The Hill & Valley Forum Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Vinod Khosla and Delian Asparouhov | Venture and Valor: Building the Future from Silicon to Steel May 03, 2025

Show notes

In his closing fireside at the 2025 Hill & Valley Forum, Vinod Khosla shares his strategic vision for American AI dominance, detailing why strategic AI advantages are critical for national security and economic leadership. Khosla explains why releasing open-source models strategically (keeping the latest generation proprietary) is essential, why AI treaties with China are unworkable, and how AI could revolutionize healthcare costs by reducing the "expertise inflation" that drives up expenses. He offers a compelling framework for understanding the technological, economic, and geopolitical implications of the AI race with China.

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@zebulgar (Delian Asparouhov)

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Timestamps:

(00:00) AI and robotics as the key to bringing manufacturing back to America

(00:48) Open-source AI models versus state-of-the-art models

(02:16) Why releasing one-generation-behind models is the right strategy for American leadership

(03:31) Explanation of why AI treaties would never work due to verification challenges

(04:37) Immigration of top AI talent as America's greatest competitive advantage

(05:32) Why the nation with the better AI model will win the economic race within 10 years

(06:18) How China could use free AI doctors and tutors as powerful geopolitical soft power tools

(07:49) The persuasive power of AI and the dangers of Chinese AI with Chinese ethics

(09:01) The growing divide between exponential AI progress and institutional resistance

(10:35) How AI could slash healthcare costs by replacing expensive expertise

(13:03) Balancing AI safety concerns with the more immediate threat of Chinese AI dominance

(15:50) Why reducing supply chain dependence on China is a strategic imperative

(17:30) The role of AI and robotics in reshoring manufacturing cost-effectively

(19:24) The threat of Taiwan invasion and the need for semiconductor independence

(20:17) Why venture capital's risk-taking approach to defense technology outperforms traditional contractors

(22:26) The challenges of reshoring rare earth mineral processing and new AI-driven solutions

Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson | Closing Remarks HIll & Valley Forum 2025 May 03, 2025

Show notes

In his closing address at the 2025 Hill & Valley Forum, House Speaker Mike Johnson outlines a vision for revitalizing American industrial strength through three key Republican priorities: unleashing American energy production, maintaining low taxes, and reducing government size through spending cuts and deregulation. Speaker Johnson emphasizes the critical relationship between technological innovation and industrial capacity, arguing that the government's role is not to control markets but to create conditions where innovation can thrive.

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@speakerjohnson (Mike Johnson)

@jacobhelberg (Jacob Helberg)

Subscribe to The Hill & Valley Forum Podcast:

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Apple:⁠ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hill-valley-forum-podcast/id1692653857

Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/39s4MCyt1pOTQ8FjOAS4mi⁠

Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction of Speaker Mike Johnson by Jacob Helberg

(01:45) Speaker Johnson discusses the relationship between government and innovation

(03:36) Analysis of how industrial erosion has affected American prosperity and security

(06:53) First Republican priority: Unleashing abundant American energy production

(09:10) Second priority: Keeping taxes low to foster investment and competition

(09:27) Third priority: Reducing government size through spending cuts and deregulation

(11:31) Discussion of AI regulation and the importance of not overregulating

(13:29) Explanation of President Trump's approach to tariffs and trade rebalancing

(14:37) Emphasis on embracing technological innovation and industrial renewal

(16:29) Closing remarks on American exceptionalism and the foundations of the republic

Howard Lutnick, US Secretary of Commerce | Hill & Valley Forum 2025 Closing Remarks May 03, 2025

Show notes

In his address at the 2025 Hill & Valley Forum, 41st Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick outlines the administration's industrial policy focused on rebuilding American manufacturing through tariffs, investment incentives, and strategic trade negotiations. Secretary Lutnick highlights the administration's "Investment Accelerator" program that has secured $6 trillion in manufacturing commitments and explains how reducing the trade deficit by just $300 billion would add 1% to America's annual GDP growth, creating high-paying jobs in advanced manufacturing and technical trades.

