On this episode of Crazy Wisdom, I’m joined by David Pope, Commissioner on the Wyoming Stable Token Commission, and Executive Director Anthony Apollo, for a wide-ranging conversation that explores the bold, nuanced effort behind Wyoming’s first-of-its-kind state-issued stable token. I’m your host Stewart Alsop, and what unfolds in this dialogue is both a technical unpacking and philosophical meditation on trust, financial sovereignty, and what it means for a government to anchor itself in transparent, programmable value. We move through Anthony’s path from Wall Street to Web3, the infrastructure and intention behind tokenizing real-world assets, and how the U.S. dollar’s future could be shaped by state-level innovation. If you're curious to follow along with their work, everything from blockchain selection criteria to commission recordings can be found at stabletoken.wyo.gov.Check out this GPT we trained on the conversation!Timestamps00:00 – David Pope and Anthony Apollo introduce themselves, clarifying they speak personally, not for the Commission. You, Stewart, set an open tone, inviting curiosity and exploration.05:00 – Anthony shares his path from traditional finance to Ethereum and government, driven by frustration with legacy banking inefficiencies.10:00 – Tokenized bonds enter the conversation via the Spencer Dinwiddie project. Pope explains early challenges with defining “real-world assets.”15:00 – Legal limits of token ownership vs. asset title are unpacked. You question whether anything “real” has been tokenized yet.20:00 – Focus shifts to the Wyoming Stable Token: its constitutional roots and blockchain as a tool for fiat-backed stability without inflation.25:00 – Comparison with CBDCs: Apollo explains why Wyoming’s token is transparent, non-programmatic, and privacy-focused.30:00 – Legislative framework: the 102% backing rule, public audits, and how rulemaking differs from law. You explore flexibility and trust.35:00 – Global positioning: how Wyoming stands apart from other states and nations in crypto policy. You highlight U.S. federalism’s role.40:00 – Topics shift to velocity, peer-to-peer finance, and risk. You connect this to Urbit and decentralized systems.45:00 – Apollo unpacks the stable token’s role in reinforcing dollar hegemony, even as BRICS move away from it.50:00 – Wyoming’s transparency and governance as financial infrastructure. You reflect on meme coins and state legitimacy.55:00 – Discussion of Bitcoin reserves, legislative outcomes, and what’s ahead. The conversation ends with vision and clarity.Key InsightsWyoming is pioneering a new model for state-level financial infrastructure. Through the creation of the Wyoming Stable Token Commission, the state is developing a fully-backed, transparent stable token that aims to function as a public utility. Unlike privately issued stablecoins, this one is mandated by law to be 102% backed by U.S. dollars and short-term treasuries, ensuring high trust and reducing systemic risk.The stable token is not just a tech innovation—it’s a philosophical statement about trust. As David Pope emphasized, the transparency and auditability of blockchain-based financial instruments allow for a shift toward self-auditing systems, where trust isn’t assumed but proven. In contrast to the opaque operations of legacy banking systems, the stable token is designed to be programmatically verifiable.Tokenized real-world assets are coming, but we’re not there yet. Anthony Apollo and David Pope clarify that most "real-world assets" currently tokenized are actually equity or debt instruments that represent ownership structures, not the assets themselves. The next leap will involve making the token itself the title, enabling true fractional ownership of physical or financial assets without intermediary entities.This initiative strengthens the U.S. dollar rather than undermining it. By creating a transparent, efficient vehicle for global dollar transactions, the Wyoming Stable Token could bolster the dollar’s role in international finance. Instead of competing with the dollar, it reinforces its utility in an increasingly digital economy—offering a compelling alternative to central bank digital currencies that raise concerns around surveillance and control.Stable tokens have the potential to become major holders of U.S. debt. Anthony Apollo points out that the aggregate of all fiat-backed stable tokens already represents a top-tier holder of U.S. treasuries. As adoption grows, state-run stable tokens could play a crucial role in sovereign debt markets, filling gaps left by foreign governments divesting from U.S. securities.Public accountability is central to Wyoming’s approach. Unlike private entities that can change terms at will, the Wyoming Commission is legally bound to go through a public rulemaking process for any adjustments. This radical transparency offers both stability and public trust, setting a precedent for how digital public infrastructure can be governed.The ultimate goal is to build a bridge between traditional finance and the Web3 future. Rather than burn the old system down, Pope and Apollo are designing the stable token as a pragmatic transition layer—something institutions can trust and privacy advocates can respect. It’s about enabling safe experimentation and gradual transformation, not triggering collapse.

