AI, Supply Chains, and the Future of Economic Power

March 19, 2026

Here's something that might surprise you — when it comes to winning the AI race, hardware and supply chains are now as critical as the software itself. Erik Torenberg and Jacob Helberg, writing for a16z, explain that in today’s geopolitics, manufacturing and industrial capacity are shaping who holds power. According to Helberg, the U.S. is rethinking its focus on reindustrialization, energy, and tariffs to compete globally. It’s not just about having the smartest AI models anymore; it's about securing the physical infrastructure behind them. Now, here’s where it gets interesting — tech dominance is tied to national security, and the battle over supply chains could redefine global influence. As content+a16zpodcast@a16z.com points out, winning the AI race means dominating both models and the hardware that runs them. So, what does this mean for your industry? Keep an eye on these shifts — they’re shaping the future of economic power itself.

Erik Torenberg sits down with Jacob Helberg to discuss AI, manufacturing, supply chains, and the new geopolitics of technology. Drawing on themes from Helberg’s book The Wires of War, they explore why hardware, industrial capacity, and secure supply chains have become central to both economic strength and national security.

They also unpack what it means to “win the AI race” — from model leadership and global adoption to energy, compute, tariffs, and reindustrialization in the U.S.

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Audio Transcript