a16z Head of Investor Relations Jen Kha speaks with general partner David George about the state of AI and private technology markets. David shares data on why AI companies are growing 2.5x faster than traditional software while spending significantly less on sales and marketing, driven by massive market pull and record-breaking ARR per employee. They discuss the rise of Model Busters, which are companies that grow faster and longer than anyone would have modeled, like the iPhone. They also highlight real-world adoption at Chime and Rocket Mortgage alongside portfolio breakouts like Harvey, Abridge, and ElevenLabs. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 02:25 2025 Revenue Data: 693% Growth and Why Unicorns Are Real 04:25 Why AI Companies Outgrow SaaS While Spending Less 07:15 Adapt or Die: Coding Tools, Org Design, and Electricity vs. Blood 13:09 ARR Per Employee and What's Behind the Efficiency Numbers 21:42 What Fortune 500 CEOs Say vs. What's Actually Happening 28:24 CapEx, Debt, and the AI Infrastructure Buildout 41:11 Private Markets, Power Laws, and Where Value Is Concentrating Resources: Follow David on X: https://x.com/DavidGeorge83 Follow Jen on X: https://x.com/jkhamehl Read The State of Markets - https://a16z.com/state-of-markets/ Stay Updated: If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to like, subscribe, and share with your friends! Find a16z on X: https://twitter.com/a16z Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z Listen to the a16z Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5bC65RDvs3oxnLyqqvkUYX Listen to the a16z Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a16z-podcast/id842818711 Follow our host: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg](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.