Explore every episode of the podcast Thinking On Paper
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Will AI End Music? Hyper-personalization And The Future Of Collective Culture | 28 Jul 2026 | 00:05:32 | |
Nicholas Ponari says AI music makes live performance more valuable, not less. Mark Fielding calls the same future a hellscape. Ponari's scenario: by 2045 his son types a script into a generator, gets a feature film in the style of Kubrick crossed with Tarantino, and hits publish. Everyone becomes a creator in every medium. Nobody can consume a fraction of it, so AI becomes the largest curator in history. Mark's objection is that shared culture dies with it. No song anyone else has heard. No film anyone else has seen. Nothing left to talk about. Ponari's answer is scarcity. When everything is generated, the things that cannot be, a room, a crowd, live music, become more valuable than ever. Who's right? Full episode at thinkingonpaper.xyz. Be curious, stay disruptive. -- Thinking on Paper is a technology podcast about AI, Space, quantum computing, science, and the systems shaping your life. Thinking on Paper is a technology podcast about AI, Space, quantum computing, science, and the systems shaping your life. 🫵 Choose your own technology adventure 📺 Watch our beautiful faces on YouTube 🎧 Remember Steve Jobs on APPLE 📺 Get clips and exclusive videos on Instagram | |||
| How Humanity Survives The US-China AI Arms Race | 22 Jul 2026 | 00:50:40 | |
The US and China are racing to build AI systems that could lead to superintelligence before any enforceable global rules exist to inspect them, limit them or verify what they can do. Mark and Jeremy Think On Paper about The Hard Question of AI, an essay by Planet CEO Will Marshall. Marshall argues that AI governance now needs the same kind of verification, trust and global protection as nuclear weapons. That means more than voluntary safety tests and China and America laying down their AGI swords. And since that is unlikely, it could mean monitoring chips, tracking data-centre construction and energy use, inspecting frontier AI labs, protecting whistleblowers and agreeing international red lines around recursive self-improvement. But the nuclear comparison has many challenges. Weapons-grade material is scarce and difficult to hide. Just ask Iran. AI software can spread quickly and cross borders. Any Tom, Dick or Harry could end up being the first to create superintelligence. At the centre of the episode is one question: what would AI’s Cuban Missile Crisis look like? What event would force the US and China to cooperate? Really cooperate. Lip service won’t calm existential risk. We also discuss Sam Altman, Dario Amodei and Demis Hassabis, the incentives behind AI safety warnings, the limits of voluntary regulation, the RAND verification framework, recursive self-improvement, the Fermi paradox and whether governments can build the institutions required to manage AI superintelligence. Hint: they can’t. Please enjoy the show. And don’t have nightmares.
Thinking on Paper is a technology podcast about AI, Space, quantum computing, science, and the systems shaping your life. 🫵 Choose your own technology adventure 📺 Watch our beautiful faces on YouTube 🎧 Remember Steve Jobs on APPLE 📺 Get clips and exclusive videos on Instagram
Chapters 00:00 Trailer 01:38 AI And Existential Risk 02:40 OpenAI, Anthropic & Google 04:40 Nuclear meltdown or sharks? 05:50 Why is everyone speaking about the end of humanity 08:00 RSI - Closed loop recursive self improvement 10:00 A ghostbuster copyright interlude 19:39 Why America And China Are In An AI Race 23:51 The AI Cuban Missile Crisis 28:07 The AI Supply Chain 35:09 USA And China And The AI DeadEnd 40:36 The Nuclear Framework | |||
| Space-Based Solar Power For The MTV Generation | 27 May 2026 | 00:52:14 | |
Sanjay Vijendran of TerraSpark joins Thinking on Paper to explain how space-based solar power could become a practical source of clean energy. TerraSpark is developing wireless power-transmission systems that could eventually collect solar energy in orbit and beam it to receivers on Earth. The company plans to demonstrate the concept by powering a live music event in Portugal and by testing radio-frequency power transfer aboard Dcube’s Arrakis mission. In this episode, we discuss:
Sanjay explains the engineering, regulatory and commercial challenges behind power beaming, including transmission efficiency, safety, spectrum allocation and the cost of placing energy infrastructure in orbit. This conversation examines whether space-based solar power can move beyond demonstration projects and become a credible alternative to terrestrial energy generation and fossil fuels. -- Thinking on Paper is a technology podcast about AI, Space, quantum computing, science, and the systems shaping the future. 🎧 Remember steve jobs on APPLE 📺 Get the clips and outtakes on Instagram -- Chapters (00:00) Introduction to Space-Based Solar Power (01:37) Market Trends and Projections (03:52) Energy Crisis and Global Dependencies (06:26) The Threat to Power Structures (07:39) Innovative Demonstrations of Wireless Power (10:31) Future Plans and Space Missions (20:41) Scaling Power Transmission from Space (22:35) Technologies for Space-Based Solar Power (31:22) Governance and Regulation of Space-Based Solar Power (49:57) The Future of Space-Based Solar Power | |||
| AI Girlfriends And Boyfriends | 22 May 2025 | 00:27:27 | |
Would you let your children have an AI boyfriend or girlfriend? We're reading Irreducible, by Federico Faggin. It's Chapter 7 and Mark and Jeremy think on paper about the hard problem of consciousness, qualia, ai awareness and the inner semantic space that creates your experience.There are 4 types of qualia: physical sensations and feelings, emotions, thoughts and spiritual feelings. From there they go back in time to Aldous Huxley and the Dharma Bums and how the modern take on consciousness isn't new. None of this is really new. Now, if AI can't feel qualia you'll end up with quasi-humanity emerging from the tech dream. But does that matter? If it looks real and feels real, it might as well be real.. But what if it slowly erodes what it means for us to be human.If you're thinking about the impact of technology on culture, you should listen to Thinking On Paper.Please enjoy the show. And share with a curious friend. Listen to chapter 1-6: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2EteMXVv-8&t=357s&ab_channel=ThinkingOnPaper -- Chapters (00:00) Introduction to Consciousness and AI (02:32) The Nature of Consciousness (05:12) Qualia and Human Experience (07:27) The Distinction Between Humans and Machines (09:23) The Hard Problem of Consciousness (11:27) AI, Empathy, and Human Connection (13:40) Cultural Norms and AI Integration (16:10) Interiority and Quantum Consciousness (17:54) True Intelligence vs. Machine Intelligence (19:46) Comprehension and Perception (22:20) The Future of Consciousness and AI -- Join the free thinkers - www.thinkingonpaper.xyz | |||
| Can Technology Really Be Used For Good? Khang Nguyen Trieu | 19 May 2025 | 00:39:08 | |
Is technology for good anything more than a marketing strategy? Technology shapes everything. From how you work and connect to how you make decisions. But is humanity using it to solve the right problems? And when millions of people rely on boring, repetitive jobs to survive, what happens when AI takes them away? On Victory in Europe Day, Khang Nguyen-Trieu joins Mark and Jeremy to Think on Paper about what ethical technology actually looks like in the real world. With decades of experience building large-scale systems, he brings grounded strategies for setting boundaries, listening to people, and turning complexity into advantage. If tech is meant to serve people, why does it so often forget they're there? Please enjoy the show. And share with a curious friend. -- Join a community of disruptors and curious minds: www.thinkingonpaper.xyz -- Chapters (00:00) Introduction to Technology for Good (02:01) The Impact of Technology on Society (04:07) Social Media: A Double-Edged Sword (05:35) AI and Human Relationships (09:57) Shifting the Focus: Profit vs. Purpose (12:10) Rethinking Technology's Role (16:22) The Need for Ethical Considerations (20:52) Cultural Perspectives on Society and Individualism (22:45) Empathy in Technology and Human Interaction (24:45) The Role of Technology in Hospitality (28:38) Balancing Automation and Human Connection (34:16) Philosophical Reflections on Humanity and Wisdom | |||
| The Technology Podcast For Disruptors And Curious Minds™ | 15 May 2025 | 00:01:21 | |
A podcast for people who refuse to let algorithms, headlines, or influencers do their thinking for them. What happens when technology moves faster than meaning? When AI writes code, raises your kids, and reshapes your job, but no one asks what it’s doing to your values? Thinking on Paper is a podcast for people who want to think clearly about the future. Created by curious minds, strategists, and builders, this show explores the deep structures behind AI, blockchain, quantum computing, digital ethics, and platform power. It is not a hype machine. It is not a founder showcase. And it is definitely not a TED Talk. Each episode starts with a central question. Can machines be conscious? Is quantum computing a revolution or just an expensive metaphor? What happens when design prioritizes engagement over agency? We talk to technologists, ethicists, designers, researchers, and people who are trying to build or resist the future. Not to promote. To pressure test.
