Episode Details
EPISODE INFO
- Released
- September 8, 2025
- Duration
- 57m
- Channel
- a16z
- Watch on YouTube
- ▶ Open ↗
EPISODE DESCRIPTION
Who’s speaking up for AI startups in Washington, D.C.? In this episode, Matt Perault (Head of AI Policy, a16z) and Collin McCune (Head of Government Affairs, a16z) unpack the “Little Tech Agenda” and latest in AI policy - why AI rules should regulate harmful use, not model development; how to keep open source open; the roles of the federal government vs states in regulating AI; and how the U.S. can compete globally without shutting out new founders. Timecodes: 00:00 Introduction 00:40 The Little Tech Agenda: Origins & Vision 01:01 Defining “Little Tech” vs. Big Tech 05:00 Challenges Unique to Startups 06:09 Regulatory Frameworks for AI Startups 10:01 The Evolution of AI Policy Debates 11:00 Senate Hearings & the Rise of AI Regulation 13:00 The Influence of Effective Altruists & Interest Groups 14:29 Big Tech at the Policy Table 17:12 Licensing Regimes & Open Source Debates 19:09 National Security & Global Competition 26:57 Crypto Policy Parallels 29:47 The Dormant Commerce Clause & State Laws 31:33 Federal Preemption & the Need for Standards 32:44 Building Coalitions & Political Advocacy 34:00 Industry Alignment & Divergence 35:28 Where Are We At Now? 47:14 State vs. Federal Roles in AI Policy 50:07 The Future of AI Policy: Preemption, Workforce, and Literacy 54:31 Industry Alignment and Political Dynamics Resources: Read the Little Tech Agenda: https://a16z.com/the-little-tech-agenda/ Read ‘Regulate AI Use, Not AI Development: https://a16z.com/regulate-ai-use-not-ai-development/ Read Martin’s article ‘Base AI Policy on Evidence, Not Existential Angst: https://a16z.com/base-ai-policy-on-evidence-not-existential-angst/ Read ‘Setting the Agenda for Global AI Leadership’: https://a16z.com/setting-the-agenda-for-global-ai-leadership-assessing-the-roles-of-congress-and-the-states/ Read ‘The Commerce Clause in the Age of AI”: https://a16z.com/the-commerce-clause-in-the-age-of-ai-guardrails-and-opportunities-for-state-legislatures/ Find Matt on X: https://x.com/MattPerault Find Collin on X: https://x.com/Collin_McCune Stay Updated: Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16z Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16z Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/ Follow our host: https://x.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.
SPEAKERS
Collin McCune
hosta16z policy/government affairs leader focused on startup-friendly (“little tech”) tech regulation.
Matt Perault
hosta16z AI policy lead; former Meta/Facebook policy professional (2011–2019).
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of a16z, featuring Collin McCune and Matt Perault, The Little Tech Agenda for AI explores a16z frames AI policy around startups, competition, and federalism debates a16z created the “Little Tech Agenda” to fill an advocacy gap for startups and small builders who are rarely represented in DC policy rooms dominated by large incumbents.
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