In this episode of Crazy Wisdom, Stewart Alsop speaks with German Jurado about the strange loop between computation and biology, the emergence of reasoning in AI models, and what it means to "stand on the shoulders" of evolutionary systems. They talk about CRISPR not just as a gene-editing tool, but as a memory architecture encoded in bacterial immunity; they question whether LLMs are reasoning or just mimicking it; and they explore how scientists navigate the unknown with a kind of embodied intuition. For more about German’s work, you can connect with him through email at germanjurado7@gmail.com.Check out this GPT we trained on the conversation!Timestamps00:00 - Stewart introduces German Jurado and opens with a reflection on how biology intersects with multiple disciplines—physics, chemistry, computation.05:00 - They explore the nature of life’s interaction with matter, touching on how biology is about the interface between organic systems and the material world.10:00 - German explains how bioinformatics emerged to handle the complexity of modern biology, especially in genomics, and how it spans structural biology, systems biology, and more.15:00 - Introduction of AI into the scientific process—how models are being used in drug discovery and to represent biological processes with increasing fidelity.20:00 - Stewart and German talk about using LLMs like GPT to read and interpret dense scientific literature, changing the pace and style of research.25:00 - The conversation turns to societal implications—how these tools might influence institutions, and the decentralization of expertise.30:00 - Competitive dynamics between AI labs, the scaling of context windows, and speculation on where the frontier is heading.35:00 - Stewart reflects on English as the dominant language of science and the implications for access and translation of knowledge.40:00 - Historical thread: they discuss the Republic of Letters, how the structure of knowledge-sharing has evolved, and what AI might do to that structure.45:00 - Wrap-up thoughts on reasoning, intuition, and the idea of scientists as co-evolving participants in both natural and artificial systems.50:00 - Final reflections and thank-yous, German shares where to find more of his thinking, and Stewart closes the loop on the conversation.Key InsightsCRISPR as a memory system – Rather than viewing CRISPR solely as a gene-editing tool, German Jurado frames it as a memory architecture—an evolved mechanism through which bacteria store fragments of viral DNA as a kind of immune memory. This perspective shifts CRISPR into a broader conceptual space, where memory is not just cognitive but deeply biological.AI models as pattern recognizers, not yet reasoners – While large language models can mimic reasoning impressively, Jurado suggests they primarily excel at statistical pattern matching. The distinction between reasoning and simulation becomes central, raising the question: are these systems truly thinking, or just very good at appearing to?The loop between computation and biology – One of the core themes is the strange feedback loop where biology inspires computational models (like neural networks), and those models in turn are used to probe and understand biological systems. It's a recursive relationship that’s accelerating scientific insight but also complicating our definitions of intelligence and understanding.Scientific discovery as embodied and intuitive – Jurado highlights that real science often begins in the gut, in a kind of embodied intuition before it becomes formalized. This challenges the myth of science as purely rational or step-by-step and instead suggests that hunches, sensory experience, and emotional resonance play a crucial role.Proteins as computational objects – Proteins aren’t just biochemical entities—they’re shaped by information. Their structure, function, and folding dynamics can be seen as computations, and tools like AlphaFold are beginning to unpack that informational complexity in ways that blur the line between physics and code.Human alignment is messier than AI alignment – While AI alignment gets a lot of attention, Jurado points out that human alignment—between scientists, institutions, and across cultures—is historically chaotic. This reframes the AI alignment debate in a broader evolutionary and historical context, questioning whether we're holding machines to stricter standards than ourselves.Standing on the shoulders of evolutionary processes – Evolution is not just a backdrop but an active epistemic force. Jurado sees scientists as participants in a much older system of experimentation and iteration—evolution itself. In this view, we’re not just designing models; we’re being shaped by them, in a co-evolution of tools and understanding.

Naman Mishra, CTO of Repello AI and an expert in AI security, dives into the complexities of securing large language models. He discusses layered vulnerabilities and highlights alarming risks like prompt injection and data leaks, including a fascinating anecdote about a Windows activation key leaked by ChatGPT. Naman emphasizes the importance of continuous red teaming as a proactive approach to security, and explores the crucial role of ethical hackers. The conversation sheds light on the urgent need for robust security measures in AI technologies, especially in sensitive sectors.

