The Hardware Pivot: a16z's $1.1B Bet That AI's Future Is Physical

Andreessen Horowitz just launched a $1.1 billion fund dedicated to what it calls the "Machine Age" — a massive bet that AI's next frontier isn't software, but the physical infrastructure that powers it. The fund targets robotics, custom silicon, data center hardware, and energy systems needed to sustain the AI boom's insatiable compute demands. This isn't a side experiment; it's a strategic pivot from a firm historically known for software-only investments, signaling a maturation...