Marc Andreessen - Wikipedia
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Relevant to AI safety discussions as Andreessen represents a prominent techno-accelerationist perspective that actively opposes AI safety regulation; his influence in Silicon Valley and VC funding makes his positions consequential for AI governance debates.
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Summary
Wikipedia biography of Marc Andreessen, co-creator of the Mosaic web browser, co-founder of Netscape, and general partner at venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z). Andreessen is a prominent technology investor and commentator who has published influential views on AI development, most notably his 'Techno-Optimist Manifesto' advocating for accelerationist AI development with skepticism toward safety regulation.
Key Points
- •Co-created Mosaic (1993) and co-founded Netscape, making him a foundational figure in the commercialization of the internet.
- •Co-founded Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), one of Silicon Valley's most influential VC firms, which has made major AI investments.
- •Published 'The Techno-Optimist Manifesto' (2023), a high-profile counter-argument to AI safety concerns and regulatory intervention.
- •Has been a vocal critic of AI safety frameworks, effective altruism, and what he terms 'AI doomers.'
- •His views and investments make him a significant figure in debates around AI governance and the pace of AI deployment.
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Marc Andreessen - Wikipedia
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American businessman (born 1971)
Marc Andreessen Andreessen in 2013 Born Marc Lowell Andreessen
( 1971-07-09 ) July 9, 1971 (age 54)
Cedar Falls, Iowa , U.S. Education University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign ( BS ) Occupations
Investor
entrepreneur
software engineer
Known for
Mosaic
Netscape
Opsware
Andreessen Horowitz
Spouse
Laura Arrillaga   ​ ( m.  2006) ​ Children John [ 1 ] Relatives John Arrillaga (father-in-law) Website a16z .com /author /marc-andreessen
Marc Lowell Andreessen ( / æ n ˈ d r iː s ə n / an- DREE -sən ; born July 9, 1971) is an American businessman, venture capitalist, and former software engineer. He is the co-author of Mosaic , the first web browser to display inline images ; co-founder of Netscape ; and co-founder and general partner of Silicon Valley venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz . He co-founded and later sold the software company Opsware to Hewlett-Packard ; he also co-founded Ning , a company that provides a platform for social networking websites. He supported presidential candidates of the Democratic party until 2016. In 2024 he became an advisor to Donald Trump . [ 2 ] Andreessen's net worth is estimated at $1.9 billion as of January 2025.
Early life and education
See also: NCSA Mosaic
Andreessen was born in Cedar Falls, Iowa , and raised in New Lisbon, Wisconsin , [ 3 ] which he considered "the sticks". [ 4 ] He is the son of Patricia, customer service operator at Lands' End , and Lowell Andreessen, who worked as a sales manager for the seed producer Pioneer Hi-Bred International . [ 4 ] [ 1 ] [ 5 ] He has a younger brother named Jeff. In 1998, Bloomberg reported that Jeff was a history major at the University of Wisconsin . Andreessen has stated that he had problematic relationships with his parents and brother, and that he did not like to talk about them. [ 4 ] [ 6 ]
Andreessen discovered programming at age 12. [ 4 ] In December 1993, [ 3 ] Andreessen received his bachelor's degree in computer science from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign (UIUC). [ 7 ] As an undergraduate, he interned twice at IBM in Austin, Texas . [ 8 ] He worked in the AIX graphics software development group responsible for the MIT X implementation and ports of the 3D language APIs: SGI's Graphics Language (GL) and PHIGS. [ citation needed ] He also worked as a programmer, earning $6.85 per hour (equivalent of $15.49/hr in 2026), at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) at the University of Illinois. At that time, he became familiar with Tim Berners-Lee 's open s
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