Perry Knoppert, the founder of The Octopus Movement and a passionate advocate for neurodiversity, joins the discussion from the Netherlands. He shares fascinating octopus facts that reveal their evolutionary adaptations, likening it to personal growth. The conversation dives into the transformative role of AI in education and the unique strengths of neurodivergent minds. Perry argues that frustration can fuel creativity, emphasizing the need for educational systems to embrace individual learning paths instead of rigid structures.

On this episode of the Crazy Wisdom Podcast, I, Stewart Alsop, sit down with Federico Ast, founder of Kleros, to explore how decentralized justice systems can resolve both crypto-native and real-world disputes. We talk about the pilot with the Supreme Court in Mendoza, Argentina, where Kleros is helping small claims courts resolve cases faster and more transparently, and how this ties into a broader vision for digital governance using tools like proof of humanity and soulbound tokens. We also get into the philosophical and institutional implications of building a digital republic, and how blockchain can offer new models of legitimacy and truth-making. Show notes and more about Federico’s work can be found via his Twitter: @federicoast (https://twitter.com/federicoast) and by joining the Kleros Telegram community.Check out this GPT we trained on the conversation!00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome00:38 Claros Pilot Program in Mendoza02:00 Claros and the Legal System05:13 Personal Journey into Crypto07:16 Challenges and Innovations in Kleros18:02 Proof of Humanity and Soulbound Tokens26:54 Incentives and Proof of Humanity27:01 Interesting DAO Court Cases27:21 Prediction Markets and Disputes31:36 Customer Service and Dispute Resolution38:21 Governance and Online Communities40:02 Future of Civilization and Technology47:16 Bounties and Legal Systems49:06 Conclusion and Contact InformationKey InsightsDecentralized Justice Can Bridge the Gap Between Traditional Legal Systems and Web3: Federico Ast explains how Kleros functions as a decentralized dispute resolution system, offering a faster, more transparent, and more accessible alternative to conventional courts. In places like Mendoza, Argentina, Kleros has been piloted in collaboration with the Supreme Court to help resolve small claims that would otherwise take years, demonstrating how blockchain tools can support real-world judicial systems rather than replace them.Crypto Tools Are Most Powerful When Rooted in Real-World Problems: Ast emphasizes that his motivation for building in the blockchain space came not from hype but from firsthand experience with institutional inefficiencies in Argentina—such as corruption, inaccessible courts, and predatory financial systems. For him, crypto is a means to address these structural issues, not an end in itself. This grounded approach contrasts with many in the space who begin with the technology and try to retrofit a use case.Proof of Humanity and Soulbound Tokens Expand the Scope of Legitimate Governance: To address concerns over who gets to participate in decentralized juries, Kleros integrates identity verification through Proof of Humanity and uses non-transferable Soulbound Tokens to grant eligibility. These innovations allow communities—whether geographic, organizational, or digital—to define their own membership criteria, making decentralized courts feel more legitimate and relevant to participants.Decentralized Courts Can Handle Complex, Subjective Disputes: While early versions of Kleros were built for binary disputes (yes/no, Alice vs. Bob), real-world conflicts are often more nuanced. Over time, the platform evolved to support more flexible decision-making, including proportional fault, ranked outcomes, and variable payouts. This adaptability allows Kleros to handle a broader spectrum of disputes, including ambiguous or interpretive cases like those found in prediction markets.Incentive Systems Create New Forms of Justice Participation: Kleros applies game theory to create juror incentives that reward honest and aligned decisions. In systems like Proof of Humanity, it even gamifies fraud detection by offering financial bounties to those who uncover duplicate or fake identities. These economic incentives encourage voluntary participation in public-good functions such as identity verification and dispute resolution.Kleros Offers a Middle Ground Between Corporate Automation and Legal Bureaucracy: Many companies use rigid, automated systems to deny customer claims, leaving individuals with no real recourse except to complain on social media. Kleros offers an intermediate option: a transparent, peer-based adjudication process that can resolve disputes quickly. In pilot programs with fintech companies like Lemon, over 90% of users who lost their case still accepted the result and remained customers, showing how fairness in process can build trust even when outcomes disappoint.Digital Communities Are Becoming the New Foundations of Governance: Ast points out that many people now feel more connected to online communities than to their local or national institutions. Blockchain governance—enabled by tools like Kleros, Proof of Humanity, and decentralized IDs—allows these communities to build their own civil infrastructure. This marks a shift toward what he calls a “digital republic,” where shared values and participation, rather than geography, form the basis of collective decision-making and legitimacy.