This trailer is the starting point. Subscribe to build your own framework for what comes next. Think slower. Question harder. Use your mind like it matters. Learn more: www.thinkingonpaper.xyz Topics we cover: | |||
| The AI Business Playbook - Ajay Malik, CEO StudioX AI | 12 May 2025 | 00:41:46 | |
Shopify. Duolingo. Box. Meta: Don’t give it to a human until you’ve asked the machine. This isn’t disruption. This is displacement. And if you’re not ready, you’re next. Ajay Malik helped run Google’s data centers. Now he’s building AI agents that kill the corporate time-suck at its source. Emails? Scanned. Contracts? Summarized. Cameras? Watching. Support tickets? Prioritized before you’ve had your coffee. Forget the whitepapers. This is what it looks like when someone actually builds the machine that replaces middle management. The question isn’t should your company use AI. -- Links Studio X: https://www.studiox-ai.com/ Ajay Insta: https://www.instagram.com/ajay.malik.official/ Thinking On Paper: www.thinkingonpaper.xyz -- Timestamps (00:00) Disruptors and curious minds (00:45) Introduction to AI and Its Impact (03:47) Ajay Malik's Journey with AI (06:59) Core Capabilities of AI (09:58) AI as a Partner in Decision Making (14:20) Trusting AI in Business (15:32) Practical Applications of AI in Business (18:47) The Role of AI in Enhancing Productivity (21:49) Creative Potential and AI Hallucinations (24:35) Engaging with AI for Business Growth (29:27) The Emotional Aspect of AI Communication (30:06) Studio X: No Code AI Solutions (31:49) Connecting Knowledge for AI Utilization (34:48) Integrating AI into Daily Workflows (36:05) Managing AI Agents Like Interns (40:09) The Responsibility of AI Management (43:17) AI Applications in Business Operations (45:37) Navigating IT Concerns with AI Implementation (48:56) Maximizing Impact with AI Tools (51:39) Knowledge Transfer and Employee Concerns (54:49) Preparing Future Generations for AI | |||
| AI Will Never Be Conscious - Federico Faggin, Irreducible (Chapter 6) | 06 May 2025 | 00:25:08 | |
In Chapter 6 of Irreducible, by Federico Faggin, Mark and Jeremy get into what makes living cells tick and why machines will never be conscious.What is “live information” and how does it blend matter, energy, and data into life? How can machines be alive if they don't know, if they can't know what it's like to be aware? How can AI be conscious when it can't feel? Please enjoy the show. And share with a curious friend. -- Join the book club: www.thinkingonpaper.xyz -- Chapters (00:00) Introduction to Irreducible (02:54) Exploring the Nature of Life (05:54) Biology Vs Information (09:04) Consciousness and Free Will (12:10) The Hard Problem of Consciousness (15:12) The Future of AI and Consciousness (18:03) Science Fiction and Human Experience (20:52) Differences Between Cells and Computers (27:01) Conclusion and Reflections on Consciousness | |||
| The World Was Saved From Nuclear Disaster Because Of A Human | 17 Apr 2025 | 00:35:47 | |
On the 26th september, 1983, in the midst of the Cold War, the world was saved from nuclear disaster because of a human. An Ai wouldn't have seen the patterns and World War 3 would have been triggered. We're reading chapters 4 and 5 of Irreducible. And he lays out the groundwork for a new theory of consciousness. He proposes it's fundamental to the universe. And the repercussions of that are monumental. Please enjoy the show. And share with a curious friend. .-- Chapters (00:00) Introduction to the Battle for Attention (01:01) The Cold War and Stanislav Petrov's Decision (03:40) The Nature of Information (16:40) Consciousness vs. Machines (24:12) Coding DNA and Human Intuition (26:51) Curiosity and Creativity: The Human Experience (32:26) Live Information: Energy, Matter, and Consciousness (34:40) The Nature of Meaning and Consciousness (38:02) Quantum Computing and Its Mysteries (44:47) Consciousness and Free Will: A Philosophical Inquiry – Watch Chapter 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeqTB-q-W10&t=42sWatch Chapter 3 & 4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0EynDKlcnE&t=79s&ab_channel=ThinkingOnPaper | |||
| Space-Based Solar Power Vs Climate Change | 15 Apr 2025 | 00:48:33 | |
Space-based solar power is the focus of this episode with Sanjay Vijendran, former European Space Agency lead on space-based solar power and founder of Space Energy Insights. We explore whether solar farms in orbit could collect sunlight above the clouds and beam clean energy back to Earth. The conversation explains why space-based solar power is being reconsidered now, from climate change and energy poverty to reusable rockets, falling launch costs, in-space manufacturing and lunar resources. You'll learn about wireless power transmission, radio frequency versus laser power beaming, safety, public perception, regulation, and the challenge of turning a 50-year-old idea into a serious clean-energy technology. -- Thinking on Paper is a technology podcast about AI, Space, quantum computing, science, and the systems shaping the future. 🏠 Buy us a beer on Substack 🎧 Take us with you on Spotify 🎧 Remember Steve Jobs on APPLE 📺 Get the clips and outtakes on Instagram -- Chapters (00:00) Space Based Solar Intro (01:03) What Is Space-Based Solar Power (02:41) Energy Poverty (05:03) The Viability of Space-Based Solar Power (07:23) Wireless Power Transmission (10:14) Technical Challenges of Scaling Up (12:03) Cost Considerations and Economic Viability (14:27) Future of Manufacturing in Space (17:15) Hot Takes and Personal Insights (19:55) Economics of Space-Based Solar Power (29:21) Understanding Energy Sources (31:22) Private Companies in Space-Based Solar Power (33:19) RF vs. Lasers (35:47) Safety Mechanisms in Space-Based Power Systems (41:06) Collaboration vs. Competition (42:37) Political and Cultural Barriers (46:44) Investing in Space-Based Solar Power | |||
| What Is Decentralized AI? | 07 Apr 2025 | 00:48:31 | |
Jihao Sun, co-founder of Flock.io, joins Mark and Jeremy to Think on Paper about decentralized AI. LLMs that trains locally, protect privacy, and reward users. They get into data ownership, blockchain-based training, and whether federated learning can really compete with centralized giants. If your data is building the next generation of AI, who’s it building it for? And why aren’t you in control? Please enjoy the show. And share with a curious friend. -- CHAPTERS (00:08) Introduction to Decentralized AI (01:33) The Importance of Decentralization in AI (04:40) Accessibility and Cost of AI Technology (07:53) Understanding Federated Learning (11:38) Challenges of Centralized AI Systems (14:30) Exploring Federated Learning in Banking (17:10) Blockchain's Role in Decentralized AI (20:45) Democratizing AI Development with Flock (26:49) Real-World Use Cases of Flock (32:56) The Evolution of Parenting and Technology (35:28) Decentralization vs Centralization in AI (36:31) Future of Decentralized AI Models (37:29) Understanding AI Hallucinations (41:23) The Role of Synthetic Data (44:59) Getting Involved with Decentralized AI (45:53) Staying Out of Your Own Way (47:03) Final Thoughts on Decentralization and AI -- Learn more:www.flock.io www.thinkingonpaper.xyz | |||
| Can AI Ever Be Conscious? - Irreducible, Federico Faggin (Chapter 3) | 03 Apr 2025 | 00:26:16 | |
We're reading Chapter 3 of Irreducible by Federico Faggin, and he argues that consciousness is rooted in the quantum nature of life, something potentially inaccessible to classical, deterministic machines. If that's true, AI consciousness is impossible. Faggin contrasts the symbolic processing of computers with the dynamic, self-organizing behavior of living systems. He suggests that real understanding isn’t just non-algorithmic, it may be inseparable from the quantum coherence found in biological life. Are we mistaking simulation for sentience? Please enjoy the show. And share with a conscious friend. -- Timestamps (00:00) Consciousness and Meditation (05:00) The Nature of Machines (09:56)Computers vs. Humans (15:50) Quantum Consciousness and Its Implications (20:49) The Evolution of Humanity vs. Machines -- Learn more: www.thinkingonpaper.xyz | |||
| How Hollywood Uses AI - David Bianchi on Building RZR Outside the Studio System | 31 Mar 2025 | 00:43:23 | |
When Hollywood passed on RZR, David Bianchi chose to build the series independently. He used NFTs to finance production, retained creative control, and incorporated AI tools such as Midjourney into the development process. The result was an Emmy-nominated science-fiction series created outside the traditional studio system. In this episode, Bianchi explains how Hollywood uses AI, where those tools are genuinely useful, and what independent creators can gain by controlling their funding, production and intellectual property. We discuss:
This is a conversation about AI in Hollywood, independent production and the economics of creative control. It examines what becomes possible when filmmakers use new technology without relying on the traditional studio model. -- Timestamps (00:00) Beyond Hollywood Gates: Funding Film with Web3 (05:28) TikTok to Emmy: Finding New Talent in the Digital Age (11:07) Own the Story: How NFTs are Changing Fan Engagement (22:42) AI vs. Artist? Democratizing Creativity on Screen (31:26) Dystopian Visions, Real Tech: Learning from Sci-Fi (37:53) Finding Calm in Chaos: Bianchi's Creative Process -- Learn more: www.thinkingonpaper.xyz | |||
| Lithium Mining: The High Stakes Gamble For Clean Energy | 23 May 2026 | 00:52:23 | |
Jennifer Dunn, professor of chemical engineering at Northwestern University, joins Thinking on Paper to explain how lithium and copper mining affect water, ecosystems, local communities and the wider energy transition. Lithium and copper are essential to electric vehicles, grid storage, renewable energy, drones and data centres. But the environmental consequences of extracting these minerals vary sharply depending on the mine, location, technology and supply chain. Life cycle assessment offers a way to compare those impacts across different forms of production, from lithium brines and hard-rock mining to copper extraction, refining and recycling. In this episode, we discuss:
Jennifer explains why no single measure can capture the full impact of a mine. Carbon emissions matter, but so do water availability, land use, waste, local ecology and the distribution of costs and benefits. This conversation examines whether clean energy can scale without transferring environmental harm from fossil-fuel systems to the communities that supply lithium, copper and other critical minerals.
