a16z Partner Josh Elman joins Ollie Forsyth on New Economies to discuss the next wave of consumer AI and what separates a product people try once from one that becomes part of their everyday lives.

Josh argues that getting attention has actually become easier, but getting consumers to stick is harder than ever. He explains what he looks for in consumer products, why the best ones start with a narrow wedge and earn the right to do more, and why trust becomes increasingly important as AI agents gain access to more of our personal lives.

They also explore personal AI agents, the future of shopping and entertainment, why we haven’t seen another major social network emerge, and how AI could make technology more social rather than less, including agents that help people spend more time together in the real world.

This conversation originally appeared on the New Economies podcast.

Resources:

Follow Josh Elman on X: https://x.com/jelman

Follow New Economies: https://www.youtube.com/@NEWECONOMIESPOD

New Economies Substack: https://www.neweconomies.co/

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