In this episode of Crazy Wisdom, host Stewart Alsop talks with Rosario Parlanti, a longtime crypto investor and real estate attorney, about the shifting landscape of decentralization, AI, and finance. They explore the power struggles between centralized and decentralized systems, the role of AI agents in finance and infrastructure, and the legal gray areas emerging around autonomous technology. Rosario shares insights on trusted execution environments, token incentives, and how projects like Phala Network are building decentralized cloud computing. They also discuss the changing narrative around Bitcoin, the potential for AI-driven financial autonomy, and the future of censorship-resistant platforms. Follow Rosario on X @DeepinWhale and check out Phala Network to learn more.Check out this GPT we trained on the conversation!Timestamps00:00 Introduction to the Crazy Wisdom Podcast00:25 Understanding Decentralized Cloud Infrastructure04:40 Centralization vs. Decentralization: A Philosophical Debate06:56 Political Implications of Centralization17:19 Technical Aspects of Phala Network24:33 Crypto and AI: The Future Intersection25:11 The Convergence of Crypto and AI25:59 Challenges with Centralized Cloud Services27:36 Decentralized Cloud Solutions for AI30:32 Legal and Ethical Implications of AI Agents32:59 The Future of Decentralized Technologies41:56 Crypto's Role in Global Financial Freedom49:27 Closing Thoughts and Future ProspectsKey InsightsDecentralization is not absolute, but a spectrum. Rosario Parlanti explains that decentralization doesn’t mean eliminating central hubs entirely, but rather reducing choke points where power is overly concentrated. Whether in finance, cloud computing, or governance, every system faces forces pushing toward centralization for efficiency and control, while counterforces work to redistribute power and increase resilience.Trusted execution environments (TEE) are crucial for decentralized cloud computing. Rosario highlights how Phala Network uses TEEs, a hardware-based security measure that isolates sensitive data from external access. This ensures that decentralized cloud services can operate securely, preventing unauthorized access while allowing independent providers to host data and run applications outside the control of major corporations like Amazon and Google.AI agents will need decentralized infrastructure to function autonomously. The conversation touches on the growing power of AI-driven autonomous agents, which can execute financial trades, conduct research, and even generate content. However, running such agents on centralized cloud providers like AWS could create regulatory and operational risks. Decentralized cloud networks like Phala offer a way for these agents to operate freely, without interference from governments or corporations.Regulatory arbitrage will shape the future of AI and crypto. Rosario describes how businesses and individuals are already leveraging jurisdiction shopping—structuring AI entities or financial operations in countries with more favorable regulations. He speculates that AI agents could be housed within offshore LLCs or irrevocable trusts, creating legal distance between their creators and their actions, raising new ethical and legal challenges.Bitcoin’s narrative has shifted from currency to investment asset. Originally envisioned as a peer-to-peer electronic cash system, Bitcoin has increasingly been treated as digital gold, largely due to the influence of institutional investors and regulatory frameworks like Bitcoin ETFs. Rosario argues that this shift in perception has led to Bitcoin being co-opted by the very financial institutions it was meant to disrupt.The rise of AI-driven financial autonomy could bypass traditional banking and regulation. The combination of AI, smart contracts, and decentralized finance (DeFi) could enable AI agents to conduct financial transactions without human oversight. This could range from algorithmic trading to managing business operations, potentially reducing reliance on traditional banking systems and challenging the ability of governments to enforce financial regulations.The accelerating clash between technology and governance will redefine global power structures. As AI and decentralized systems gain momentum, traditional nation-state mechanisms for controlling information, currency, and infrastructure will face unprecedented challenges. Rosario and Stewart discuss how this shift mirrors previous disruptions—such as social media’s impact on information control—and speculate on whether governments will adapt, resist, or attempt to co-opt these emerging technologies.

