The a16z Show
Building APIs for Developers and AI Agents
The a16z Show discusses tech and culture trends, news, and the future – especially as ‘software eats the world’. It features industry experts, business leaders, and other interesting thinkers and voices from around the world. This show is produced by Andreessen Horowitz (aka “a16z”), a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm. Multiple episodes are released every week; visit a16z.com for more details and to sign up for our newsletters and other content as well!
Show Notes
Tap timecodes to jump
Stainless founder Alex Rattray joins a16z partner Jennifer Li to talk about the future of APIs, SDKs, and the rise of MCP (Model Context Protocol). Drawing on his experience at Stripe—where he helped redesign API docs and built code-generation systems—Alex explains why the SDK is the API for most developers, and why high-quality, idiomatic libraries are essential not just for humans, but now for AI agents as well.
They dive into:
The evolution of SDK generation and lessons from building at scale inside Stripe.
Why MCP reframes APIs as interfaces for large language models.
The challenges of designing tools and docs for both developers and AI agents.
How context limits, dynamic tool generation, and documentation shape agent usability.
The future of developer platforms in an era where “every company is an API company.”
Timecodes:
– Introduction: APIs as the Dendrites of the Internet
– Building API Platforms: Lessons from Stripe
– SDKs: The Developer’s Interface
– The MCP Model: APIs for AI Agents
– Designing for LLMs and AI Users
– Solving Context Window Challenges
– The Importance of Strongly Typed SDKs
– The Future of API and Agent Experience
– Lessons from Leading API Companies
– Outro and Disclaimers
Resources:
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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.
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Follow our host: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg
Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.
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