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@howardlutnick (Howard Lutnick)

@jacobhelberg (Jacob Helberg)

@cgarrett_15 (Christian Garrett)

@zebulgar (Delian Asparouhov)

Subscribe to The Hill & Valley Forum Podcast:

⁠YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HillValleyForum⁩⁠

Apple:⁠ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hill-valley-forum-podcast/id1692653857

Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/39s4MCyt1pOTQ8FjOAS4mi⁠

Timestamps:

(00:00) Anecdote about trade negotiations revealing hidden subsidies

(00:49) Introduction and reflections on Cabinet expertise and transparency

(03:31) Explanation of the Commerce Department's "Investment Accelerator" program

(04:38) Breakdown of $6 trillion in manufacturing commitments secured for America

(06:55) Analysis of semiconductor manufacturing investments and government partnerships

(09:06) The pharmaceutical industry imbalance and bringing production back to America

(10:47) Success story of light truck tariffs creating American manufacturing dominance

(13:30) Addressing non-tariff trade barriers and unfair government subsidies abroad

(21:02) Breaking down the $1.2 trillion trade deficit and potential GDP growth

(28:30) The human impact of offshoring on American communities and workers

(32:27) How automation and AI enable manufacturing to return to America affordably

(35:05) The administration's vision for American industrial policy and economic security

Hill & Valley Conversation: Roelof Botha, Jacob Helberg, Erik Torenberg on Bridging the Hill and Valley Divide, AI, and Decoupling Tech from China May 15, 2024

Show notes

Erik Torenberg interviews Roelof Botha, the managing partner of Sequoia Capital, and Jacob Helberg, advisor to Palantir CEO and organizer of The Hill & Valley Forum. Roelof and Jacob discuss the need for collaboration between Silicon Valley and Washington, especially on national security and frontier technologies, TikTok as a bellwether for the technological decoupling between the US and China, and debate the challenges of open-source and AI regulation.

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Check out Modern Relationships, where Erik Torenberg interviews tech power couples and leading thinkers to explore how ambitious people actually make partnerships work. Founders Fund's Delian Asparouhov and researcher Nadia Asparouhova kick off the series with an unfiltered conversation about their relationship evolution.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1786227593

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hJzs0gDg6lRT6r10mdpVg

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernRelationshipsPod

🎙️ Unpack Pricing - Dive into the dark arts of SaaS pricing with Metronome CEO Scott Woody and tech leaders. Learn how strategic pricing drives explosive revenue growth in today's biggest companies like Snowflake, Cockroach Labs, Dropbox and more.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765716600

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/38DK3W1Fq1xxQalhDSueFg

LINKS:

The Hill and Valley Forum 2024
Silicon Valley Can’t Be Neutral in the U.S.-China Cold War by Jacob Helberg

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@roelofbotha (Roelof)

@jacobhelberg (Jacob)

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(02:00) The Importance of Silicon Valley and DC

(06:45) Sequoia's Bullish Stance on Defense and Frontier Tech

(09:17) The New Arms Race with China and TikTok's Ban

(11:55) Sequoia's Separation from Chinese Entity

(14:17) Technological Decoupling and TikTok as a Bellwether

(24:27) AI Supply Chain and Export Controls Discussion

(31:26) AI Regulation and the Open vs Closed Source Debate

(46:55) Closing Statements and Future Outlook

Hill & Valley Forum: Alex Karp, Ritchie Torres' Evening Remarks May 15, 2024

Show notes

In the special evening session of the Hill & Valley Forum, Palantir CEO Dr. Alex Karp and house representative Ritchie Torres (D-NY) discuss their efforts against discrimination, particularly Anti-Semitism. Karp stress the importance of clarity and honesty within his company, Palantir, and how that culture allows them to deliver superior hard tech products. He also argues this approach has made Palantir a competitive environment attracting top talent, contrasting sharply with institutions promoting ideologies that foster discrimination, such as some elite educational institutions.

🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj

This session was recorded live at The Hill & Valley Forum in 2024, a private bipartisan community of lawmakers and innovators committed to harnessing the power of technology to address America's most pressing national security challenges. The Hill & Valley podcast is part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: www.turpentine.co

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1786227593

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hJzs0gDg6lRT6r10mdpVg

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernRelationshipsPod

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765716600

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/38DK3W1Fq1xxQalhDSueFg

LINKS:

Watch this episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNay6Oa3Fww

The Hill & Valley Forum https://www.thehillandvalleyforum.com/

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@PalantirTech

@RitchieTorres

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) The courage to innovate

(04:47) Building a culture of disruption and honesty at Palantir

(07:22) Challenging the status quo

(07:39) The crisis in higher education

(09:34) A call to action: standing up against discrimination

(11:45) The role of elite education in shaping Silicon Valley

(12:24) Understanding non-playbook players

Hill & Valley Forum: Jacob Helberg's Evening Remarks May 15, 2024

Show notes

Jacob Helberg discusses the importance of technological advancements for national defense and the shifting relationship between Silicon Valley and Washington D.C., highlighting an end to the era of neutrality in tech companies.

🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj

This session was recorded live at The Hill & Valley Forum in 2024, a private bipartisan community of lawmakers and innovators committed to harnessing the power of technology to address America's most pressing national security challenges. Guests included Venture Capitalists Vinod Khosla, Joe Lonsdale, and Roelof Botha, tech CEOs Alex Karp (Palantir) and Alex Wang (Scale AI) as well as politicians such as house speaker Mike Johnson, Senators Todd Young, and Cory Booker. The Hill & Valley podcast is part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: www.turpentine.co

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Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765716600

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/38DK3W1Fq1xxQalhDSueFg

LINKS:

Watch this episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPtTYWh6WcM

The Hill & Valley Forum https://www.thehillandvalleyforum.com/

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@jacobhelberg

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Opening Remarks: Reflecting on the Past Year

(01:15) Legislative Achievements and Acknowledgments

(02:22) The Evolving US-China Technology War

(03:46) Forecasting the Future of the U.S.-China Tech Race

(04:25) Closing Remarks and Acknowledgments

Hill & Valley Forum: Alex Wang, Andrew Ng, Jack Clark, Cory Booker on The Roadmap to AGI and Implications on the Global Balance of Power May 15, 2024

Show notes

The founders of Scale AI, Anthropic, and AI Fund have gathered to warn the U.S. that China as an adversary is still being underrated. They are no longer the cheap plastics manufacturer of the ’90s. In today’s AI race, they are no longer just copying the United States. They argue that the papers out of Tsinghua University are just as impressive as those coming out of American universities. China is just as creative, but maybe even more motivated. While discussions of regulations have encompassed certain restraints, Alex Wang, Andrew Ng, and Jack Clark argue that we’re not moving fast enough.

🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj

This session was recorded live at The Hill & Valley Forum in 2024, a private bipartisan community of lawmakers and innovators committed to harnessing the power of technology to address America's most pressing national security challenges. The Hill & Valley podcast is part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: www.turpentine.co

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🎙️ This Won't Last - Eavesdrop on Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, and Zach Weinberg's monthly backchannel. They unpack their hottest takes on the future of tech, business, venture, investing, and politics.

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765665937

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HwSNeVLL1MXy0RjFPyOSz

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWontLastpodcast

LINKS:

Watch this episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIvqliIO5Wk

The Hill & Valley Forum https://www.thehillandvalleyforum.com/

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@alexandr_wang

@AndrewYNg

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) AI's Potential and Global Impact

(00:24) Assembling the founders of Anthropic, Scale AI, and AI Fund

(01:45) Predictions for AGI

(05:11) Navigating AI innovation amidst regulation

(13:01) Global AI competition and the urgency of innovation

(20:34) Empowering future generations

Hill & Valley Forum: Roelof Botha, Daniel Gross, Lindsey Graham on The Future of Dual-Use AI and the Explosion of AI Apps May 15, 2024

Show notes

Sequoia Managing Partner Roelof Botha, Senator Linsey Graham, and Daniel Gross, the former Head of AI at Apple and Co-Founder of Andromeda discuss the future of dual-use AI. Global trade as a percentage of GDP peaked in 2008. Since then, it’s been in a steady decline. A flat world where economic incentives have the chance to bring people together did not turn out to be true. This led Roelof Botha to cut off all external arms of Sequoia and re-focus Sequoia’s focal point around caring for Western values, Western ideals, and U.S. competitiveness. Lindsey Graham joins Botha to forecast what the partnership between D.C. and Silicon Valley could look like, and discusses regulatory challenges. While risks around section 230 are present, Graham still expands on his optimism of the patriots who are the engineers in Silicon Valley.

🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj

This session was recorded live at The Hill & Valley Forum in 2024, a private bipartisan community of lawmakers and innovators committed to harnessing the power of technology to address America's most pressing national security challenges. The Hill & Valley podcast is part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: www.turpentine.co

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RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765665937

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HwSNeVLL1MXy0RjFPyOSz

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWontLastpodcast

LINKS:

Watch this episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEanx6CeAeQ

The Hill & Valley Forum https://www.thehillandvalleyforum.com/

FOLLOW ON X:

@roelofbotha

@danielgross

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Silicon Valley's Role in National Security

(01:52) Senator Lindsey Graham on AI, regulation, and the debate over Section 230

(09:02) Roelof Botha on the dual-use nature of AI technology

(15:40) Regulating large versus small engines

(16:40) Losing our edge

(22:43) Regulating AI and synthetic biology: balancing Innovation and security

(26:46) Closing Remarks

Hill & Valley Forum: Joe Lonsdale, Josh Wolfe, Matt Steckman, and Senator Mike Rounds on Insights on Novel Military Applications of AI May 15, 2024

Show notes

For the next level of having skin in the game, Anduril matched the Australian government dollar for dollar in their contract to develop their Ghost Shark coming in under budget and a year ahead of schedule. There is not a single defense prime that would share the risk with their clients, leading to delayed timelines and over budget projects still producing comfortable bonuses for the executives. Joe Lonsdale, Co-Founder at Epirus and 8VC, Josh Wolfe of Lux Capital and Matthew Steckman at Anduril share that they have been ready with the best products. They have just been pushing to get their foot in the door but are finally seeing a shift in culture and detail the potential this could bring about.

This session was recorded live at The Hill & Valley Forum in 2024, a private bipartisan community of lawmakers and innovators committed to harnessing the power of technology to address America's most pressing national security challenges. The Hill & Valley podcast is part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: www.turpentine.co

LINKS:

Watch this episode: https://youtu.be/4P2e3xKdtTw

The Hill & Valley Forum: https://www.thehillandvalleyforum.com/

FOLLOW ON X:

@JTLonsdale

@wolfejosh

@steck50

@anduriltech

@SenatorRounds

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Anduril winning the CCA Downselect

(01:02) Opening Remarks from Senator Mike Rounds

(02:16) Joe Lonsdale on applications of AI

(02:44) Josh Wolfe on investing in defensetech

(04:28) Matt Steckman on the watershed moment for Anduril

(07:09) Future of warfare

(09:46) Leveraging VC for Defense

(12:35) The role of AI in modernizing Defense

(15:14) Embracing New Entrants and Innovation in Defense Contracting

(15:21) The significance of the Australian Project and Innovation Funding

(18:06) The urgency of adopting new technologies in defense

(25:50) AI's Potential beyond defense: healthcare and acquisition processes

(29:23) Closing Remarks

Hill & Valley Forum: Alex Karp, Jacob Helberg on Early Lessons from Ukraine and Israel on How Software and AI are Redefining Power and Warfare May 15, 2024

Show notes

The most pressing blockades in tech discussed today revolve around at-risk supply chain systems, acquiring GPUs for model advancement, lean manufacturing systems and more. However, Alex Karp, CEO & co-founder of Palantir makes the argument that the biggest hindrance is a culture problem. Jacob Helberg and Alex Karp sit down to discuss why Palantir is rooted in a foundation of being unpopular in being unapologetically a DoD supporter, and defender of Israel. Karp emphasizes that these are the necessary foundations for the best products. Karp expands on his contrarian takes regarding why the U.S. tech scene is the best in the world - that our Western views of living are superior and the scene is an expression and action of our values.

This session was recorded live at The Hill & Valley Forum in 2024, a private bipartisan community of lawmakers and innovators committed to harnessing the power of technology to address America's most pressing national security challenges. The Hill & Valley podcast is part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: www.turpentine.co

LINKS:

Watch this episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqXQFfCIOiA

The Hill & Valley Forum https://www.thehillandvalleyforum.com/

FOLLOW ON X:

@PalantirTech

@jacobhelberg

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Navigating unpopularity in tech

(01:18) Palantir's stance on global conflicts and AI

(02:02) Taking a stand in international affairs

(02:34) The evolution of Silicon Valley and defense technology

(14:37) The role of AI in modern warfare and beyond