Podcast
Thinking On Paper
Hosted by Mark Fielding and Jeremy Gilbertson · EN
Technology is moving faster than you can make sense of it. How do you keep up without surrendering your judgement to the people selling you the future?
Thinking On Paper brings you inside AI, quantum computing, robotics, space, energy and biotechnology with the founders, scientists, engineers and CEOs building them. Then we follow the money, infrastructure, power and human consequences.
See how the pieces connect, which promises survive contact with reality and where change is really heading, so you can prepare for what comes next and form your own view.
48episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
AI Inference, Wasted GPUs And The Cost Of Every Token
1w ago00:41:19Tap to summarizeAI 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. 🏠 Buy us a beer on Substack🫵 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
Transcribe →The Tasty Truth Of Cultivated Meat - Bruce Friedrich
2w ago00:53:02Tap to summarizeCould cultivated meat replace industrial farming without asking billions of people to change what they eat? And save all the cows on the way?Bruce Friedrich, founder of the Good Food Institute and author of Meat, explains why the future of food may depend less on changing human behaviour and more on changing how meat is produced.For more than 12,000 years, humans have relied on animal agriculture to produce meat. Bruce argues that this system is reaching its limits. We explore how cultivated meat is made, why it is attracting support from governments and major food companies, and why some of the biggest meat eaters are also the most open to the technology.Along the way, we discuss the environmental cost of livestock, antibiotic resistance, food security, infrastructure, consumer psychology, regulation, and whether this technology could become as transformative as renewable energy or electric vehicles. We also examine what happens to farmers, why culture may be harder to change than technology, and whether cultivated meat can ever reach price parity with conventional meat.If the next agricultural revolution is already underway, it may not begin on a farm.Thinking on Paper is a technology podcast about AI, Space, quantum computing, science, and the systems shaping your life. 🏠 Buy us a beer on Substack🫵 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) Who Eats Cultivated Meat?(02:37) Cultural Significance of Meat(06:09) What Is Cultivated Meat?(08:25) The Science Behind Cultivated Meat(10:48) How Much Does Cultivated Meat Cost?(14:46) What does cultivated meat taste like?(17:10) Emerging Companies in the Lab Meat Industry(19:08) Industry Support for Alternative Meats(21:06) Government Role in Innovation(24:40) The Future of Animal Agriculture(28:25) Agricultural Policies for Sustainability(31:41) What Are Fermented Meats?(35:48) Meat And Antibiotic Resistance(39:32) The Invisible Costs of Meat Production(42:26) The Future of Cultivated Meat
Transcribe →Asteroid Mining Is Easier Than You Think - Matthew Gialich, Astroforge
Jun 2300:51:48Tap to summarizeAsteroid mining sounds insane until you speak to AstroForge CEO Matthew Gialich. Then it makes perfect sense.Matthew’s team at AstroForge builds spacecraft to mine metallic M-type asteroids for platinum group metals, the unglamorous but essential metals inside phones, cars, chips, electronics and much more.AstroForge is one of the few companies trying to make space mining real, targeting metal-rich asteroids that could contain platinum, palladium, iridium and other PGMs.Why? Earth’s resources are getting harder, deeper and more expensive to reach. The good stuff is not sitting neatly on the surface. A lot of it is buried, depleted, regulated or uneconomic.In this episode, Matthew explains why asteroid mining may now be technically and economically possible, why Planetary Resources may have been too early, how SpaceX changed the capital story for space startups, and why AstroForge’s first deep-space spacecraft failed after travelling nearly a million miles from Earth.Please enjoy the show. --Thinking on Paper is a technology podcast about AI, Space, quantum computing, science, and the systems shaping your life. 🏠 Buy us a beer on Substack🫵 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) Asteroid Mining Trailer(02:51) The Economic Necessity of Asteroid Mining(08:37) Lessons from Planetary Resources(10:43) Risk and Innovation (15:26) Deep Space Two (19:05) The Quest for Asteroid Exploration(22:20) Aliens & Life Beyond Earth(24:17) Ownership and Ethics in Space Mining(26:21) The Next Challenges in Asteroid Mining(27:56) Changing Earth's Economy (30:13) The Role of Capital(32:32) Matt's Vision for Space Exploration(35:06) The Drive to Explore the Universe(36:55) NASA's Evolution (39:17) Inside Astroforge(42:53) The Complexity of Space Engineering(44:25) Data Centers in Space(47:30) The Limitations of AI in Space Engineering
Transcribe →How To Build Your Own Quantum Computing Hype Filter