On this episode of the Crazy Wisdom Podcast, host Stewart Alsop welcomes Jessica Talisman, a senior information architect deeply immersed in the worlds of taxonomy, ontology, and knowledge management. The conversation spans the evolution of libraries, the shifting nature of public and private access to knowledge, and the role of institutions like the Internet Archive in preserving digital history. They also explore the fragility of information in the digital age, the ongoing battle over access to knowledge, and how AI is shaping—and being shaped by—structured data and knowledge graphs. To connect with Jessica Talisman, you can reach her via LinkedIn.  Check out this GPT we trained on the conversation!Timestamps00:05 – Libraries, Democracy, Public vs. Private Knowledge Jessica explains how libraries have historically shifted between public and private control, shaping access to knowledge and democracy.00:10 – Internet Archive, Cyberattacks, Digital Preservation Stewart describes visiting the Internet Archive post-cyberattack, sparking a discussion on threats to digital preservation and free information.00:15 – AI, Structured Data, Ontologies, NIH, PubMed Jessica breaks down how AI trains on structured data from sources like NIH and PubMed but often lacks alignment with authoritative knowledge.00:20 – Linked Data, Knowledge Graphs, Semantic Web, Tim Berners-Lee They explore how linked data enables machines to understand connections between knowledge, referencing the vision behind the semantic web.00:25 – Entity Management, Cataloging, Provenance, Authority Jessica explains how libraries are transitioning from cataloging books to managing entities, ensuring provenance and verifiable knowledge.00:30 – Digital Dark Ages, Knowledge Loss, Corporate Control Stewart compares today’s deletion of digital content to historical knowledge loss, warning about the fragility of digital memory.00:35 – War on Truth, Book Bans, Algorithmic Bias, Censorship They discuss how knowledge suppression—from book bans to algorithmic censorship—threatens free access to information.00:40 – AI, Search Engines, Metadata, Schema.org, RDF Jessica highlights how AI and search engines depend on structured metadata but often fail to prioritize authoritative sources.00:45 – Power Over Knowledge, Open vs. Closed Systems, AI Ethics They debate the battle between corporations, governments, and open-source efforts to control how knowledge is structured and accessed.00:50 – Librarians, AI Misinformation, Knowledge Organization Jessica emphasizes that librarians and structured knowledge systems are essential in combating misinformation in AI.00:55 – Future of Digital Memory, AI, Ethics, Information Access They reflect on whether AI and linked data will expand knowledge access or accelerate digital decay and misinformation.Key InsightsThe Evolution of Libraries Reflects Power Struggles Over Knowledge: Libraries have historically oscillated between being public and private institutions, reflecting broader societal shifts in who controls access to knowledge. Jessica Talisman highlights how figures like Andrew Carnegie helped establish the modern public library system, reinforcing libraries as democratic spaces where information is accessible to all. However, she also notes that as knowledge becomes digitized, new battles emerge over who owns and controls digital information​​.The Internet Archive Faces Systematic Attacks on Knowledge: Stewart Alsop shares his firsthand experience visiting the Internet Archive just after it had suffered a major cyberattack. This incident is part of a larger trend in which libraries and knowledge repositories worldwide, including those in Canada, have been targeted. The conversation raises concerns that these attacks are not random but part of a broader, well-funded effort to undermine access to information​​.AI and Knowledge Graphs Are Deeply Intertwined: AI systems, particularly large language models (LLMs), rely on structured data sources such as knowledge graphs, ontologies, and linked data. Talisman explains how institutions like the NIH and PubMed provide openly available, structured knowledge that AI systems train on. Yet, she points out a critical gap—AI often lacks alignment with real-world, authoritative sources, which leads to inaccuracies in machine-generated knowledge​​.Libraries Are Moving From Cataloging to Entity Management: Traditional library systems were built around cataloging books and documents, but modern libraries are transitioning toward entity management, which organizes knowledge in a way that allows for more dynamic connections. Linked data and knowledge graphs enable this shift, making it easier to navigate vast repositories of information while maintaining provenance and authority​​.The War on Truth and Information Is Accelerating: The episode touches on the increasing threats to truth and reliable information, from book bans to algorithmic suppression of knowledge. Talisman underscores the crucial role librarians play in preserving access to primary sources and maintaining records of historical truth. As AI becomes more prominent in knowledge dissemination, the need for robust, verifiable sources becomes even more urgent​​.Linked Data is the Foundation of Digital Knowledge: The conversation explores how linked data protocols, such as those championed by Tim Berners-Lee, allow machines and AI to interpret and connect information across the web. Talisman explains that institutions like NIH publish their taxonomies in RDF format, making them accessible as structured, authoritative sources. However, many organizations fail to leverage this interconnected data, leading to inefficiencies in knowledge management​​.Preserving Digital Memory is a Civilization-Defining Challenge: In the digital age, the loss of information is more severe than ever. Alsop compares the current state of digital impermanence to the Dark Ages, where crucial knowledge risks disappearing due to corporate decisions, cyberattacks, and lack of preservation infrastructure. Talisman agrees, emphasizing that digital archives like the Internet Archive, WorldCat, and Wikimedia are foundational to maintaining a collective human memory​​.

