A hot paper — "Some Simple Economics of AGI" — has been making the rounds, so we sat down with the author, covering: Automation vs. verification: the key economic split Why AI agents now feel like coworkers - What's happening to junior roles and the “codifier’s curse” The “AI sandwich” structure for firms The value of "meaning-makers," consensus, and status economies Why crypto may become essential infrastructure for identity, provenance, and trust Two possible futures: a hollow vs. augmented economy Featuring Christian Catalini (founder of MIT Crypto Economics Lab) and Eddy Lazzarin (CTO of a16z crypto) in conversation with Robert Hackett, our discussion dives deep into how automation is reshaping labor markets, as well as the nature of intelligence. What do these changes mean for startups, the future of work, and your career? Highlights 00:00 Introduction 01:47 AGI economics optimism and playbook 05:39 Agents as coworkers 07:39 Software work becomes verification 10:47 Automation versus verification 12:03 "Unknown unknowns" and taste 16:27 Human augmentation and intent 17:55 The "AI Sandwich" and "Codifier's Curse" 21:54 "Meaning-makers" and the human touch 23:48 Crypto for identity and trust? 27:10 Measurability: How to think about it 33:23 Machine coordination and art after automation 35:46 Trojan horse risks 37:47 Liability and insurance 41:08 Crypto and verification 44:31 A hollow vs. augmented economy 49:45 Career advice in the AI era 51:26 The one-person billion-dollar startup 57:15 Open-source as antibodies 58:42 Blockchains for coordination 01:01:49 Closing thoughts Follow a16z crypto for more... X: https://x.com/a16zcrypto LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/a16zcrypto/posts/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@a16zcrypto 📩 Subscribe for more industry reports, trend updates, news analysis, builder guides, and other resources: https://a16zcrypto.substack.com/subscribe/ *** As always, none of the following should be taken as investment, business, legal, or tax advice. Please see a16z.com/disclosures for more important information, including a link to a list of our investments. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ask this episode

“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

Transcript

Related