Thinking on Paper is a technology podcast about AI, Space, quantum computing, science, and the systems shaping the future. 🏠 Buy us a beer on Substack 🎧 Remember steve jobs on APPLE 📺 Get the clips and outtakes on Instagram -- Chapters (00:00) Disruptors & Curious Minds (02:10) The Demand for Copper and Lithium (02:57) Environmental Impact of Mining (05:59) Water Consumption and Mining Methods (08:30) Community Concerns and Local Impact (11:29) Recycling and Wastewater Mining (14:04) Life Cycle Assessments in Mining (27:06) Understanding Emissions in Mining (29:45) Life Cycle Assessment: A Comparative Approach (34:05) Stakeholder Perspectives on Mining Impacts (37:42) Technology and Transparency in Mining (42:42) Consumer Awareness and Ethical Sourcing (48:55) Challenges in Quantifying Social Impacts | |||
| Federico Faggin Says The Universe Is Quantum Consciousness | 26 Mar 2025 | 00:34:22 | |
Is quantum based panpsychism a valid explanation of our experience? Is the universe made of conscious units know as seities? Does the universe want to know itself? Federico Faggin thinks so. It's a book club, captain, but not as we know it. Please enjoy the show. And share with a curious friend.
-- Timestamps (00:00) Exploring Consciousness and Reality (02:14) Federico's Background (03:15) The Evolution of Scientific Thought (05:59) The Nature of Quantum Reality (08:01) Understanding Axioms and Mathematics (10:41) The Interconnectedness of Existence (12:20) The Role of Measurement in Reality (17:44) The Nature of Particles and Consciousness (21:01 Non-Locality and Quantum Entanglement (24:39 Consciousness: The Knowing-Existing Loop (28:46) Machines vs. Conscious Beings (32:46) The Intersection of Consciousness and Reality -- Learn more and join the book club: www.thinkingonpaper.xyz -- Catch up on the next episodes of the Irreducible Book Club on YouTube: https://youtu.be/A0Ok3ObtwSk?si=n_pSgA_JIOS-BRKG | |||
| Sam Altman’s World ID: Can Iris Scans Prove You’re Human Online? | 19 Mar 2025 | 00:45:04 | |
Ajay Patel, Head of World ID at Tools for Humanity, joins Mark and Jeremy to discuss digital identity in the age of artificial intelligence. As AI-generated content spreads across the internet and bots become harder to distinguish from people, existing verification systems are starting to fail. CAPTCHAs are increasingly ineffective, while conventional identity checks often require users to hand over sensitive personal information. World ID proposes a different model: verifying that someone is a unique human without revealing their identity. The system combines iris biometrics, zero-knowledge proofs and decentralised infrastructure to create what Tools for Humanity describes as a privacy-preserving proof of personhood. In this episode, we discuss:
The conversation examines the technical design, privacy concerns and wider implications of World ID. It also asks a more fundamental question: what kind of internet remains when proving you’re human becomes difficult? Please enjoy the episode and share it with someone interested in AI, digital identity and online privacy. – Timestamps (00:00) Intro: Future of Digital Identity & AI Challenges (01:15) Meet Ajay Patel: Head of World ID at Tools for Humanity (01:44) WorldID: Why Digital Identity Matters in the Age of AI (05:40) Global Digital Identity for 8 Billion Humans (07:38) AI in 2025: How Advanced is AI Really? (08:17) AI Bypassing CAPTCHA: The Security Crisis (12:54) ZK Proofs Explained: Privacy-Preserving Tech Behind World ID (15:20) How World ID’s Iris Scan Works (No Data Stored!) (18:54) World ID Data Security: Breaking Down Multi-Party Computation (22:56) Hot Button Q&A: Apple vs Android, AGI Threats, & More (24:19) World ID Use Cases: Gaming, Voting, & Anti-Bot Systems (25:13) Exclusive: World ID x Razer to End Gaming Cheats (30:56) AI Hype vs Reality: Are Bots Just “Yes Men on Servers”? (35:35) Decentralizing World ID: Open Protocol, No Corporate Control (38:15) Question for Next Guest: Hollywood’s David Bianchi on AI & Art – Thank you for Thinking On Paper. Your future self will thank you. | |||
| Nexus: Yuval Noah Harari on AI, Digital Empires and the Silicon Curtain | 18 Mar 2025 | 00:30:02 | |
In the final chapter of Nexus, Yuval Noah Harari argues that artificial intelligence could divide the world into competing digital empires, each built on separate hardware, software, data and political systems. Mark and Jeremy examine Harari’s idea of a “Silicon Curtain” and what it could mean for the future of AI, geopolitics and the internet. Rather than producing one shared technological future, AI may accelerate the fragmentation of the global information system. In this episode, we discuss:
This episode isn’t primarily about artificial general intelligence. It’s about who controls AI systems, how those systems shape perception, and whether a shared global information order can survive. Please enjoy the show. – Chapters (00:00) Disruptors and curious minds (01:54) My AI Epiphany (02:54) The precondition for cooperation isn't similarity. It's the ability to exchange information (04:28) AI Pessimism - How many nefarious bad actors do you need (05:50) The Liverpool Manchester Train moment for AI (06:48) Google was an AI company in 2002 (08:21) Cats and consciousness (08:55) ImageNet Large Scale Visual Recognition Challenge (11:50) The mind-body problem and online identities (15:26) Veneer theory and realism (17:22) Data colonialism and digital "cocoons" (21:58) Epilogue: Create wiser networks (24:13) How to be wise in the age of AI -- Read books with us: www.thinkingonpaper.xyz | |||
| Nexus: Yuval Noah Harari on AI, Dictatorships and the Future of Authoritarian Power | 14 Mar 2025 | 00:11:01 | |
In Chapter 10 of Nexus, Yuval Noah Harari examines whether artificial intelligence will strengthen authoritarian regimes or expose weaknesses within them. Dictatorships rely on fear, loyalty and centralised control. AI feels no fear, has no political allegiance and can process information at a scale no human bureaucracy can match. That could make it an effective tool for surveillance and censorship. It could also create new problems for regimes that depend on controlling what their institutions know and say. In this episode of the Thinking on Paper Book Club, Mark and Jeremy discuss AI, dictatorship and the structure of authoritarian power. We cover:
AI could give authoritarian governments more control over citizens, institutions and information. But it could also make their internal contradictions harder to contain. This episode asks whether AI will become the most powerful instrument of dictatorship yet, or a source of instability that authoritarian leaders cannot fully control. Please enjoy the book club. – CHAPTERS (00:00) Disruptors and curious minds (00:21) AI spectrum of doom - utopia (02:10) Damnatio memoriae (04:28) The Alignment Problem Russian Style (06:45) Self correcting mechanisms for totalitarian nut-jobs (09:05) Super Machiavellian AI (09:51) The Russell-Einstein Manifesto – Read books with us - www.thinkingonpaper.xyz Like, subscribe, tell a friend. | |||
| Why Web3 Marketing Failed: Diego Borgo on Brand Strategy, AI and Blockchain | 06 Mar 2025 | 00:43:13 | |
Diego Borgo has helped develop Web3 strategies for brands including Adidas, Porsche and Mastercard. In this episode, he explains why many corporate blockchain and NFT projects failed, and what brands should do differently. Much of Web3 marketing prioritised hype, technical jargon and short-term attention over clear customer value. Brands launched tokens, NFT collections and online communities without establishing why their audiences should care or how the technology supported a broader business strategy. Diego joins Mark and Jeremy to examine what went wrong and how marketers can approach emerging technologies more effectively. We discuss:
This episode is a practical discussion about Web3 marketing, brand strategy and emerging technology. It’s intended for marketers, strategists and executives deciding whether blockchain, AI or digital ownership belongs in their business. Please enjoy the show. -- Follow Diego: https://x.com/don_borgo -- Chapters (00:00) Disruptors And Curious Minds (00:35) The Problem With Web3 (01:56) Welcome To The Show Diego Borgo (02:19) Simplifying Web3 for Your Family (06:14) Audience Infrastructure in Web3 - What Did Brands Get Wrong? (09:52) Short-Term vs Long-Term Brand Strategies (12:31) The Web3 Echo Chamber (14:53) Meet People Where They Are (16:56) Web3 On-boarding Is Patronizing (17:58) Hot Buttons (19:04) What Has Diego Changed His Mind About Regarding AI (23:08) Decentralized AI (28:19) Trust (30:31) Follow On Question: AI And Blockchain Scaling (32:54) UBI And Diego's Question For WorldID (35:11) Backstage After Show -- Full episodes and archives: www.thinkingonpaper.xyz Watch On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thinkingonpaper/videos -- | |||
| How IonQ’s Trapped-Ion Quantum Computers Work: Coleman Collins on Qubits, Fidelity and Quantum Advantage | 28 Feb 2025 | 00:54:09 | |
Coleman Collins, Director of Product at IonQ, joins Thinking on Paper to explain how trapped-ion quantum computers work and why IonQ believes they offer a credible path towards useful quantum computing. IonQ builds its systems using individual atoms held in place and controlled with lasers. This differs from the superconducting, neutral-atom, photonic and topological approaches being pursued by companies including IBM, Google, Microsoft and D-Wave. In this episode, Coleman discusses how these competing quantum-computing architectures should be evaluated and why headline qubit counts reveal little about a machine’s practical performance. We cover:
We also examine Microsoft’s Majorana-based strategy, the limitations of current quantum hardware and the difference between measurable technical progress and corporate claims. This is a practical discussion about IonQ, trapped-ion quantum computing and the race to build commercially useful quantum computers. Please enjoy the show. -- Chapters: (00:00) Introduction to Quantum Computing and IonQ (02:17) Understanding Trapped Ion Quantum Computing (04:57) DiVincenzo's 5-Step Criteria for Quantum Computers (07:31) The Natural Aspect of Quantum Computing (10:01) Algorithmic Qubits vs Physical Qubits (12:49) Achieving Quantum Advantage (15:04) Investment Trends in Quantum Computing (17:44) The Role of Education in Quantum Investment (20:40) Hot Buttons (25:57) Topological Quantum (30:47) Microsoft's Majorana Quantum Chip (34:09) Engaging Developers in Quantum (36:59) Hybrid Quantum Computing and Integration (38:55) The Quantum Promised Land (41:19) Can Quantum Hack Bitcoin? (45:09) Could Quantum Currency Exist? -- www.thinkingonpaper.xyz | |||