On this episode of the Crazy Wisdom Podcast, host Stewart Alsop is joined by Jesse and Leo, co-founders of Maitri, a social infrastructure project focused on fostering interoperability between different social media applications. They explore the limitations of current social networks, the importance of community graphs in building trust and reputation, and how to create a digital environment that prioritizes meaningful human connection over algorithmic engagement. The conversation also touches on AI, reputation systems, decentralized governance, and the future of online coordination in an era of increasing technological acceleration. For more about their work, visit maitri.network.Check out this GPT we trained on the conversation!Timestamps00:00 Introduction to the Crazy Wisdom Podcast00:13 Founding My Tree: The Vision and Mission01:10 Challenges with Current Social Media02:50 Building Community Graphs04:13 Philosophical Insights on Social Relationships08:32 Interoperability and Technical Aspects13:44 AI and the Future of Social Media23:47 The Philosophy of Reputation28:44 Balancing Inclusivity and Exclusivity29:30 Building Reputation Systems31:16 Financializing Behaviors and Social Media32:24 Open Source and Competitive Benchmarking33:25 Privacy and Positive Attestations44:08 Future of Media and Group Identity53:11 Coordination and Governance Challenges56:15 Conclusion and Final ThoughtsKey InsightsInteroperability is the Key to Social Media’s Future – Jesse and Leo emphasize that current social media platforms operate as isolated silos, preventing users from seamlessly interacting across networks. Maitri is designed as a social infrastructure project that enables interoperability between platforms, allowing for greater connectivity, user control, and shared network effects. Instead of monopolies controlling engagement, they envision a future where smaller, more specialized communities can thrive while remaining interconnected.Community Graphs Offer a More Nuanced Approach to Social Identity – Unlike traditional social graphs that focus on one-to-one relationships, community graphs provide a richer representation of how people engage within groups. These graphs account for the “fuzziness” of social membership, acknowledging that participation in a community is often subjective and context-dependent. This system aims to better reflect how humans naturally form trust and reputations within various groups.Reputation Systems Should Be Positive, Subjective, and Competitive – One of the key challenges in designing digital reputation systems is avoiding the pitfalls of social credit scores. Maitri’s approach ensures that reputations are built through private, positive attestations rather than public negative ratings. This system mirrors real-world trust-building, where individuals accumulate credibility over time rather than being permanently defined by past mistakes. Additionally, by allowing multiple reputation frameworks to compete, users maintain agency over how they are evaluated.AI and Automation Will Radically Reshape Online Interaction – With AI-driven bots increasingly indistinguishable from humans, the internet is at risk of becoming an overwhelming space filled with automated engagement. Jesse and Leo highlight that while AI can be useful, there must be clear distinctions between human and non-human interactions. Maitri’s reputation infrastructure could help address this challenge by providing proof of unique personhood, allowing people to differentiate between trusted human connections and AI-driven entities.Decentralized Coordination is a Crucial Missing Layer of the Internet – One of the biggest problems facing humanity is the failure to coordinate effectively. Traditional institutions and digital platforms have struggled to balance inclusivity with exclusivity, leading to either centralization or fragmentation. By creating digital primitives that allow for more efficient coordination—whether through financial incentives, reputation mechanisms, or group dynamics—Maitri aims to provide tools that help people organize at scale without relying on monopolistic control.The Future of Media is Many-to-Many, Not One-to-Many – The era of mass culture driven by television and radio, where everyone consumed the same media at the same time, is fading. Instead, we are moving toward a more fragmented but dynamic landscape where smaller communities cultivate their own cultural moments. While this shift eliminates shared cultural touchpoints, it allows for greater diversity of thought and expression. Curation and trust-based networks will become increasingly important as content continues to proliferate.Balancing Privacy, Identity, and Accountability is the Next Digital Challenge – The conversation highlights the ongoing tension between privacy and accountability in online spaces. While anonymous or pseudonymous interactions can protect free speech, they can also enable bad actors. Maitri’s approach seeks to give users control over their identities by enabling flexible, context-dependent personas rather than enforcing a single, rigid identity. This allows for a balance between protecting privacy and maintaining trust in online interactions.

