The Chip That Could Unlock AGI.

Naveen Rao is cofounder and CEO of Unconventional AI, an AI chip startup building analog computing systems designed specifically for intelligence. Previously, Naveen led AI at Databricks and founded two successful companies: Mosaic (cloud computing) and Nervana (AI accelerators, acquired by Intel). In this episode, a16z’s Matt Bornstein sits down with Naveen at NeurIPS to discuss why 80 years of digital computing may be the wrong substrate for AI, how the brain runs on 20 watts while data centers consume 4% of the US energy grid, the physics of causality and what it might mean for AGI, and why now is the moment to take this unconventional bet. Timecodes: 00:00 - Trailer 00:56 - Exploring hardware for running AI workloads 02:02 - Why Naveen built lots of software in a "hardware company" 03:22 - Why start a new chip company? 05:13 - How computing systems went digital 09:26 - Why intelligence is a good fit for analog computer systems 12:30 - What tradeoffs Naveen faced in pursuing his own path 15:23 - The Data modalities Unconventional chips will be best for 16:54 - Does this get us closer to AGI? 21:00 - Where Naveen gets his excitement and motivation 22:37 - What makes Naveen confident that Unconventional will work 24:43 - Unconventional's hiring priorities 26:27 - Career advice for young people 28:19 - What Naveen has done best in his companies Resources: Follow Naveen on X: https://twitter.com/NaveenGRao Follow Matt on X: https://twitter.com/BornsteinMatt Stay Updated: Follow a16z on X: https://twitter.com/a16z Follow a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z Follow the a16z Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5bC65RDvs3oxnLyqqvkUYX Follow the a16z Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a16z-podcast/id842818711 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 http://a16z.com/disclosures.

Matt Bornsteinhost

Dec 8, 202530mWatch on YouTube ↗

EPISODE INFO

Released: December 8, 2025
Duration: 30m
Channel: a16z
Watch on YouTube: ▶ Open ↗

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

Naveen Rao is cofounder and CEO of Unconventional AI, an AI chip startup building analog computing systems designed specifically for intelligence. Previously, Naveen led AI at Databricks and founded two successful companies: Mosaic (cloud computing) and Nervana (AI accelerators, acquired by Intel). In this episode, a16z’s Matt Bornstein sits down with Naveen at NeurIPS to discuss why 80 years of digital computing may be the wrong substrate for AI, how the brain runs on 20 watts while data centers consume 4% of the US energy grid, the physics of causality and what it might mean for AGI, and why now is the moment to take this unconventional bet. Timecodes: 00:00 - Trailer 00:56 - Exploring hardware for running AI workloads 02:02 - Why Naveen built lots of software in a "hardware company" 03:22 - Why start a new chip company? 05:13 - How computing systems went digital 09:26 - Why intelligence is a good fit for analog computer systems 12:30 - What tradeoffs Naveen faced in pursuing his own path 15:23 - The Data modalities Unconventional chips will be best for 16:54 - Does this get us closer to AGI? 21:00 - Where Naveen gets his excitement and motivation 22:37 - What makes Naveen confident that Unconventional will work 24:43 - Unconventional's hiring priorities 26:27 - Career advice for young people 28:19 - What Naveen has done best in his companies Resources: Follow Naveen on X: https://twitter.com/NaveenGRao Follow Matt on X: https://twitter.com/BornsteinMatt Stay Updated: Follow a16z on X: https://twitter.com/a16z Follow a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z Follow the a16z Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5bC65RDvs3oxnLyqqvkUYX Follow the a16z Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a16z-podcast/id842818711 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 http://a16z.com/disclosures.

SPEAKERS

Matt Bornstein
host
Partner at Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) who hosts and interviews founders about AI and infrastructure.

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of a16z, featuring Matt Bornstein, The Chip That Could Unlock AGI. explores analog-dynamics chips aim to cut AI energy and approach AGI Unconventional AI is framed less as a “chip company” and more as a first-principles effort to understand how learning and intelligence could be implemented directly in physical systems.

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