Jun 1900:57:49Tap to summarizeQuantum computers could change medicine, material science and AI. Unfortunately, it's impossible to know how because the industry is buried under hype. In today’s show, Dr. Bob Sutor takes us on a masterclass through the hype and conflicting headlines to the reality of quantum technology today. By the end of the show you’ll know what’s fact and fiction, where the industry is heading and how to protect yourself from AI slop masquerading as insight.We also learn about:Why “quantum supremacy” and “quantum advantage” claims should be treated carefullyWhy quantum computing is still in its prehistoryHow engineering discipline is changing the fieldWhat IBM and Cleveland Clinic’s protein simulation work shows about quantum chemistryWhy money, sovereignty and technology are driving the quantum industryHow governments are funding quantum computing in the United States, France, the UK, Finland and elsewhereWhat China may be doing in quantum computingWhich industries are doing serious quantum researchWhy there are many quantum hardware approaches and no clear winner yetWhether helium-3 supply matters for quantum computingBob also explains why quantum computers will be useful for specific classes of difficult problems where classical computers struggle, especially once systems become larger, more reliable and fault tolerant.The conversation ends with practical advice on separating the quantum noise from the Thinking On Paper signal.Please enjoy the show.--Thinking on Paper is a technology podcast about AI, Space, quantum computing, science, and the systems shaping your life. 🏠 Buy us a beer on Substack🫵 Choose your own technology adventure 📺 Watch our beautiful faces on YouTube 🎧 Remember Steve Jobs on APPLE: 📺 Get clips and exclusive videos on Instagram (00:00) AI Quantum Slop(00:40) Welcome To The Show(06:04) When Quantum Computers Finally Become Useful(10:13) Why Governments Are Throwing Money at Quantum(15:53) Is China Ahead in Quantum? (18:48) Where Quantum Might Actually Matter(27:11) Can Quantum Help Fix Climate Change?(28:35) Why Battery Companies Care About Quantum(30:31) Why Quantum Doesn’t Belong in the IT Department (31:53) Who’s Doing the Real Work in Quantum?(32:40) Why Quantum Companies Need Real Customers(38:19) The Funding Problem Behind Quantum Progress(45:22) Does Quantum Computing Need Helium-3?(48:01) Will We Need a Quantum Computer Matchmaker?(50:38) How to Spot Quantum Hype Before You Share It
Transcribe →AI Search Will Destroy Google
Jun 1200:44:34Tap to summarizeHave you used Google Search recently? Exactly. Most companies, and most people, still think about Google when they think about search. They’re still spending heavily to rank there and paying for the ads around it.But more people are asking ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini what to buy, read, use or trust.SEO isn’t disappearing. It’s evolving into GEO.Awad Sayeed, co-founder and CTO of Parsnipp AI, joins Thinking on Paper to explain generative engine optimisation, or GEO, and how companies can become more visible inside ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and other AI answer engines.Traditional SEO focuses on keywords, backlinks and rankings. GEO is more dependent on context: who the user is, what they’ve already asked, what they’re trying to achieve and how an AI system retrieves and combines information.In this episode, we discuss:How generative engine optimisation differs from SEOWhy context matters more than keywords in AI searchHow ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini use information differentlyWhat persona-based agents reveal about brand visibilityHow structured data helps AI systems understand websitesWhy comparison pages and clear product information matterWhat black-hat GEO could look likeHow AI-generated content could pollute the internetWhether brands should create separate experiences for humans and AI agentsHow advertising may develop inside AI assistantsAwad argues that GEO doesn’t replace SEO. Strong websites, useful content and clear structure still matter. But companies now need to think about whether AI systems can retrieve, interpret and recommend their information in the right context.And as this is Thinking On Paper, we ask about the human impact, the wider change in the structure of the internet, trust, data and consumerism. Please enjoy the show.--🏠 Buy us a beer on Substack🫵 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) Introduction to Generative Engine Optimization (03:36) Understanding Persona-Based Agents (06:23) The Transition from SEO to GEO(09:06) Context in LLMs and GEO(11:41) Black Hat Strategies in GEO(14:22) The Future of the Internet(16:58) Advertising in the Age of GEO(19:37) The Impact of GEO (28:22) The Evolution of AI Models (29:03) Integrating AI into Business Strategies(29:52) Agents vs. Humans(32:10) The Future of SEO and GEO(34:08) Tools for Visibility and Analytics in AI(36:00) Customer-Driven Development(39:23) The Role of Storytelling in GEO(42:04) Model Transparency and the Future of AI
Transcribe →Can The UK Compete With The American Tech Machine?