On this episode of Crazy Wisdom, I, Stewart Alsop, sit down with Gabe Dominocielo, co-founder of Umbra, a space tech company revolutionizing satellite imagery. We discuss the rapid advancements in space-based observation, the economics driving the industry, and how AI intersects with satellite data. Gabe shares insights on government contracting, defense applications, and the shift toward cost-minus procurement models. We also explore the broader implications of satellite technology—from hedge funds analyzing parking lots to wildfire response efforts. Check out more about Gabe and Umbra at umbraspace.com (https://umbraspace.com), and don’t miss their open data archive for high-resolution satellite imagery.Check out this GPT we trained on the conversation!Timestamps00:00 Introduction to the Crazy Wisdom Podcast00:05 Gabe's Background and Umbra's Mission00:34 The Story Behind 'Come and Take It'01:32 Space Technology and Cost Plus Contracts03:28 The Impact of Elon Musk and SpaceX05:16 Umbra's Business Model and Profitability07:28 Challenges in the Satellite Business11:45 Investors and Funding Journey19:31 Space Business Landscape and Future Prospects23:09 Defense and Regulatory Challenges in Space31:06 Practical Applications of Satellite Data33:16 Unexpected Wealth and Autistic Curiosity33:49 Beet Farming and Data Insights35:09 Philosophy in Business Strategy38:56 Empathy and Investor Relations43:00 Raising Capital: Strategies and Challenges44:56 The Sovereignty Game vs. Venture Game51:12 Concluding Thoughts and Contact Information52:57 The Treasure Hunt and AI DependenciesKey InsightsThe Shift from Cost-Plus to Cost-Minus in Government Contracting – Historically, aerospace and defense contracts operated under a cost-plus model, where companies were reimbursed for expenses with a guaranteed profit. Gabe explains how the shift toward cost-minus (firm-fixed pricing) is driving efficiency and competition in the industry, much like how SpaceX drastically reduced launch costs by offering services instead of relying on bloated government contracts.Satellite Imagery Has Become a Crucial Tool for Businesses – Beyond traditional defense and intelligence applications, high-resolution satellite imagery is now a critical asset for hedge funds, investors, and commercial enterprises. Gabe describes how firms use satellite data to analyze parking lots, monitor supply chains, and even track cryptocurrency mining activity based on power line sagging and cooling fan usage on data centers.Space Technology is More Business-Driven Than Space-Driven – While many assume space startups are driven by a passion for exploration, Umbra’s success is rooted in strong business fundamentals. Gabe emphasizes that their focus is on unit economics, supply-demand balance, and creating a profitable company rather than simply innovating for the sake of technology.China’s Growing Presence in Space and Regulatory Challenges – Gabe raises concerns about China’s aggressive approach to space, noting that they often ignore international agreements and regulations. Meanwhile, American companies face significant bureaucratic hurdles, sometimes spending millions just to navigate licensing and compliance. He argues that unleashing American innovation by reducing regulatory friction is essential to maintaining leadership in the space industry.Profitability is the Ultimate Measure of Success – Unlike many venture-backed space startups that focus on hype, Umbra has prioritized profitability, making it one of the few successful Earth observation companies. Gabe contrasts this with competitors who raised massive sums, spent excessively, and ultimately failed because they weren’t built on sustainable business models.Satellite Technology is Revolutionizing Disaster Response – One of the most impactful uses of Umbra’s satellite imagery has been in wildfire response. By capturing images through smoke and clouds, their data was instrumental in mapping wildfires in Los Angeles. They even made this data freely available, helping emergency responders and news organizations better understand the crisis.Philosophy and Business Strategy Go Hand in Hand – Gabe highlights how strategic thinking and philosophical principles guide decision-making in business. Whether it’s understanding investor motivations, handling conflicts with empathy, or ensuring a company can sustain itself for decades rather than chasing short-term wins, having a strong philosophical foundation is key to long-term success.

