Generative Now | AI Builders on Creating the Future

Inside the Black Box: The Urgency of AI Interpretability

Recorded live at Lightspeed’s offices in San Francisco, this special episode of Generative Now dives into the urgency and promise of AI interpretability. Lightspeed partner Nnamdi Iregbulem spoke with Anthropic researcher Jack Lindsey and Goodfire co-founder and Chief Scientist Tom McGrath, who previously co-founded Google DeepMind’s interpretability team. They discuss opening the black box of modern AI models in order to understand their reliability and spot real-world safety concerns, in order to build AI systems of the future that we can trust. Episode Chapters: 00:42 Welcome and Introduction00:36 Overview of Lightspeed and AI Investments03:19 Event Agenda and Guest Introductions05:35 Discussion on Interpretability in AI18:44 Technical Challenges in AI Interpretability29:42 Advancements in Model Interpretability30:05 Smarter Models and Interpretability31:26 Models Doing the Work for Us32:43 Real-World Applications of Interpretability34:32 Philanthropics' Approach to Interpretability39:15 Breakthrough Moments in AI Interpretability44:41 Challenges and Future Directions48:18 Neuroscience and Model Training Insights54:42 Emergent Misalignment and Model Behavior01:01:30 Concluding Thoughts and NetworkingStay in touch:www.lsvp.comX: https://twitter.com/lightspeedvpLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lightspeed-venture-partners/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lightspeedventurepartners/Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: generativenow.coEmail: generativenow@lsvp.comThe content here does not constitute tax, legal, business or investment advice or an offer to provide such advice, should not be construed as advocating the purchase or sale of any security or investment or a recommendation of any company, and is not an offer, or solicitation of an offer, for the purchase or sale of any security or investment product. For more details please see lsvp.com/legal.

From Periscope to Macroscope: Kayvon Beykpour’s Vision for AI-Powered Development

In this episode of Generative Now, Lightspeed Partner Michael Mignano sits down with Kayvon Beykpour, co-founder and CEO of Macroscope, which launches today, and the former co-founder of Periscope. They dive into how Macroscope will serve as an “understanding engine” for software companies, giving leaders real-time visibility and saving engineers time with AI-powered workflows. Kayvon reflects on his journey from building Periscope and leading product at Twitter to reimagining how teams manage both human and agentic workforces. They get into philosophies on starting companies, management styles, and how AI could be the thing that helps managers solve their biggest challenges. Episode Chapters: 00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome00:52 Introducing Macroscope: The New Product01:24 The Problem Macroscope Solves02:30 How Macroscope Works03:52 The Future of AI in Software Development08:58 Empowering Leaders with Macroscope10:56 Kayvon's Journey: From College Startup to Macroscope16:22 The Periscope Story: From Idea to Acquisition28:22 The Rise and Challenges of Periscope32:43 Twitter's Live Feature Evolution33:59 Integrating Audio Conversations35:07 Challenges in Twitter's Product Strategy35:32 The Clubhouse Acquisition Attempt36:27 Twitter's Cultural Shift with Spaces38:48 Managing Large Teams at Twitter44:05 Macroscope: The Genesis47:03 The Role of LLMs in Macroscope48:36 The Elon Musk Encounter54:23 The Pivot to Macroscope59:21 Future of Macroscope and Product DevelopmentStay in touch:www.lsvp.comX: https://twitter.com/lightspeedvpLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lightspeed-venture-partners/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lightspeedventurepartners/Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: generativenow.coEmail: generativenow@lsvp.comThe content here does not constitute tax, legal, business or investment advice or an offer to provide such advice, should not be construed as advocating the purchase or sale of any security or investment or a recommendation of any company, and is not an offer, or solicitation of an offer, for the purchase or sale of any security or investment product. For more details please see lsvp.com/legal.

Walk & Talk Episode: Semil Shah on AI Superteams, Meta’s Bold Moves, and Apple’s Missed Shots