| Can AI Data Centers Work in Space? StarCloud Co-Founder Philip Johnston Explains | 26 Feb 2025 | 00:42:19 | |
Philip Johnston, co-founder of StarCloud, joins Mark and Jeremy to explain how the company plans to build AI data centers in space. StarCloud is developing orbital computing infrastructure designed to run large numbers of GPUs using solar power. Instead of relying on water-based cooling systems, the company plans to remove heat through large space radiators and transmit data between orbit and Earth using optical links. The economics of the idea depend heavily on falling launch costs. As reusable rockets reduce the cost of reaching low Earth orbit, companies such as StarCloud are exploring whether energy-intensive computing could eventually be moved away from terrestrial power grids and data centers. In this episode, we discuss:
Philip also explains why StarCloud believes space-based computing could support the growing demand for AI infrastructure without placing the same pressure on terrestrial electricity grids and water supplies. The conversation examines whether orbital computing is a practical extension of cloud infrastructure or an ambitious response to problems that are still cheaper to solve on Earth. Please enjoy the show and share it with a curious friend. -- Chapters (00:00) The impact of earth based compute (03:09) Data centers in space (08:36) Conquering Latency Challenges in Space (10:32) Modular Space Infrastructure (16:03) How much do space based data centers cost? (19:46) Manufacturing Beyond Earth's Boundaries (26:00) Reusability and space junk (26:15) GPUs in Orbit (28:52) Future Tech Rapid-Fire Questions (29:55) 5 Billion Humanoids (32:35) Addressing Space Skepticism (33:41) Quantum Computing's Orbital Advantage The Humanoid Difference (37:20) Where Are All the Aliens? Exploring the Fermi Paradox (38:35) Behind the Scenes -- Other ways to connect with us:
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| Can Democracy Survive AI? Yuval Noah Harari on Jobs, Creativity and Data | 21 Feb 2025 | 00:47:54 | |
In Chapter 9 of Nexus, Yuval Noah Harari examines whether democracy can survive the data age and what happens when artificial intelligence begins to compete with humans in work, creativity and decision-making. Mark and Jeremy discuss Harari’s argument that AI could disrupt intellectual professions before many manual jobs. They also examine whether the deeper risk is not simply unemployment, but the loss of human agency, economic independence and purpose. The episode explores four principles Harari proposes for democratic societies adapting to AI: benevolence, decentralisation, mutuality and rest. These principles are intended to limit concentrated power, distribute control and give institutions time to understand technologies before adopting them at scale. In this episode, we discuss:
This isn’t only a discussion about whether AI will replace jobs. It’s about who controls the systems that make decisions, how democratic societies can hold those systems accountable, and what remains uniquely human when machines can produce language, images and ideas at scale. -- TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Tech optimism( 01:29) Chapter 9 first impressions (03:14) The race for raw materials (06:02) Benevolence, decentralization, mutuality, change & rest (15:30) Automation assumptions are wrong (18:18) Motor skills and social skills in 2050 (20:06) The flexible superpower (23:11) Creativity: the last refuge of the human condition (26:53) Does AI have exceptional test? (28:50) Reverse creativity (31:45) Go "Move 37" (33:52) Bank algorithm says no (37:15) Your AI girlfriend -- Learn more: https://www.thinkingonpaper.xyz/technology-book-club/ | |||
| How AI Satellites Detect Wildfires and Monitor Earth in Real Time | 20 Feb 2025 | 00:55:22 | |
Fintan Buckley, CEO of Ubotica, joins Thinking on Paper to explain how artificial intelligence is changing the way satellites observe Earth, detect disasters and make decisions in orbit. Traditional Earth-observation satellites often collect data and send it back to ground stations for processing. Ubotica is developing onboard AI systems that can analyse images in space, identify relevant events and transmit useful information without waiting for the full dataset to reach Earth. This could reduce the time needed to detect wildfires, monitor environmental changes and respond to maritime incidents. It also raises questions about surveillance, military use and how much decision-making should be delegated to autonomous systems. In this episode, we discuss:
Fintan explains where onboard satellite computing is already being used, what technical limitations remain and how close the industry is to deploying more autonomous systems in orbit. The conversation examines both sides of AI-powered Earth observation: its potential to improve disaster response and environmental monitoring, and the risks created when satellites can analyse, prioritise and act on information with limited human involvement. Please enjoy the show. -- 📌 Stay Connected: 🌍 Website: ThinkingOnPaper.xyz 📩 Email: hello@thinkingonpaper.xyz 🎧 Podcast: Available on all platforms 🔔 Subscribe for sharp, no-fluff insights on AI, space, and the future of technology. | |||
| What Is the AI Alignment Problem? Yuval Noah Harari on When Machines Follow Orders Too Well | 15 Feb 2025 | 00:43:33 | |
In Chapter 8 of Nexus, Yuval Noah Harari examines the AI alignment problem: how to ensure that artificial intelligence acts in ways that support human goals without causing harmful or unintended consequences. The central risk isn’t necessarily that AI will rebel. A system can follow its instructions accurately and still produce disastrous results because its objective is incomplete, poorly defined or detached from the context in which it operates. Mark and Jeremy discuss Harari’s examples of obedience, incentives and unintended outcomes, from Stalin-era loyalty tests to modern recommendation algorithms. In this episode, we discuss:
The episode distinguishes between rogue AI and a more immediate problem: systems that pursue the goals humans give them without understanding the values, trade-offs and consequences behind those goals. AI alignment isn’t only about stopping machines from disobeying us. It’s about deciding what we should ask them to do, how those objectives should be interpreted and who bears responsibility when the result causes harm. Please enjoy the show. -- Timestamps [00:00] Introduction: Books That Change Minds [01:04] Diving into Nexus Chapter 8 [01:37] The Stalin Test: When Applause Becomes Terror [06:11] Evolution of AI Principles [07:45] Understanding the Attention Economy [08:45] How AI Targets Our Limbic System [09:29] Inside Facebook: The Leaked Reports [11:49] Napoleon's Warning for AI[ 15:55] The AI Alignment Problem Explained [17:49] Racing Against Time: Human Goals vs. Doomsday Clock [20:04] The Power of Divergent Thinking [21:50] Understanding Deontology in AI Ethics [26:55] Can Mythology Guide AI? [27:54] Exploring Inter-computer Realities [33:50] Why Asimov's Laws Won't Save Us [38:31] NPCs & The Future of Digital Consciousness | |||
| AGI: Will Superintelligence Replace The Wall Street Banker? | 18 May 2026 | 00:07:27 | |
Anders Sandberg examines whether artificial general intelligence could manage the global economy more effectively than human institutions. A sufficiently capable AI system might coordinate markets, allocate resources, interpret legal rules and respond to complex global problems faster than governments or companies. Greater efficiency, however, wouldn’t necessarily mean greater freedom. In this short excerpt from a longer Thinking on Paper conversation, Anders discusses:
The central question isn’t simply whether AGI could run economic systems better. It’s whether humans would still control the goals, rules and trade-offs behind those systems. This is a short from a much longer conversation with Anders Sandberg about superintelligence, governance and the future of human decision-making. -- Thinking on Paper is a technology podcast about AI, quantum, space and their impacts on society, business and culture. It's very good. 🏠 Buy us a beer on Substack | |||
| What Are Smart Transactions? How STXN Is Trying to Fix Ethereum’s Failed Transactions | 14 Feb 2025 | 00:55:43 | |
Boris Mamlyuk and Anuj Dasgupta, founders of STXN, join Thinking on Paper to explain how smart transactions could make Ethereum easier to use. Standard blockchain transactions execute immediately under fixed conditions. Users often have limited control over when a transaction runs, what fees they’ll pay or what happens if market conditions change before execution. Failed transactions can still consume gas, leaving users with a fee but no completed action. STXN is developing programmable transactions that allow users and applications to define how, when and under what conditions blockchain activity should occur. In this episode, we discuss:
Boris and Anuj also explain why existing crypto products remain difficult for ordinary users and how programmable execution could support payments, decentralised finance and automated blockchain applications. The conversation examines whether smart transactions can reduce failed execution, wasted gas fees and the complexity that continues to limit Ethereum adoption. -- 🎧 Listen now and stay ahead of the next wave of blockchain innovation. 🔗 Get the STXN app & learn more: STXN.io 🔗 Follow Us: www.thinkingonpaper.xyz -- Timestamps: (00:00) Ethereum’s biggest problem? -- #ethereum #blockchain | |||
| How AI Surveillance Works: Yuval Noah Harari on Metadata, Social Credit and Predictive Control | 31 Jan 2025 | 00:38:39 | |
In Chapter 7 of Nexus, Yuval Noah Harari examines how artificial intelligence is transforming surveillance from passive observation into continuous analysis, prediction and control. Mark and Jeremy discuss how governments, companies and digital platforms collect data through phones, cameras, apps, online reviews and everyday transactions. AI makes it possible to combine these signals, identify patterns and act on them at a scale that older surveillance systems couldn’t match. In this episode, we discuss:
