AI Agents Should Never Touch the Public Internet | Zachary Smith, Co-Founder & CEO, Datum
The AI ReportShow Notes
In this episode, Zachary Smith, CEO and co-founder of Datum and previously the founder of Packet (acquired by Equinix for $335M) and Voxel (acquired for $35M), joins Liam to explain why the internet is about to undergo its biggest transformation since the cloud. As AI agents, vibe coding, and thousands of new applications flood the web, Zac believes the open internet model we've relied on for decades is breaking down.
Zac argues that every person, every company, and eventually every AI agent will need its own private network. He explains why the future internet may look more like the Visa network than today's public web, how digital sovereignty and geopolitics are reshaping infrastructure, and why developers are increasingly relying on dozens of cloud services rather than just the hyperscalers.
The conversation also dives into Zac's unlikely journey from Juilliard-trained musician to building and exiting two infrastructure companies, the emotional toll of entrepreneurship, and why he keeps coming back to startups despite already having financial freedom.
Key Topics Covered
Zach's journey from Juilliard and classical music to building infrastructure companies
Building Voxel and selling the company for $35M
Starting Packet and its $335M acquisition by Equinix
Why AI agents are creating a security problem for the internet
Why every person and company may eventually need a private network
The difference between the public internet and private internet
Why the future internet could resemble the Visa network
Digital sovereignty, geopolitics, and the splintering of the internet
Why developers increasingly rely on dozens of cloud providers
How AI is turning millions of people into software developers
APIs, MCP, and the next phase of application architecture
Why Zach believes AI agents should only talk to approved systems
Open source, network effects, and Datum's long-term vision
The emotional side of entrepreneurship and why community matters more than money
Episode Timestamps 00:00 Introduction and welcome 00:06 Zach's background: from Juilliard and classical bass to startups 02:44 Building Voxel and the early cloud era 08:44 Starting Packet, raising capital, and the Equinix acquisition 15:28 Why taking time off helped him dream again 18:02 What Datum does and the idea of a network cloud 19:38 Three forces changing the internet 20:41 Hyperscalers explained: Amazon, Google, and Microsoft 24:52 Why new cloud providers are emerging 27:16 Digital sovereignty and the fragmentation of the internet 32:03 Public internet vs. private internet 32:54 Inside the physical "meet me rooms" that connect the internet 39:49 How internet routing actually works 45:56 Why developers use so many cloud providers 48:10 APIs, MCP, and AI agents 51:07 Why the future internet may resemble the Visa network 54:23 Who Datum's customers are, and why Datum is open source 1:03:07 AI agents and the next generation of software 1:07:50 Why Zach keeps building companies, and why he does what he does
Connect with Zac: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zsmith/ Website: https://www.datum.net/
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