Why a16z Launched the Machine Age Fund | Jen Kha

a16z Managing Partner and Head of Global Partnerships Jen Kha joins MTS hosts Theo Jaffee and Sophia Dew to discuss a16z's Machine Age Fund and the investment thesis behind rebuilding the physical infrastructure that powers AI. Jen explains why chips, networking, memory, cooling, data centers, and other parts of the physical computing stack are becoming investable again after decades in which software captured much of the industry's attention. As AI demand pushes existing infrastructure to its limits, she explains why a16z created a dedicated fund and why hardware founders are increasingly rethinking the stack from first principles. They also discuss the global race to adopt AI, what hardware startups need beyond capital, the backlash against data centers in the U.S., and why experienced systems builders are returning to entrepreneurship as a new generation of infrastructure gets built.