In this special episode of Generative Now, Lightspeed Partner Michael Mignano talks with Semil Shah, founder and partner of Haystack VC and partner at Lightspeed. Together, they have a wide-ranging, unfiltered conversation on the state of AI, venture capital, and the future of media. They get into everything from Meta’s high-stakes AI talent spree and Apple’s uncertain strategy, to the Figma IPO, to the evolution of the seed stage, and the brewing battle between AI agents and the open web. Semil also shares hard-earned insights on founder strategy, brand building, and why design still wins.Episode Chapters: 00:00 Introduction00:30 Reflecting on Long Island01:47 M&A Frenzy and Talent Wars02:10 Meta's Strategic Moves06:30 Apple's AI Strategy11:12 Figma's IPO Success21:33 The State of Seed Investing25:30 The Model's Mathematical Basis26:00 Case Study: Firebase Acquisition27:19 Seed Fund Strategies and Challenges30:30 Founders' Incentives and Signal Risk36:40 AI Agents vs. CDNs: A Legal Playground42:57 The Evolution of Podcasts and Media51:31 The Future of AI Branding56:03 Conclusion and Final ThoughtsStay in touch:www.lsvp.comX: https://twitter.com/lightspeedvpLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lightspeed-venture-partners/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lightspeedventurepartners/Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: generativenow.coEmail: generativenow@lsvp.comThe content here does not constitute tax, legal, business or investment advice or an offer to provide such advice, should not be construed as advocating the purchase or sale of any security or investment or a recommendation of any company, and is not an offer, or solicitation of an offer, for the purchase or sale of any security or investment product. For more details please see lsvp.com/legal.

Rahul Vohra: Building AI Tools That Save Us Time

In this episode of Generative Now, Lightspeed Partner Michael Mignano sits down with Rahul Vohra, founder of the email client Superhuman, to unpack the future of AI-powered productivity. Rahul shares the origin story of Superhuman, how game design principles shaped its blazing speed and keyboard-first UX, and why time—not email—is the real problem it solves. He dives into the thinking behind their recent acquisition by Grammarly, his vision for an AI-native productivity suite, and what it means to build both apps and agents for the future. Episode Chapters00:00 Introduction and Guest Overview01:00 The Superhuman Email Experience02:28 Building Superhuman: Challenges and Innovations04:50 The Importance of Speed and Efficiency05:36 Superhuman's Unique Features and Early Decisions11:44 The Acquisition by Grammarly15:35 The Vision for an AI Native Productivity Suite22:32 Exploring Verticalized Workflows22:52 The Excitement of the Superhuman-Grammarly Deal24:23 The Strategy of Bundling28:10 AI's Role in Future Productivity32:26 Superhuman's Use of AI41:53 Lessons from Previous AcquisitionsStay in touch:www.lsvp.comX: https://twitter.com/lightspeedvpLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lightspeed-venture-partners/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lightspeedventurepartners/Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: generativenow.coEmail: generativenow@lsvp.comThe content here does not constitute tax, legal, business or investment advice or an offer to provide such advice, should not be construed as advocating the purchase or sale of any security or investment or a recommendation of any company, and is not an offer, or solicitation of an offer, for the purchase or sale of any security or investment product. The views expressed by our guests do not necessarily represent the views of Lightspeed. For more details please see lsvp.com/legal.

Scott Belsky & Steve Jang: From AI Chatbots to Copilots

In this episode of Generative Now, Lightspeed Partner Michael Mignano sits down with two co-investors: Steve Jang, Co-Founder and Partner at Kindred Ventures, and Scott Belsky, Partner at A24 and founder of A24 Labs. Together they explore the current state and future of consumer AI, from why most products still look like chatbots, to what’s next in AI-powered hardware, browsers, and personal agents. They dive into the concept of “personal AI,” discussing memory, context, and the emerging opportunities (and risks) around consumer data and model control. They also touch on use cases like AI-powered dating wingmen, simulated versions of ourselves, and the next generation of AI-first operating systems. Episode Chapters: (00:00) Welcome and Introductions(00:43) The Current State of AI Products(02:48) Surprises and Challenges with LLMs(05:24) Future of Consumer AI and Personal AI(15:49) Memory and Personalization in AI(21:52) Potential Risks and Business Models(24:22) The Battle for User Data in AI(25:11) Optimism in AI Model Inference(27:00) The Role of Open Source Models(28:13) The Future of AI Hardware(28:54) Challenges and Opportunities in AI Hardware Startups(30:29) The Evolution of Consumer Hardware(38:36) The Reinvention of Browsers(46:23) The Potential of AI-Enhanced Browsers(47:54) Conclusion and Final ThoughtsStay in touch:www.lsvp.comX: https://twitter.com/lightspeedvpLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lightspeed-venture-partners/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lightspeedventurepartners/Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: generativenow.coEmail: generativenow@lsvp.comThe content here does not constitute tax, legal, business or investment advice or an offer to provide such advice, should not be construed as advocating the purchase or sale of any security or investment or a recommendation of any company, and is not an offer, or solicitation of an offer, for the purchase or sale of any security or investment product. For more details please see lsvp.com/legal.