Yahya: Major AI research labs are not focusing on crypto
Ali Yahya · Crypto Experts Explain Stablecoins & the Future Financial System w/ Ali Yahya & Arianna Simpson · Jul 9, 2025 · at 30:54
Ali Yahya, General Partner at a16z Crypto, responds to Erik Torenberg's question about whether leading AI labs are interested in crypto.
0:00 / 0:09exact quote · 9.2s
▶ Watch the full episode on YouTube → 720p mp4 · rendered on demand · StarZero watermark
“For the most part, I don't think so. I think for the most part, the AI labs, they're just running with AI, and there's so much that's exciting in that world that I think crypto is not, Doesn't really factor the actor in at all”
quote is from the automated transcript, cleaned for reading: filler sounds and stutters are removed, nothing is rephrased. names can be misheard (the analysis reads context, assessments check outside sources). how →
More from Ali Yahya
Yahya: Proof of stake can theoretically match proof of work security
“Now the cost of actually participating in consensus and making the entire network work in real terms comes down dramatically. And it's just as secure, or at least theoretically can be made just as secure. And that's a controversial statement, but I will sort o…”
Yahya: Current blockchain governance systems will likely devolve into plutocracies
“Today's governance systems and sort of blockchains and crypto networks, the way that they exist today will likely devolve into plutocracy simply because the mechanisms for vote buying are so effective as you've described.”
Yahya: Stablecoin adoption will trigger widespread DeFi adoption
“We believe that that'll likely lead to this cascading Sort of trend of adoption, because once stablecoins become a more kind of mainstay of the way that the financial system works, that opens the door for a lot of the other more advanced and futuristic ideas t…”
Yahya: Federal stablecoin regulation will likely pass in 2025
“We strongly believe it likely, it'll likely happen this year.”
Yahya: Stablecoin regulation will commoditize Tether and USDC issuers
“It will, it'll, to some extent, commoditize the issuance layer because it'll be easier for new issuers To emerge and create their own stable coins that, that are also user, you USD denominated to the point that those new stable coins are somewhat fungible and …”
Yahya: Fully embracing AI would force Google to cannibalize search revenues
“And I think that's actually becoming true for AI as well. Like I think that it was very, very true that AI was a very sustaining innovation. Before, but it's gotten so powerful that, that there are many elements of it that are disruptive. Like if Google wanted…”