Generative Now | AI Builders on Creating the Future

Lightspeed Venture Partners

Generative Now is a weekly series from Lightspeed, highlighting the stories, strategies and insights behind today's most exciting AI companies and how they’ll change everything about the way we work. Inspired by the popular in-person Generative Meetups in places like New York, San Francisco, LA and Europe, host and Lightspeed Partner Michael Mignano will speak with founders, engineers, designers and other leaders that are leveraging AI to take their product to new heights. Listen and follow Generative Now wherever you get your podcasts.

  1. 2025/10/16

    Tanay Kothari: Creating a Post-Keyboard Future

    In this episode of Generative Now, Lightspeed Partner Michael Mignano sits down with Tanay Kothari, the co-founder and CEO of Wispr Flow, an AI-powered voice dictation platform. Tanay traces his path from building dozens of apps as a teen in Delhi to now, and how those experiences inspired him to make one of the first “zero-edit” voice products. Tanay gets into training in-house models, beating sub-second latency, and explains his approach to onboarding customers with the goal of changing behavior. He also discusses what’s next for the future of voice products and why he predicts a post-keyboard future. For more information on Wispr Flow, please visit https://wisprflow.ai and https://wisprflow.ai/careers  00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome 01:26 Tenay's Background and Early Inspirations 02:29 Building and Selling Feather X 03:52 The Birth of Whisper Flow 04:25 Early App Development and Challenges 06:39 Innovative Projects and User Impact 11:45 Whisper Flow's Differentiated Approach 18:57 Technical Challenges and Solutions 22:23 Design and User Experience23:19 Personal Onboarding Experience 23:40 Building User Habits 24:43 Inspiration from Video Games 26:11 Onboarding Mechanics in Whisper 29:00 Challenges of Deep Integration 32:10 Transition from Hardware to Software 38:30 Future of Voice Technology 47:42 Upcoming Features and Opportunities Stay in touch: www.lsvp.com X: https://twitter.com/lightspeedvp LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lightspeed-venture-partners/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lightspeedventurepartners/ Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: generativenow.co Email: generativenow@lsvp.com The 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.

    Tanay Kothari: Creating a Post-Keyboard Future

  2. 2025/10/02

    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 Introduction 00:36 Overview of Lightspeed and AI Investments 03:19 Event Agenda and Guest Introductions 05:35 Discussion on Interpretability in AI 18:44 Technical Challenges in AI Interpretability 29:42 Advancements in Model Interpretability 30:05 Smarter Models and Interpretability 31:26 Models Doing the Work for Us 32:43 Real-World Applications of Interpretability 34:32 Philanthropics' Approach to Interpretability 39:15 Breakthrough Moments in AI Interpretability 44:41 Challenges and Future Directions 48:18 Neuroscience and Model Training Insights 54:42 Emergent Misalignment and Model Behavior 01:01:30 Concluding Thoughts and Networking Stay in touch: www.lsvp.com X: https://twitter.com/lightspeedvp LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lightspeed-venture-partners/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lightspeedventurepartners/ Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: generativenow.co Email: generativenow@lsvp.com The 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.

    Inside the Black Box: The Urgency of AI Interpretability

  3. 2025/09/17

    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 Welcome 00:52 Introducing Macroscope: The New Product 01:24 The Problem Macroscope Solves 02:30 How Macroscope Works 03:52 The Future of AI in Software Development 08:58 Empowering Leaders with Macroscope 10:56 Kayvon's Journey: From College Startup to Macroscope 16:22 The Periscope Story: From Idea to Acquisition 28:22 The Rise and Challenges of Periscope 32:43 Twitter's Live Feature Evolution 33:59 Integrating Audio Conversations 35:07 Challenges in Twitter's Product Strategy 35:32 The Clubhouse Acquisition Attempt 36:27 Twitter's Cultural Shift with Spaces 38:48 Managing Large Teams at Twitter 44:05 Macroscope: The Genesis 47:03 The Role of LLMs in Macroscope 48:36 The Elon Musk Encounter 54:23 The Pivot to Macroscope 59:21 Future of Macroscope and Product Development Stay in touch: www.lsvp.com X: https://twitter.com/lightspeedvp LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lightspeed-venture-partners/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lightspeedventurepartners/ Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: generativenow.co Email: generativenow@lsvp.com The 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

  4. 2025/08/26

    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 Introduction 00:30 Reflecting on Long Island 01:47 M&A Frenzy and Talent Wars 02:10 Meta's Strategic Moves 06:30 Apple's AI Strategy 11:12 Figma's IPO Success 21:33 The State of Seed Investing 25:30 The Model's Mathematical Basis 26:00 Case Study: Firebase Acquisition 27:19 Seed Fund Strategies and Challenges 30:30 Founders' Incentives and Signal Risk 36:40 AI Agents vs. CDNs: A Legal Playground 42:57 The Evolution of Podcasts and Media 51:31 The Future of AI Branding 56:03 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Stay in touch: www.lsvp.com X: https://twitter.com/lightspeedvp LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lightspeed-venture-partners/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lightspeedventurepartners/ Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: generativenow.co Email: generativenow@lsvp.com The 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