On this episode of Crazy Wisdom, Stewart Alsop welcomes Andrew Burlinson, an artist and creative thinker, for a deep conversation about technology, creativity, and the human spirit. They explore the importance of solitude in the creative process, the addictive nature of digital engagement, and how AI might both challenge and enhance human expression. Andrew shares insights on the shifting value of art in an AI-driven world, the enduring importance of poetry, and the unexpected resurgence of in-person experiences. For more on Andrew, check out his LinkedIn and Instagram.Check out this GPT we trained on the conversation!Timestamps00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome00:27 Meeting in LA and Local Insights01:34 The Creative Process and Technology03:47 Balancing Solitude and Connectivity07:21 AI's Role in Creativity and Productivity11:00 Future of AI in Creative Industries14:39 Challenges and Opportunities with AI16:59 AI in Hollywood and Ethical Considerations18:54 Silicon Valley and AI's Impact on Jobs19:31 Navigating the Future with AI20:06 Adapting to Rapid Technological Change20:49 The Value of Art in a Fast-Paced World21:36 Shifting Aesthetics and Cultural Perception22:54 The Human Connection in the Age of AI24:37 Resurgence of Traditional Art Forms27:30 The Importance of Early Artistic Education31:07 The Role of Poetry and Language35:56 Balancing Technology and Intention37:00 Conclusion and Contact InformationKey InsightsThe Importance of Solitude in Creativity – Andrew Burlinson emphasizes that creativity thrives in moments of boredom and solitude, which have become increasingly rare in the digital age. He reflects on his childhood, where a lack of constant stimulation led him to develop his artistic skills. Today, with infinite digital distractions, people must intentionally carve out space to be alone with their thoughts to create work that carries deep personal intention rather than just remixing external influences.The Struggle to Defend Attention – Stewart and Andrew discuss how modern digital platforms, particularly social media, are designed to hijack human attention through powerful AI-driven engagement loops. These mechanisms prioritize negative emotions and instant gratification, making it increasingly difficult for individuals to focus on deep, meaningful work. They suggest that future AI advancements could paradoxically help free people from screens, allowing them to engage with technology in a more intentional and productive way.AI as a Creative Partner—But Not Yet a True Challenger – While AI is already being used in creative fields, such as Hollywood’s subtle use of AI for film corrections, it currently lacks the ability to provide meaningful pushback or true creative debate. Andrew argues that the best creative partners challenge ideas rather than just assist with execution, and AI’s tendency to be agreeable and non-confrontational makes it a less valuable collaborator for artists who need critical feedback to refine their work.The Pendulum Swing of Human and Technological Aesthetics – Throughout history, every major technological advancement in the arts has been met with a counter-movement embracing raw, organic expression. Just as the rise of synthesizers in music led to a renewed interest in acoustic and folk styles, the rapid expansion of AI-generated art may inspire a resurgence of appreciation for handcrafted, deeply personal artistic works. The human yearning for tactile, real-world experiences will likely grow in response to AI’s increasing role in creative production.The Enduring Value of Art Beyond Economic Utility – In a world increasingly shaped by economic efficiency and optimization, Andrew stresses the need to reaffirm the intrinsic value of art. While capitalism dominates, the real significance of artistic expression lies in its ability to move people, create connection, and offer meaning beyond financial metrics. This perspective is especially crucial in an era where AI-generated content is flooding the creative landscape, potentially diluting the sense of personal expression that defines human art.The Need for Intentionality in Using AI – AI’s potential to streamline work processes and enhance creative output depends on how humans choose to engage with it. Stewart notes that while AI can be a powerful tool for structuring time and filtering distractions, it can also easily pull people into mindless consumption. The challenge lies in using AI with clear intention—leveraging it to automate mundane tasks while preserving the uniquely human aspects of ideation, storytelling, and artistic vision.The Role of Poetry and Language in Reclaiming Humanity – In a technology-driven world where efficiency is prioritized over depth, poetry serves as a reminder of the human experience. Andrew highlights the power of poets and clowns—figures often dismissed as impractical—as essential in preserving creativity, playfulness, and emotional depth. He suggests that valuing poetry and artistic language can help counterbalance the growing mechanization of culture, keeping human expression at the forefront of civilization’s evolution.