The central issue isn’t simply whether devices are listening or cameras are recording. It’s what happens when AI systems can connect that information, infer intent and influence decisions before people know they’re being judged. This episode examines the growth of AI surveillance and the political, commercial and personal consequences of living inside systems that continuously measure human behaviour. -- Timestamps (00:00) Disruptors and curious minds (02:04) Apple, Siri And Your €20 Privacy (03:40) Ceausescu And The Secret Police (05:24) F.E.A.R (06:22) Why Does Yuval Reference Dictators In Nexus? (08:02) A Warning (11:22 A Ubiquitous Computer Network Powered By You (14:50) The NSA And Iran (19:36) The End Of Privacy (20:56) Tripadvisor And Peer-to-peer surveillance (24:59) Inflection Point (26:41) People Control( 28:57) Black Mirror And Hell (31:06) AI School: No Human In The Loop -- Read more: www.thinkingonpaper.xyz Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thinkingonpaper/videos | |||
| How AI Shapes Beliefs: Yuval Noah Harari on Algorithms, Stories and Human Manipulation | 29 Jan 2025 | 00:41:23 | |
In Chapter 6 of Nexus, Yuval Noah Harari examines how artificial intelligence could shape human beliefs, political movements, religions and scientific ideas. Mark and Jeremy discuss the difference between technologies that distribute human ideas and AI systems that can generate new stories, arguments, images and relationships. Unlike the printing press, AI doesn’t simply reproduce information. It can create content, adapt it to individual users and participate directly in human culture. In this episode, we discuss:
The central concern isn’t that AI will directly control the human mind. It’s that systems optimised for attention, persuasion and engagement could steadily shape what people believe without being recognised as political or cultural actors. This episode examines how AI-generated information could change human agency, public debate and the institutions societies use to decide what’s true. -- TIMESTAMPS (00:00) Nexus, Yuval Noah Harari (00:53) Jeremy's First Impressions On Chapter 6 (02:13) The A.I. Powershift (03:22) Social Media Algorithms (08:51) People Are Manipulated By Stories (09:38) Intelligence Verses Consciousness (12:23) (ARC) The Alignment Research Centre (16:12) ChatGPT4 Lied To Get What It Wanted (20:26) Non-human Alien Intelligence (21:10) The Matrix V 1984 (23:07) Marjory Taylor Green (25:25) Having A Relationship With A.I. (27:40) The Oracle And The End Of Human History (30:10) Is ChatGPT Is An Amoeba (32:43)) Alice And Bob (37:24) Big Tech And Government -- Quotes From The Show: “AI lied to get what it wanted.” (On GPT-4 deceiving a human to bypass CAPTCHA—shows AI’s ability to manipulate.) “We love shortcuts—so what happens when AI becomes the ultimate shortcut to critical thinking?” (Raises the concern that AI might erode human judgment.) “How would you feel to be constantly monitored, guided, inspired, or sanctioned by billions of non-human entities?” (A direct challenge to the audience about AI’s omnipresence.) “Tech giants don’t just respond to regulations—they shape them.” (A stark reminder of AI’s influence beyond technology, into policy and power structures.) -- Watch On YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPcQ4UG-v6I&ab_channel=ThinkingOnPaper Learn More:www.thinkingonpaper.xyz #ai #technews #bookclub #nexus #yuval | |||
| How to Stay Valuable in the Age of AI: Packy McCormick on Why the Most Human Wins | 27 Jan 2025 | 00:38:16 | |
AI can now produce text, images, analysis and software at low cost. That weakens the value of work built around repeatable processes, standard templates and easily replicated outputs. In his latest Not Boring essay Packy McCormick argues that people will remain valuable by developing qualities that are harder to automate: judgement, originality, humour, emotional intelligence, physical experience and a distinct point of view. In this episode, we discuss:
The argument isn’t that humans can compete with AI by producing more work or completing it faster. It’s that value shifts when competent output becomes widely available. This conversation examines what people, founders and creators can offer when execution is cheap, templates are everywhere and machines can reproduce the average. -- SHOW LINKS: Download the Not Boring strategy guide - https://www.notboring.co/ Join your people: www.thinkingonpaper.xyz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thinkingonpaperpodcast/ Watch On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPEusidDNO4&t=645s&ab_channel=ThinkingOnPaper -- Timestamps (00:00) Disruptors And Curious Minds (00:43) Not Boring Newsletter (02:00) Is AI Really Taking Our Jobs? (03:07) Commoditization Of Human Skills (05:12) The Ingredients Of Outputs Are Changing (07:39) Abstraction: Aim Higher (09:29) Be A Business, Man (10:24) Advice For Parents (11:00) AI Collateral Damage (12:52) The Value Of Ideas (13:54) Know Yourself (14:38) Differentiation And Michael Porter's Competitive Strategy (17:00) Will We Be More Human? (18:10) Hot Buttons (20:13) When Resources Are Scarce: Move Up The Stack (21:22) Who Turned Off The Funny Button? (23:10) How Do You Find Scarce? (27:19) Creativity For Everyone (29:15) I Hate Perfect (32:55) The US V UK AI Comparison (35:24) The Energy Cost-- #ai #notboring #packymccormick | |||
| How Information Creates Power: Yuval Noah Harari on Democracy, Propaganda and AI | 21 Jan 2025 | 00:37:53 | |
In Chapter 5 of Nexus, Yuval Noah Harari examines how information networks shape political power, from ancient empires and mass propaganda to social media and artificial intelligence. Mark and Jeremy discuss why information doesn’t automatically produce truth, and how both democracies and totalitarian systems use stories, institutions and communication technologies to organise society. The central issue is who controls the network, who can challenge its claims and whether errors can be corrected. In this episode, we discuss:
Harari’s argument is that the struggle between democracy and totalitarianism is partly a struggle between different kinds of information networks. Democracies tolerate competing accounts and mechanisms for correcting mistakes. Dictatorships concentrate control and punish contradiction. This conversation examines what happens when AI systems begin producing political messages, filtering information and influencing public opinion at a scale no earlier propaganda system could achieve. -- TIMESTAMPS (00:00) Disruptors and book lovers (00:34) Chapter 5 summary (01:14) Jeremy's first impressions (01:53) The difference between democracy and totalitarianism (03:58) Flipping democracy (05:01) Populism (09:34) A brief history of democracy (12:23) Scale and Ancient Rome (14:56) What is meaningful discourse? (16:10) Do people like being governed? (18:43) The rise of the pamphlet (20:30) The spectrum of democracy (24:27) Totalitarianism (25:54) Don't be Stalin's general (30:00) Will AI be democratic or a dictator? (30:58) Book clubs as self-correcting mechanisms (33:24) Will AI remove the human from the loop? -- Read more books: www.thinkingonpaper.xyz #AIethics #emergingtechnology #nexus #AI | |||
| How Quantum Computing Could Help Solve Climate Change, Medicine and Energy | 21 Jan 2025 | 00:50:41 | |
Kathrin Spendier, Technical Prize Director at XPRIZE, joins Thinking on Paper to explain how quantum computing could contribute to climate science, medicine, energy and materials discovery. She also discusses the $5 million Quantum XPRIZE, a three-year global competition designed to move quantum algorithms beyond theory and towards practical applications. The competition brings together hundreds of teams working on problems that could eventually benefit from quantum computation. In this episode, we discuss:
Kathrin explains the difference between theoretical quantum advantage and applications that could create measurable value in the real world. This conversation examines whether quantum computing can move from laboratory progress to useful tools for science, industry and some of humanity’s most difficult technical problems. Please enjoy the show. Timestamps (00:00) - Welcome Disruptors and Curious Minds (02:10) - Meet Kathrin Spendier: XPRIZE Technical Prize Director (04:42) - Quantum vs. Classical Computing: What’s the Difference?(07:26) - What Is XPRIZE and How Does It Drive Innovation? (14:50) - The Challenges Tackled by the Quantum XPRIZE (17:20) - Quantum Algorithms(27:14) - Who’s Competing in the Quantum XPRIZE?(29:18) - The $5 Million XPRIZE Purse: Why That Amount?(32:17) - Hot Buttons: Rapid-Fire Quantum Insights(33:44) - Are We Living in a Simulation? (33:58) - Top Quantum News and Industry Updates(36:00) - Scaling Quantum Computing(38:12) - Google’s Willow Chip and the Importance of Error Correction(47:16) - Carry-Over Question: How Can Technology Serve Social Good?(49:42) - Mark & Jeremy Reflect: Backstage Thoughts on Quantum and XPRIZE-- Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJi7aP5B69A&ab_channel=ThinkingOnPaper | |||
| How Information Systems Shape Truth and Power: Yuval Noah Harari on Religion, Books and AI | 15 Jan 2025 | 00:42:06 | |
In Chapter 4 of Nexus, Yuval Noah Harari examines how information systems shape belief, authority and our understanding of truth. Mark and Jeremy discuss how religious texts, books and institutions created durable systems for organising knowledge and legitimising power. They also examine the difference between traditions that claim access to unquestionable truth and the scientific method, which treats human error as unavoidable and correction as essential. In this episode, we discuss:
Harari’s argument is that information systems don’t merely describe reality. They also create the stories, institutions and categories through which people interpret it. This conversation examines what religion, books, witch trials and science reveal about the relationship between truth and power, and what those lessons mean in an age increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence. -- TIMESTAMPS(00:00) Book Lovers(00:32) Shakespeare(01:53) The most important function of religion(02:19) Upsetting the catholic church(03:22) Fear, security and mechanisms of control(04:28) The Big Lebowski(05:11) God, religion and self-correcting errors(06:26) The Oracle Of Delphi(08:10) The Russian Doll / Telephone Game(09:04) Bible building by committee(11:31) The Ship Of Theseus (13:47) The role of women in church(15:52) Idiot Human(17:00) Heinrich Kramer and the birth of witch hunting(19:39) Satanic Conspiracy(23:44) Science and the discovery of ignorance(25:55) Parenting Lessons from science(31:24) To understand AI, do you have to understand religion?(35:00) Self-learning V self-correcting(39:04) Will AI ever have EGO? Learn more: www.thinkingonpaper.xyz Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUBij_kyIEc&ab_channel=ThinkingOnPaper | |||