  5. 2025/07/24

    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 Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Guest Overview 01:00 The Superhuman Email Experience 02:28 Building Superhuman: Challenges and Innovations 04:50 The Importance of Speed and Efficiency 05:36 Superhuman's Unique Features and Early Decisions 11:44 The Acquisition by Grammarly 15:35 The Vision for an AI Native Productivity Suite 22:32 Exploring Verticalized Workflows 22:52 The Excitement of the Superhuman-Grammarly Deal 24:23 The Strategy of Bundling 28:10 AI's Role in Future Productivity 32:26 Superhuman's Use of AI 41:53 Lessons from Previous Acquisitions Stay in touch: www.lsvp.com X: https://twitter.com/lightspeedvp LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lightspeed-venture-partners/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lightspeedventurepartners/ Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: generativenow.co Email: generativenow@lsvp.com The 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.

    Rahul Vohra: Building AI Tools That Save Us Time

  6. 2025/07/17

    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 Thoughts Stay in touch: www.lsvp.com X: https://twitter.com/lightspeedvp LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lightspeed-venture-partners/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lightspeedventurepartners/ Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: generativenow.co Email: generativenow@lsvp.com The 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.

    Scott Belsky & Steve Jang: From AI Chatbots to Copilots

  7. 2025/07/11

    Inside AI Policy with FAI’s Chief Economist Sam Hammond

    In this episode, Lightspeed Partner Michael Mignano sits down with the Foundation for American Innovation’s Chief Economist Sam Hammond to talk AI policy. Sam breaks down the key infrastructure needed for AI developments and how policymakers are adapting to rapid technological change. He also shares insights on AI training data and fair use, workforce disruption, and how, when it comes to AI, everything can change in just a few months. Episode Chapters:  00:00 Introduction  00:55 Meet Sam Hammond: Background and Role 03:06 The Big AI Policy Issues 05:09 Energy and Chip Policy 06:47 Fair Use and Copyright in AI 13:37 The Urgency of AI Regulation 17:03 Potential AI Crisis and Legislative Response 20:25 Challenges in AI Regulation 21:39 Acceleration vs. Regulation in AI Development 22:34 AI Safety and National Security 23:51 Fair Use and Copyright in AI Training Data 25:39 AI-Induced Labor Disruptions 33:36 State-Level AI Regulation  36:02 Global Cooperation on AI Safety 37:29 Advice for AI Startups 38:34 Optimism for AI and Policy Advancements 41:07 Conclusion Stay in touch: www.lsvp.com X: https://twitter.com/lightspeedvp LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lightspeed-venture-partners/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lightspeedventurepartners/ Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: generativenow.co Email: generativenow@lsvp.com The 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.

    Inside AI Policy with FAI’s Chief Economist Sam Hammond

  8. 2025/07/03

    Julie Bornstein: Building the Future of Fashion with AI

    In this episode of Generative Now, Lightspeed partner Michael Mignano sits down with the former Stitch Fix COO and founder of The Yes, Julie Bornstein. They talk about Julie’s latest venture: Daydream, an AI-powered fashion discovery engine built for the LLM era. Julie shares how her decades at Nordstrom, Sephora, and Pinterest shaped her vision, why now is the moment for natural language search in shopping, and how AI will transform fashion. Episode Chapters:  00:00 Introduction to the Interview 01:06 Julie Bornstein's New Venture: Daydream 02:44 The Evolution of E-commerce and AI 03:28 From Nordstrom to Daydream 05:35 Technological Innovations in Fashion 12:02 The Yes: Launching During a Pandemic 15:15 Acquisition by Pinterest and Future Plans 17:49 The Vision for Daydream 22:57 Introduction to Style Passport 23:27 Iterative Shopping Experience 24:02 Bringing Brands Together 24:45 Technical Implementation of Models 25:24 Challenges with Large Models 26:12 Building Mini Models for Fashion 27:28 Competition from Large Model Providers 30:25 Video Shopping and Social Media Integration 31:43 The Role of Agents in Shopping 35:20 Future of Shopping Interfaces 37:13 Being a Serial Founder 41:48 Launch and Future Plans 43:09 Conclusion and Farewell Stay in touch: www.lsvp.com X: https://twitter.com/lightspeedvp LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lightspeed-venture-partners/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lightspeedventurepartners/ Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: generativenow.co Email: generativenow@lsvp.com The 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.

    Julie Bornstein: Building the Future of Fashion with AI
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番組について

Generative Now is a weekly series from Lightspeed, highlighting the stories, strategies and insights behind today's most exciting AI companies and how they’ll change everything about the way we work. Inspired by the popular in-person Generative Meetups in places like New York, San Francisco, LA and Europe, host and Lightspeed Partner Michael Mignano will speak with founders, engineers, designers and other leaders that are leveraging AI to take their product to new heights. Listen and follow Generative Now wherever you get your podcasts.

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