

Thinking On Paper Technology Podcast
The Human Story of Technology, Mark Fielding and Jeremy Gilbertson
Thinking on Paper helps you understand what technology is really doing to business, culture, family and society. Through direct conversations with CEOS, Founders and Outliers, we break down how systems work, where human incentives distort them, and what the headlines skim over.
If a technology shapes the world - AI, quantum computing, digital identity, gameplay engines, surveillance, regulation, energy, space manufacturing - it’s on Thinking On Paper.
Guests: IBM, D-Wave, Coinbase, Kevin Kelly and more.
Just add curiosity.
If a technology shapes the world - AI, quantum computing, digital identity, gameplay engines, surveillance, regulation, energy, space manufacturing - it’s on Thinking On Paper.
Guests: IBM, D-Wave, Coinbase, Kevin Kelly and more.
Just add curiosity.
Episodes
Mentioned books

May 19, 2025 • 39min
Technology For Good (& Hospitality) | Khang Nguyen Trieu
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

May 15, 2025 • 1min
Thinking On Paper: The Technology Podcast For Disruptors And Curious Minds™
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.Artificial intelligence and consciousnessQuantum computing and human complexitySurveillance, digital identity, and data ownershipThe design of platforms, products, and valuesHow children and families are shaped by emerging technologyWhat progress actually looks like, and who gets to define itThis 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#AIpodcast #technologyandethics #futureoftechnologyTopics we cover:

May 12, 2025 • 42min
If AI Is Going To Eat Business, Here's Your Playbook | Ajay Malik, CEO StudioX AI
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.It’s how many people will you need once it does.--LinksStudio 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

May 6, 2025 • 25min
Life Is Both Quantum & Classical: Federico Faggin, Irreducible (Chapter 6)
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

Apr 17, 2025 • 36min
AI Would Start A World War - Federico Faggin, Irreducible Chapter 4 & 5
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

Apr 15, 2025 • 49min
Space Based Solar Power | Sanjay Vijendran, European Space Agency
Space-Based Solar Power has lived in science fiction for decades. But now, with falling launch costs, autonomous robotics, and precision manufacturing, it’s moving closer to engineering reality. Sanjay Vijendran, Director of Space Energy Insights and former European Space Agency lead on orbital solar, joins Mark and Jeremy to Think on Paper about what it would take to beam clean energy from orbit back down to Earth.They talk wireless power transmission, lunar manufacturing, energy poverty, and whether space infrastructure can offer what terrestrial systems never could — a constant, global power supply.If the sun is always shining in space, the real question is whether we’re ready to catch it.Please enjoy the show. And share with a curious friend. --Chapters(00:00) Introduction to Big Problems and Solutions(01:03) Exploring Space-Based Solar Power(02:41) Energy Poverty and Its Global Impact(05:03) The Viability of Space-Based Solar Power(07:23) Wireless Power Transmission: A Game Changer(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 and Their Economics(31:22) Emerging Private Companies in Space-Based Solar Power(33:19) Comparing Power Delivery Methods: RF vs. Lasers(35:47) Safety Mechanisms in Space-Based Power Systems(41:06) Collaboration vs. Competition in Space Energy(42:37) Political and Cultural Barriers to Space Energy Adoption(46:44) The Urgency of Investing in Space-Based Solar Power

Apr 7, 2025 • 49min
Decentralized AI: Flock It │ Jihao Sun
OpenAI and Google just upgraded their arsenals, trained on everything from your search history to your creative work. You didn’t opt in. You didn’t get paid. And you definitely don’t own what your data helped build.But what if that changed?Jihao Sun, co-founder of Flock.io, joins Mark and Jeremy to Think on Paper about a radically different model — decentralized AI that trains locally, protects privacy, and rewards 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.iowww.thinkingonpaper.xyz

Apr 3, 2025 • 26min
The Nature Of Machines: Irreducible, Federico Faggin (Chapter 3)
Can a machine, no matter how complex, ever truly feel or understand? Can AI ever be conscious?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

Mar 31, 2025 • 43min
Web3 At The Gates Of Hollywood│ David Bianchi
David Bianchi, an Emmy-nominated filmmaker and pioneer in blockchain technology, shares his groundbreaking journey in the film industry. He reveals how his series "Razor (RZR)" disrupted traditional funding by allowing fans to buy scenes as NFTs. The conversation dives into the role of AI in filmmaking, enhancing creativity, and addressing accessibility. Bianchi discusses the blurred lines between creators and audiences, suggesting that blockchain's rise could render old studio contracts obsolete. For film lovers and tech enthusiasts, it’s a look into the future of storytelling.

Mar 26, 2025 • 34min
Federico Faggin on Consciousness, Meaning, and Why AI Will Never Be | Irreducible, Chapter 1
Is consciousness a fundamental aspect of reality? The hosts dive into Federico Faggin's insights, exploring the complexities of consciousness and its possible implications for AI. They discuss the evolution of scientific thought and the intricate links between quantum physics and human awareness. Listeners are challenged to consider the distinctions between machine intelligence and human consciousness, questioning whether machines can ever truly know or exist in the same way we do. This thought-provoking conversation illuminates the mysteries of existence itself.


