of U.S. AI policy—from executive orders that chilled innovation, to the recent AI Action Plan that puts scientific progress and open source at the center. The discussion covers how technologists were caught off guard, why open source was wrongly equated to nuclear risk, and what changed the narrative—including China's rapid progress.The conversation also explores:How and why the AI discourse got captured by doomerismWhat “marginal risk” really means—and why it mattersWhy open source AI is not just ideology, but business strategyHow government, academia, and industry are realigning after a fractured few yearsThe effect of bad legislation—and what comes nextWhether you're a founder, policymaker, or just trying to make sense of AI's regulatory future, this episode breaks it all down.Timecodes:0:00 Introduction & Setting the Stage0:39 The Shift in AI Regulation Discourse2:10 Historical Context: Tech Waves & Policy6:39 The Open Source Debate13:39 The Chilling Effect & Global Competition15:00 Changing Sentiments on Open Source21:06 Open Source as Business Strategy28:50 The AI Action Plan: Reflections & Critique32:45 Alignment, Marginal Risk, and Policy41:30 The Future of AI Regulation & Closing ThoughtsResourcesFind Martin on X: https://x.com/martin_casadoFind Anjney on X: https://x.com/anjneymidhaStay Updated:Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16zFind a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zSubscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/Follow our host: https://x.com/eriktorenbergPlease 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. Stay Updated:Find a16z on XFind a16z on LinkedInListen to the a16z Podcast on SpotifyListen to the a16z Podcast on Apple PodcastsFollow our host: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg 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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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