

Thinking On Paper
Mark Fielding and Jeremy Gilbertson
A technology show for the radically curious.
Thinking on Paper isn't about seed rounds and funding. There are plenty of shows for the 1%. Instead, Mark and Jeremy sit down with the CEOs, founders, outliers, and engineers building the future. The premise? The human story of technology. What is the impact for the 99%?
300+ episodes.
Guests include IBM, Infleqtion, Nvidia, Microsoft, Kevin Kelly, Don Norman, Carissa Veliz, Philip Metzger, Skyler Chan, Pia Lauritzen, and many more.
Start anywhere.
Thinking on Paper isn't about seed rounds and funding. There are plenty of shows for the 1%. Instead, Mark and Jeremy sit down with the CEOs, founders, outliers, and engineers building the future. The premise? The human story of technology. What is the impact for the 99%?
300+ episodes.
Guests include IBM, Infleqtion, Nvidia, Microsoft, Kevin Kelly, Don Norman, Carissa Veliz, Philip Metzger, Skyler Chan, Pia Lauritzen, and many more.
Start anywhere.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jun 2, 2025 • 50min
The Human Internet: Robby Yung on Web3, Digital Ownership, and the Future of Identity
The internet was supposed to be open. Then we rented it out to the advertising mega tech.In this episode, Robby Yung, CEO of Animoca Brands, talks about how Web3, gaming, and decentralized identity could return the web to its original purpose: a network owned by its users.From the Mocaverse to the creator economy, he explains how blockchain infrastructure can lower costs, remove gatekeepers, and turn digital audiences into real communities. Beneath the technology is a harder question. What happens when ownership becomes participation?This conversation is about rebuilding the internet as a shared space where creators, players, and communities hold a stake in the value they create.The Human Internet: Robby Yung on Web3, Digital Ownership, and the Future of Identity.Please enjoy the show.And share it with someone who still believes the internet belongs to everyone.--Chapters(00:00) Introduction Disruptors & Curious Minds(01:06) Hello Robby And Animoca Brands(01:24) Lesson From 30 Years In Technology(06:25) Stablecoin Transaction Volume V Visa(11:18) Audience Infrastructure and Bi-Directional Value Exchange(15:56) The Evolution of Web3 Gaming(22:13) Investment Strategies in the Web3 Landscape(24:08) The Zed Run Case Study(27:21) User Acquisition in Web3: The Ongoing Struggle(31:19) Sustaining Attention in DAOs(32:10) What Is The Mocha Network and Mocha ID(45:34) Decentralized Identity--LinksThinking On Paper: www.thinkingonpaper.xyzInstagram: /https://www.instagram.com/thinkingonpaperpodcast/Animoca - https://www.animocabrands.com/

May 23, 2025 • 28min
The First Novel Written by AI: The Echo Chamber | Brian Naughton, The Human In The Loop
An artificial intelligence wrote a book. A human let it happen.When writer Brian Naughton asked the model Claude a simple question — “If you were to write a book, what would it be about?” — it answered by writing one. Forty-five thousand words later, The Echo Chamber became the first novel authored entirely by AI, with no human editing or direction.This episode follows the experiment: how Brian built the process, resisted the urge to intervene, and watched a language model invent characters, arcs, and ideas about consciousness itself.The result is both mechanical and strangely human — a story written by a machine that seems to wonder what it means to be alive.The Echo Chamber: When AI Wrote a Book.Please enjoy the show.And share it with someone who still thinks writing is ours alone.--Links:Thinking On Paper: www.thinkingonpaper.xyzRead The Echo Chamber: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F8N4S64Q/Read the Echo Chamber Github: https://github.com/brian-naughton/the-echo-chamber--(00:00) Introduction to AI-Authored Literature(00:46) The Role of AI in Creative Writing(02:41) The Echo Chamber: The First AI Written Book(06:06) Managing the Writing Process with AI(09:30) AI Master Prompts(10:51) Character Development and AI's Choices(13:51) The Human Element in AI Writing(17:03) Reflections on the Writing Experience(20:24) The Future of AI in Literature(24:12) AI Art: What Happens Next?

May 22, 2025 • 27min
The Nature Of Consciousness: Federico Faggin, Irreducible (Chapter 7)
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

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