| How AI and Virtual Reality Will Change Entertainment: Wevr on the Future of Immersive Media | 16 Dec 2024 | 00:56:10 | |
Anthony Batt and Neville Spiteri, co-founders of Wevr, join Thinking on Paper to discuss how artificial intelligence and virtual reality could change entertainment, communication and digital creativity. Wevr develops immersive experiences that combine interactive design, real-time computing and virtual environments. Drawing on careers spanning visual effects, gaming, VR and early internet platforms, Anthony and Neville explain what’s required to make digital experiences feel convincing rather than merely visual. A central concept is presence: the feeling of occupying and interacting with a virtual environment. As AI improves the responsiveness of digital characters, worlds and interfaces, immersive media could become more adaptive, social and personalised. In this episode, we discuss:
Anthony and Neville also explain how advances in hardware, artificial intelligence and real-time rendering are bringing interactive digital experiences closer to mainstream use. This conversation examines how AI and VR could reshape the way media is created, experienced and shared, and whether immersive entertainment can produce forms of connection that conventional screens cannot. Please enjoy the show. --TIMESTAMPS(00:24) Craigslist(01:58) VFX Gaming & Unreal Game Engine(06:00) 3 Years In AI (09:32) What Will You Be Doing With AI In 3 Years?(13:47) Wevr: 10 Year In Emerging Technology(14:17) The True Immersive Experience(16:12) Collapsing Virtual Space(18:01) When You Are Not You(20:00) Shared Immersive Experience(20:33) Presence: The Missing Ingredient Of Virtual Worlds(24:27) Swimming With Whales In VR(28:47) If We Live 300 Years, Will You Be Bored?(31:30) The Cinematic Virtual Experience(37:13) Storytelling Machines(40:29) Virtual Brand World Building(45:35) Curiosity(48:02) Can I Be In Reservoir Dogs?(50:11) Harry Potter: VR Modes-- Learn more:www.thinkingonpaper.xyz Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thinkingonpaper/videos | |||
| How Stories and Bureaucracy Create Power: Yuval Noah Harari on Information Networks | 11 Dec 2024 | 00:36:08 | |
In Chapter 3 of Nexus, Yuval Noah Harari examines how stories, documents and bureaucratic systems allow large societies to organise information and exercise power. Mark and Jeremy discuss the shift from oral storytelling to written records, lists and administrative systems. Stories help people create shared beliefs, while documents turn those beliefs into laws, institutions, identities and systems of control. In this episode, we discuss:
The central question is whether humans control the systems they create or gradually become shaped by their rules, categories and records. This conversation examines how storytelling creates shared meaning, how bureaucracy converts meaning into organised power, and what these systems can teach us about artificial intelligence and the future of information. --Timestamps(00:00) Book Lovers(00:39) William Shakespeare(02:46) Nations Are Intersubjective Realities(04:31) Dreams, Songs And Fantasies (05:53) Writing As The Catalyst For Bureaucracy(07:34) Stories Are Intersubjective Realities(09:39) Computer Says No(11:21) Alan Watts And A Conversation With Myself(14:34) Are Humans Organised?(19:30) Movies About Bureaucracy(21:31) Emergent Systems(24:44) Non Human Information Gets To Jeremy(30:10) Disinformation Debunking -- | |||
| How Stories Create Shared Reality: Yuval Noah Harari on Trust, Nations and Corporations | 29 Nov 2024 | 00:57:51 | |
In Chapter 2 of Nexus, Yuval Noah Harari examines how stories allow humans to build trust, organise large societies and create shared realities. Mark Fielding and Jeremy Gilbertson discuss why religions, nations, corporations, currencies and political systems depend on collective belief. These institutions aren’t imaginary in the sense of being unimportant. They become powerful because enough people accept the same story and act accordingly. Guest Mustafa Quadri joins the discussion to explore how narratives connect strangers and coordinate behaviour across large groups. In this episode, we discuss:
The central argument is that large societies don’t function through facts alone. They also depend on stories that give institutions meaning, create expectations and persuade strangers to cooperate. This conversation examines how shared narratives become social, political and economic power, and why understanding them matters in an age of digital platforms and artificial intelligence. Please enjoy the show.
Learn more at Thinking on Paper | |||
| NASA Scientist Explains The Dangers Of Moon Dust | 15 May 2026 | 00:05:14 | |
NASA scientist Philip Metzger joins Thinking on Paper to explain why Moon dust and rocket exhaust create a major engineering problem for future lunar missions. When a spacecraft lands on the Moon, its engines can accelerate dust and rocks across the surface at high speed. That material can damage nearby equipment, including solar panels, telescopes, antennas, sensors and thermal-control systems. The problem becomes more serious as NASA, SpaceX and other organisations plan larger landers, permanent bases and more frequent missions. Every landing could threaten infrastructure already operating on the lunar surface. In this episode, we discuss:
Philip explains why lunar dust isn’t a minor operational inconvenience. It’s a systems-level problem that affects spacecraft design, base planning, scientific equipment and the rules governing activity on the Moon. This conversation examines one of the least visible challenges facing lunar exploration: how to land safely without damaging the infrastructure needed to remain there. -- Thinking on Paper is a technology podcast about AI, Space, quantum computing, science, and the systems shaping the future. 🏠 Buy us a beer on Substack: https://thinkingonpaperpodcast.substack.com/ 🎧 Take us with you on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/00volKqMsQntToeho35W47 🎧 Remember steve jobs on APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thinking-on-paper/id1713227258 📺 Get the clips and outtakes on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/toptechpodcast/ | |||
| What Is Information? Yuval Noah Harari on Networks, Truth, Power and AI | 21 Nov 2024 | 00:39:24 | |
In the opening episode of the Thinking on Paper Book Club, Mark Fielding and Jeremy Gilbertson begin reading Yuval Noah Harari’s Nexus and examine its central question: what is information, and how has it shaped human history? The discussion moves from ancient myths and religious stories to political institutions, mass media and artificial intelligence. Harari argues that human societies are built through information networks that allow large groups to cooperate, but these networks don’t always produce truth. In this episode, we discuss:
This is a live and unscripted book-club discussion. Mark and Jeremy test Harari’s ideas rather than simply summarising them, asking where his arguments hold up and where they require more scrutiny. The episode introduces the main themes of Nexus: information, networks, truth, power and the growing role of AI in human society. Please enjoy the show. -- Timestamps TIMESTAMPS(00:00) - Welcome: Disruptors and Curious Minds, CEOs, Founders, and Book Lovers(00:50) - Revisiting Previous Books in the Thinking On Paper Book Club(01:08) - Exploring the Brief History of Information Networks(01:33) - Debate: Dust Jackets on Books - Yes or No?(02:40) - Insights from the Nexus Prologue(03:08) - Is Yuval Noah Harari’s Perspective Too Dramatic?(04:54) - The Naïve View of Information Explained(05:58) - The Growing Spectre of Artificial Intelligence(06:48) - Understanding Delusional Networks in Human History(10:03) - Exploring the Relationship Between Truth, Wisdom, and Power(13:52) - Yuval Noah Harari's Definition: What Is Information?(16:58) - The Story of Cher Ami: Information as the Transfer of a Story(17:36) - Most Information Does Not Represent Anything – What Does That Mean?(19:49) - Misinformation, Disinformation, and the Dove of Peace(21:37) - Why Truth Is Not the Same as Reality(28:00) - Music as a Medium of Information and Communication(29:26) - AI-Generated Art and the Importance of Micro Decisions(31:07) - Music, Silence, and the Information You Don't Say(34:57) - Information in the Context of Quantum Mechanics | |||
| How AI Safety Testing Works: Leonard Tang on Red Teaming ChatGPT and Claude | 20 Nov 2024 | 00:55:13 | |
Leonard Tang, founder and CEO of Haize Labs, joins Thinking on Paper to explain how AI models are tested for safety, reliability and predictable behaviour. Systems such as ChatGPT and Claude can perform well under standard evaluations while still failing in unexpected ways when deployed in healthcare, finance, education or other high-stakes environments. Haize Labs develops testing and evaluation tools designed to identify those vulnerabilities before AI systems reach users. In this episode, we discuss:
Leonard explains why AI safety can’t be reduced to a single test or universal code of conduct. A model used for medical advice faces different risks from one used in education, financial services or customer support. This conversation examines how developers and organisations can test AI systems more rigorously, identify failures before deployment and build models that behave more reliably in real-world conditions. -- TIMESTAMPS (00:00) - Disruptors and Curious Minds(01:07) - Our Sponsor: Conviction (01:50) - Introducing Leonard Tang: AI CEO and Founder(03:37) - The Importance of AI Safety: What’s at Stake in AI Development?(06:21) - Using Mathematics and Modeling to Understand Human Behaviour in AI(08:12) - Why Are Technologists So Often Musicians?(11:06) - Language, Culture, and AI(17:05) - Common Misconceptions About AI: What People Get Wrong(19:20) - The Dartmouth Conference: Birth of AI and Its Lasting Impact(19:55) - Claude and ChatGPT Pre-training: What Do The Models Go Through?(25:20) - An Alan Watts AI Model for Enhanced Understanding(28:33) - Claude vs ChatGPT: Comparing AI Models and Performance(31:44) - AI Jailbreak Detection(33:25) - How Dreamlike Images Enhance AI Safety and Trustworthiness(38:20) - Top-Down vs Bottom-Up AI Development: Approaches to Building Safer AI(42:55) - Protecting Artists, Intellectual Property, and Art in the Age of AI(48:20) - Developing an AI Code of Conduct for Ethical AI Usage(49:45) - A Message for Veteran AI Stars(52:35) - Restructuring Education for Critical Thinking in the Age of AI(54:16) - Book Club Live-- Quotes from the show:"We need to rigorously test AI models to discover all their vulnerabilities, failure modes, and gotchas before they get deployed in production.""AI is a technology of language, and inevitably, it will empower us to merge cultures.""We’re trying to get AI to be a little more mature, a little more sophisticated, and just more reliable.""What we’re interested in is enforcing an AI code of conduct for specific applications, making AI systems tightly aligned with the needs of their use cases.""People in legacy industries are underestimating AI’s potential, while Silicon Valley is often overhyping it."--🔗 More:Visit Haize Labs: https://haizelabs.com/Visit Thinking On Paper: https://www.thinkingonpaper.xyz/ Instagram | |||
| How AI Is Changing Animation: Toonstar on Faster Production, Lower Costs and Fan-Owned Stories | 11 Nov 2024 | 01:00:41 | |
John Attanasio and Luisa Huang, founders of Toonstar, join Thinking on Paper to explain how artificial intelligence is changing animation production, audience development and storytelling. Traditional animation is expensive and slow to produce. Toonstar uses AI-assisted tools to reduce production time and costs while keeping writers, animators and performers involved in the creative process. The company has produced projects including StEvEn & Parker and The Gimmicks, an animated series developed with Mila Kunis. In this episode, we discuss:
John and Luisa explain how Toonstar develops concepts in public, measures audience response and adapts productions more quickly than conventional studios. This conversation examines whether AI can make animation cheaper and more responsive without reducing it to automated content, and how creators can give audiences a meaningful role in the stories they support. Please enjoy the show. -- Timestamps TIMESTAMPS(00:00) Disruptors And Curious Minds(00:54) Why Beavis & Butthead Changed Animation For Mark(02:18) AI Animation Technology Explained(02:45) Disney & Warner Bros Executives on AI(04:21) Future of Animated TV Shows(05:03) Traditional Animation Process Explained(08:52) Creating Animated Characters in 2024(10:49) Can AI Write Stories? (12:47) AI Animation Tools and Software(14:15) Toonstar Animation Technology (17:46) Animation Production Costs Today(19:26) Mila Kunis Web3 Animation Project The Gimmicks(23:00) Beyond Hollywood: How to Fund Animation Projects(24:35) Musicly(27:12) Steven & Parker: Making Viral Animated Content -- Other AI Episodes Watch On YouTube. Will Quantum computers cure cancer -- For show notes and past guests, visit: Thinking on Paper -- Follow Thinking On Paper: Instagram
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| Space Economy: Harvard Economists Reveal The Profitable Investments | 13 May 2026 | 00:42:52 | |
Matthew Weinzierl and Brendan Rosseau, authors of Space to Grow, join Thinking on Paper to explain how the commercial space economy is developing and what governments, companies and investors are trying to build beyond Earth. The space economy already supports communications, navigation, Earth observation and national security. Its next phase could include commercial space stations, lunar infrastructure, microgravity manufacturing, space-based data centres and the extraction of resources from the Moon. In this episode, we discuss:
Matthew and Brendan explain how public institutions and private companies divide risk, finance infrastructure and create markets in environments where costs are high and the rules remain unsettled. The conversation also examines how space activity should be governed as commercial and national interests expand. Mark and Jeremy attempt to rewrite the Outer Space Treaty and consider what a modern framework would need to say about property, resources, security and responsibility. This episode is about the economics and politics of commercial space, and whether today’s institutions can manage the industries now emerging in orbit and on the Moon. Please enjoy the show. -- Thinking on Paper is a technology podcast about AI, Space, quantum computing, science, and the systems shaping the future. Connect with us. 🎧 Watch us compete with Lex Fridman on YouTube 🎧 Remember Steve Jobs and listen on APPLE 📺 Watch the clips and shorts on Instagram Watch a random video from Rick Beato. Because we love him. -- Chapters (00:00) Government and Markets in Space (03:35) Microgravity (07:43) Economic Incentives (12:14) Political Cycles in Space Policy (17:09) International Collaboration (18:45) National Security in Space (21:36) Space Exploration (24:27) The Importance Of GPS (28:49) Space Investment (30:37) Space-Based Data Centers (33:40) Space Resources (38:26) Governance in Space (40:55) A New Space Treaty | |||
| Quantum Computers: Behind The Scenes At IBM | 06 May 2026 | 00:44:22 | |
Scott Crowder, Vice President of IBM Quantum Adoption, joins Thinking on Paper to explain IBM’s approach to quantum-centric supercomputing. Rather than replacing classical computers, IBM expects quantum processors to work alongside CPUs, GPUs and high-performance computing systems. Each type of hardware handles the parts of a problem it’s best suited to solve. In this episode, we discuss:
Scott explains why useful quantum computing will depend on more than increasing qubit counts. It will require reliable hardware, error correction, strong software tools, integration with existing data centres and developers who can apply quantum systems to real problems. This conversation examines IBM’s plan to move quantum computing from experimental hardware towards fault-tolerant systems that can contribute to scientific and industrial computing. - Thinking on Paper is a technology podcast about AI, computing, science, and the systems shaping the future. 🏠 HQ: www.thinkingonpaper.xyz 📺 INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/thinkingonpaperpodcast/ 🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/00volKqMsQntToeho35W47 🎧 APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thinking-on-paper-technology-moves-fast-think-slower/id1713227258 -- Mark x: https://x.com/markfielding99 Jeremy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremygilbertson/ – Chapters (00:00) Trailer (01:20) Quantum computing (02:40) IBM Reference Architecture (05:05) Superconducting (06:47) Algorithmic Discovery (12:34) Cleveland Clinic (13:44) IBM's quantum-centric supercomputing architecture (16:07) Quantum computers today (17:58) Quantum and classical converge (22:28) Richard Feynman (25:25) Data centers (32:01) Quantum computers in space (42:19) Qiskit, NVIDIA, and open source | |||
| Can Humans Ever Escape Ageing And Live Forever? | 28 Apr 2026 | 01:54:12 | |
World famous Oxford futurist and philosopher Anders Sandberg joins Thinking on Paper to discuss transhumanism, mind uploading, artificial general intelligence and the technologies humans use to extend their capabilities. Human augmentation doesn’t begin with brain implants or uploaded minds. Memory systems, smartphones, language models and AI agents already allow people to outsource parts of thinking, communication and decision-making. More advanced systems could extend that process into brain emulation, digital copies of human minds and AI-managed institutions. In this episode, we discuss:
Anders explains why transhumanism, AI and space expansion shouldn’t be treated as separate technological futures. Each raises the same underlying questions about agency, identity, power and the boundaries of the human individual. The conversation moves from personal augmentation to civilizational governance, asking what humans become when intelligence can be extended, copied, redesigned or delegated to machines. Please enjoy the show. -- Thinking on Paper is a technology podcast about AI, computing, science, and the systems shaping the future. Connect with us. 📺 Follow us on Instagram 🏠 Follow us on X 🏠 Follow Jeremy on LinkedIn To suggest guests or sponsor the show, please email: hello@thinkingonpaper.xyz -- Chapters (00:00) TRAILER (08:09) Mobile Technology on Humanity (11:51) Accountability in AI Agents (18:25) Empathy (25:35) AGI vs. Alien Life (27:36) Consciousness (35:52) Uploaded Minds (40:33) Parallel Realities (45:16) Human Collaboration (46:24) AGI (51:23) The Dual Economy (57:43) Space Ownership (01:05:18) Human Expansion (01:17:49) The Space Race (01:21:43) Space Exploration (01:24:22) New Forms of Governance (01:26:18) NASA (01:28:41) Breakaway Movements in Space (01:30:16) Space Governance (01:34:18) Fusion Energy (01:42:15) Time and Life Extension (01:48:06) Extended Lifespans (01:52:03) Technology | |||
| Tech CEOs Are Selling You the Future | 24 Apr 2026 | 00:59:50 | |
Carissa Véliz joins Thinking on Paper to examine how AI forecasts, platform algorithms and prediction markets can influence the future they claim only to predict. Predictions aren’t always neutral descriptions. When they come from powerful technology companies, executives, platforms or financial markets, they can change investment, policy and public behaviour. A forecast may become a self-fulfilling prophecy because people act as though its outcome is inevitable. The conversation begins with a broader question about the good life, curiosity and what the analogue world offers that digital systems often remove. It then turns to the institutions increasingly making predictions about people and society. In this episode, we discuss:
Carissa argues that people should treat influential predictions as interventions rather than passive forecasts. The more reach and authority a prediction has, the greater its ability to reorganise the world around itself. This conversation examines how to resist technological prophecy by preserving uncertainty, curiosity and the freedom to choose futures that algorithms haven’t already selected. Please enjoy the show. -- Thinking on Paper is a technology podcast about AI, computing, science, and the systems shaping the future. 📺 Follow us on Instagram 🏠 Follow us on X 🏠 Follow Jeremy on LinkedIn To suggest guests or sponsor the show, please email: hello@thinkingonpaper.xyz -- CHAPTERS (00:00) Intro (01:00) What is the good life? (02:00) Why knowing yourself matters more than strategy (04:44) The analog world vs the digital world (06:45) How prophecies exploit our need for security (08:47) Ancient Rome (10:11) The illusion of safety (12:27) When predictions work (15:00) Altman, Amodei, Huang (28:29) How to resist prophecies (29:53) Prediction markets (31:49) TikTok, algorithms, and the Molly Russell case (36:08) Engagement algorithms (40:54) Self-fulfilling prophecies (43:44) Comedy (46:59) Seinfeld (52:16) Karikó (53:40) Serendipity (56:13) Why Epicurus beats the Stoics | |||
| Lego Becomes The Front Line Of The AI Propaganda War | 21 Apr 2026 | 00:15:11 | |
The AI meme war between the US and Iran has evolved into an absolute shit show. If you thought it was awful a few weeks ago, you ain't seen nothing yet. AI-generated Lego propaganda videos were a curiosity. Sometimes funny, often violent, always troublesome and never diplomatic, they quickly gained millions of views across social media... because social media. The White House Twitter (X) account was responsible for the US videos. An Iranian media company called Explosive Media, the Iranian. America, either put off by the global consensus that it was losing the war, or bored, switched their AI models to tax season (with equal ineptitude). Iran, losing the guns and missiles part of the war, has changed tact. Explosive Media turned up the heat. And was duly banned from YouTube. Which could of unleashed the beast. Now Iranian embassies are posting them on Twitter (X) and US creators are using the same format to mock it all with Lego.. Just watch it yourself. And let us know what you think. -- 📺 Follow us on Instagram 🏠 Follow us on X 🏠 Follow Jeremy on LinkedIn To suggest guests or sponsor the show, please email: hello@thinkingonpaper.xyz -- -- TIMESTAMPS (00:00) Explosive Media (00:38) US Bowling Iran (01:52) Trump's Mask (03:20) Blockade, Blockade (06:28) Drunken Hegseth (08:00) Truth | |||
| Who Owns a Trillion-Dollar Asteroid? | 15 Apr 2026 | 00:27:48 | |
This episode of Thinking on Paper uses Space to Grow to examine who has the right to mine the Moon, extract resources from asteroids and build commercial activity beyond Earth. The Outer Space Treaty prohibits national sovereignty over celestial bodies, but it leaves important questions unresolved. Can companies own the resources they extract? Who grants mining rights? What happens when commercial claims, national security interests and international law collide? In this episode, we discuss:
The central legal problem is that space treaties were written before private companies could realistically reach the Moon, operate spacecraft at scale or plan commercial extraction. This conversation examines whether existing space law can govern a growing off-world economy, and how resource competition could affect security, diplomacy and the future of human activity in space. Please enjoy the show. -- Thinking on paper is a technology podcast on The Social, Environmental, Cultural & Business Impacts Of Technology. -- Chapters (00:00) Global Conflict (02:04) Human Nature (03:28) Asteroid Mining (05:53) Space Mining (11:05) The Space Resource Exploration Act (13:01) Space Mining Legislation (17:19) Philosophical Perspectives (20:14) National Security in Space (20:40) Government in Space Innovation (21:34) National Security (23:10) Weaponization of Space (24:47) The Prisoner's Dilemma (26:40) Humanity's Moral Compass (27:03) The Future of Humanity in Space | |||
| AI GPU: Why Companies Keep Wasting Billions | 14 Jul 2026 | 00:41:19 | |
AI companies are splashing billions on more GPUs before they use the ones they already have. Many sit idle, others use a fraction of their potential. For the hyperscalers, cloud providers and AI companies, buying more GPUs does not solve much if the GPUs already in the rack spend too much time waiting for the rest of the system. The next battle in the AI infrastructure wars is efficiency: GPU utilization, NICs, memory movement, networking, CPUs and software that keeps expensive hardware doing useful work. Moshe Tanach runs NeuReality AI, a company building infrastructure for AI inference. In this conversation, he explains why the next wave of AI infrastructure depends on GPU utilization, NICs, memory movement, networking and software efficiency, not just buying more chips. This is a technical conversation about AI inference, infrastructure efficiency and the hardware layer beneath ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and the AI tools now being built into business software. Please enjoy the show. Thinking on Paper is a technology podcast about AI, Space, quantum computing, science, and the systems shaping your life. 🫵 Choose your own technology adventure 📺 Watch our beautiful faces on YouTube 🎧 Remember Steve Jobs on APPLE 📺 Get clips and exclusive videos on Instagram
Chapters (00:00) The GPU challenge (01:27) Training Vs Inference (05:45) Memory & Keeping The GPU Busy (07:31) Deep Seek, Blackwell & Ruben (09:03) How Ripe Is CPU For Reinvention? (11:03) AI Agents Run On CPUs (12:51) Do We Need All The Computation? (14:35) GPU Utilization Rates (16:50) Tokens In A Context Window (20:59) Data, Knowledge & Wisdom (23:56) Why Are Your GPUs Busy? (A Truck Analogy) (29:07) Hyperscalers (31:59) The Decode Phase (36:47) What More Efficient GPUs Means For The User | |||
| China’s SpaceX Is Learning by Crashing Rockets | 09 Apr 2026 | 00:28:36 | |
This episode of Thinking on Paper examines the largest space technology funding rounds of 2026 and what they reveal about the direction of the commercial space economy. Investment is moving beyond satellite launches and communications. Companies are now raising capital for orbital data centres, private space stations, reusable rockets, alternative navigation systems, weather intelligence, secure communications and national-security infrastructure. We count down funding rounds involving:
The episode covers:
The companies raising the most capital aren’t all pursuing the same market, but several themes recur: sovereign infrastructure, lower launch costs, persistent Earth observation, orbital computing and a shift from individual spacecraft towards complete space-based systems. This conversation follows the money to understand which technologies investors believe can move from ambitious engineering projects to durable commercial infrastructure. Please enjoy the show. -- 📺 Follow us on Instagram 🏠 Follow us on X 🏠 Follow Jeremy on LinkedIn To suggest guests or sponsor the show, please email: hello@thinkingonpaper.xyz Chapters (00:00) Starcloud (00:52) Xona Space (03:27) Tomorrow IO (06:01) PLD Space (08:00) Stoke Space (10:18) Axiom Space (12:29) Cesium Astro (14:50) VAST Space (19:02) Sierra Space (21:47) I-Space (Beijing Interstellar Glory Space Technology Ltd.) | |||
| Can A Rule From 125 Years Ago Control An AI War? | 07 Apr 2026 | 00:27:49 | |
The Martens Clause says that when written law runs out of steam, humanity still has obligations under the laws of humanity. This episode asks whether that old idea from the 1899 Hague Peace Conference can help govern new technologies that move faster than law: AI, autonomous weapons, military AI, space mining, space governance, and the race to build beyond Earth. The conversation moves from Nuremberg, the Corfu Channel, and Nicaragua to AI safety, black-box systems, tech accountability, and whether “not explicitly illegal” should ever mean “automatically allowed.” Please enjoy the show. And keep the peace. -- Thinking on Paper is a technology podcast about AI, computing, science, and the systems shaping the future. 📺 Follow us on Instagram 🏠 Follow us on X 🏠 Follow Jeremy on LinkedIn To suggest guests or sponsor the show, please email: hello@thinkingonpaper.xyz -- (00:00) The First Peace Conference: A Historical Perspective (07:37) The Martin's Clause: Implications for Modern Governance (10:05) Space Tech and the Outer Space Treaty (13:58) AI and the Need for Ethical Frameworks (17:21) Accountability in Technology Deployment (22:56) The Future of Humanity: Collaboration vs. Competition | |||
| AI Is Going To War | 03 Apr 2026 | 00:21:42 | |
This episode of Thinking on Paper, we look at how artificial intelligence is moving from military planning into intelligence analysis, targeting and battlefield operations. Using a White House memorandum on America’s military AI strategy, Mark and Jeremy explore the push to build an AI-first warfighting force. The objective is to process information, identify threats and execute decisions faster than an adversary. That creates a central conflict between military speed and human control. In this episode, we discuss:
AI could help militaries process large volumes of data, identify targets more precisely and reduce the time between detection and response. It could also compress decision-making to the point where human review becomes a strategic disadvantage. The central question isn’t only whether military AI works. It’s who controls these systems when speed becomes the priority, and who remains accountable when intelligence, targeting and battlefield decisions are executed through software. Please enjoy the show. -- 📺 Follow us on Instagram 🏠 Follow us on X 🏠 Follow Jeremy on LinkedIn To suggest guests or sponsor the show, please email: hello@thinkingonpaper.xyz -- Chapters (00:00) Department of War (00:58) Executive Order 14179 (01:59) China (04:36) Anthropic (07:20) Pace Setting Projects (08:28) Kill Chain (10:22) Palmer Luckey (11:53) The AI Open Arsenal (13:57) The War Time Approach (16:46) AI Talent Acquisition (18:54) Speed wins | |||
| Iran Show America How To Use AI For Propaganda | 30 Mar 2026 | 00:20:19 | |
Iran made an AI Lego propaganda video about the United States. It was kind of funny. The US replied with Grand Theft Auto, Wii Sports, and Call of Duty. It wasn't. Children's toys and video games to push a distorted view of war at kids and morons on Twitter. Oh how they'll laugh. This is our first reaction video. Probably be our last. -- 📺 Follow us on Instagram 🏠 Follow us on X 🏠 Follow Jeremy on LinkedIn To suggest guests or sponsor the show, please email: hello@thinkingonpaper.xyz Timestamps (00:00) What Is Propaganda? (00:36) Iran Lego Propaganda Video (02:45) Reaction (06:55) Whitehouse GTA Iran War Video (09:07) Epic Fury - US Wii Sports Video (13:22) Call Of Duty Iran War Video | |||