Even a16z VCs say no one really knows what an AI agent is

Buzzwords that are stretched to the point of being meaningless are as old as the tech industry itself. The top current one is “AI agent” and its variants, like “agentic.” So, unsurprisingly, no one really knows what an AI agent is. Even people with software engineering backgrounds who work for Andreessen Horowitz, one of the premier venture capital firms madly funding AI startups, say that there’s no agreed-upon definition. Three a16z infrastructure investment partners — Guido Appenzeller, Matt Bornstein, and Yoko Li — tried to come up with their own definition of agent during a recent podcast episode called “What Is an AI Agent?” For perspective, a16z, backer of such hot AI companies as OpenAI and Anysphere (maker of Cursor), is so gung-ho on the AI opportunity that it’s reportedly attempting to raise a $20 billion megafund to invest even more heavily in the sector, sources told Reuters last month. Back in September, two other a16z VCs explained the firm’s excitement, writing on it ... Read full article.