Research Summary
The a16z crypto team has released their winter 2023 recommendations, featuring a mix of books, TV shows, movies, podcasts, games, and apps. The list includes enduring favorites and new releases, reflecting the team’s diverse interests and the cultural significance of science and science-fiction genres.
Key Takeaways
Continued Relevance of Repeat Recommendations
- Enduring Popularity: Martha Wells’s “The Murderbot Diaries” series and J. Storrs Hall’s “Where Is My Flying Car?” are highlighted as repeat recommendations, indicating their continued relevance and popularity among the team.
New Releases from Team Members
- Team Contributions: New book releases from a16z crypto team members include Chris Dixon’s “Read Write Own: Building the Next Era of the Internet” and Scott Duke Kominers with Steve Kaczynski’s “The Everything Token: How NFTs and Web3 Will Transform the Way We Buy, Sell, and Create.”
Recommendations Reflect Current Trends
- Resonating with Trends: Sam Broner from the deal team endorses Greg Egan’s “Diaspora” for its hard sci-fi take on post-human AIs and the birth of new AI entities, resonating with current trends in intelligent agents and AGI.
Appreciation for Storytelling and Illusion
- Storytelling and Illusion: Michael Blau from the deal team recommends Derek DelGaudio’s Hulu special “In & Of Itself” and David Blaine’s magic TV specials “Real or Magic” & “Beyond Magic” for their mind-blowing storytelling and illusion.
Novel Code Editor Highlighted
- Novel Code Editor: The Cursor app is highlighted by Sam Broner as a novel code editor that integrates LLMs, making coding more accessible and enjoyable for both small and large-scale projects.
Actionable Insights
- Explore Recommended Content: The diverse range of recommendations from the a16z crypto team provides a wealth of content to explore, potentially offering new insights and perspectives on various topics.
- Consider the Relevance of Repeat Recommendations: The continued relevance of certain books among the team may indicate their significance in understanding current trends and concepts in the crypto and tech space.
- Reflect on the Implications of Current Trends: The endorsement of content that resonates with current trends, such as AI and web3, suggests the importance of staying informed and understanding these developments.
- Appreciate the Role of Storytelling and Illusion: The recommendations for shows featuring storytelling and illusion may highlight the value of these elements in engaging audiences and conveying complex ideas.
- Explore Novel Tools and Platforms: The highlighting of the Cursor app suggests the potential benefits of exploring novel tools and platforms that can enhance productivity and accessibility in various tasks, such as coding.