Jun 1100:46:05Tap to summarizeThe UK produces world-class technology and is home to exceptional tech entrepreneurs. All too often it watches them scale in America.Rory Daniels, Head of Emerging Technology and Innovation at techUK, joins Thinking on Paper to discuss whether the United Kingdom can remain competitive as quantum computing, robotics, photonics, AI and advanced computing begin to converge.The UK has strong research institutions, deep technical talent and globally significant companies. Its recurring problem is scale. Promising technologies are often developed in British universities and laboratories, then commercialised or funded elsewhere.In this episode, we discuss:What makes the UK robotics industry different from the US and ChinaWhy British companies often focus on specialised robots for nuclear sites, wind turbines and industrial environmentsHow autonomous driving companies such as Wayve combine AI, sensors and connectivityWhether robotaxis can coexist with London’s black-cab industryWhy UK technology companies struggle to scale after the startup stageHow access to long-term capital affects quantum, robotics and semiconductor companiesThe role of universities, technology-transfer offices and regional innovation clustersWhat is happening in Coventry, Edinburgh, Milton Keynes, Barnsley and other UK technology centresHow digital twins and simulation are used to train robots and autonomous vehiclesWhy photonics matters for quantum computingHow quantum, photonic, neuromorphic and biological computing could convergeWhether AI can develop the judgement and wisdom required to solve complex technical problemsHow techUK connects companies, researchers and policymakersWhy public trust and adoption matter as much as technical performanceRory argues that the UK’s advantage may not lie in dominating a single technology. It may come from combining existing strengths in AI, chip design, robotics, quantum computing, photonics and connectivity.The conversation examines what government, industry, universities and investors must do if the UK is to convert strong research into companies that can scale globally without leaving the country.Please enjoy the show.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🎧Get Up Close On YouTube 🎧 Remember Steve jobs on APPLE📺 Get the clips and outtakes on Instagram --Chapters(00:00) The UK Technology Landscape(03:14) Robotics: A UK Perspective(05:54) Autonomous Vehicles in the UK(08:39) The UK's Innovation Ecosystem(11:05) Challenges and Opportunities for UK Tech Entrepreneurs(13:27) Regional Innovation and Government Initiatives(16:33) The Role of Universities in Tech Development(19:15) Barnsley: A Blueprint for Tech Towns(21:53) Government Initiatives in Robotics(24:20) Digital Twins and the Future of Robotics(27:12) Quantum Computing and Photonics in the UK(29:24) The Role of Education in Emerging Technologies(30:55) AI and Human Wisdom: A Complex Relationship(38:02) Neuromorphic Computing: The Future of AI(38:23) Convergence of Technologies: Opportunities for the UK(42:42) The Human Element in Technology Adoption
Transcribe →AI Is Automating Engineers Out Of A Job
Jun 1100:34:37Tap to summarizeThe Vij brothers join Thinking on Paper to discuss Neo, an autonomous machine learning engineer designed to automate parts of the AI development process.As demand for AI systems grows, companies and governments are competing for a limited pool of experienced machine learning engineers. The challenge isn’t only access to data or computing power. Many organisations also lack the technical expertise required to build, test and deploy effective models.Neo uses a multi-agent system to perform tasks normally handled by machine learning engineers, including analysing datasets, selecting modelling approaches, running experiments and evaluating results. The aim is to automate repetitive technical work while allowing human engineers to concentrate on higher-level decisions and more creative problems.In this episode, we discuss:What an autonomous machine learning engineer isHow Neo’s multi-agent AI system worksWhy skilled machine learning engineers are in such high demandWhich parts of AI development can be automatedHow autonomous agents compare with traditional machine learning workflowsWhy Kaggle Grandmasters are considered leading practitioners in applied machine learningWhether AI agents can match expert human performanceHow automation could affect machine learning jobs and salariesThe evolution of GPUs from graphics hardware to AI infrastructureWhat the Vij brothers learned from working at CERNHow autonomous AI systems could change business, creativity and technical workNeo is intended to expand access to machine learning expertise rather than simply generate code. Its development raises a wider question: what happens when AI systems can perform the specialised work required to build other AI systems?This conversation examines the technical capabilities of autonomous machine learning agents, the shortage of experienced AI talent and how automation could reshape the role of engineers--Timestamps(00:00) Why Are There So Few Machine Learning Engineers?(01:54) Meet Gaurav Vij and Saurabh Vij(02:57) Lessons Learned from Working at CERN(04:45) How to Explain The Importance Of A.I. to Your Parents(07:24) The World’s First Autonomous Machine Learning Engineer: What AI Problem Does NEO Solve?(08:17) AI Competitions and Kaggle Grandmasters(11:06) How Many A.I./ML Engineers Do We Need?(17:30) Fixing The A.I. Hallucination Problem(18:09) Hot Buttons: 5 AI Questions In 30 Seconds(18:46) Hollywood: Doomed by A.I, or Reborn?(20:26) AI News: Nvidia Digits Explained(21:51) Moore's Law And Could AI Models Be Motivated by Rewards?(25:42) AI And Quantum Computing(29:45) The Thinking on Paper Carry-Over Question(30:16) After Hours: Backstage Extra--Check out NEO: https://heyneo.so/Learn more about the show: www.thinkingonpaper.xyzFollow Thinking On Paper On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thinkingonpaperpodcast/
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NASA’s Moon Base Guide Is a Shopping List for Space Startups
Jun 200:33:45Tap to summarizeWe read NASA’s Moon Base User’s Guide and ask what it would take to establish a sustained human presence on the Moon.A permanent lunar base requires far more than rockets, landers and astronauts. NASA and its partners would need to build an integrated infrastructure system covering power generation, communications, navigation, habitats, transportation, logistics, robotics and resource extraction.In this episode, we discuss:How NASA plans to build a permanent Moon baseWhy reliable power is essential for long-term lunar operationsWhether nuclear power will be required on the MoonHow astronauts, vehicles and robots would communicate and navigateWhat lunar habitats need to protect crews from radiation and extreme temperaturesHow autonomous robots could prepare sites and maintain infrastructureWhy lunar dust creates serious engineering problemsHow equipment from different companies and countries could work togetherWhether water, oxygen and construction materials can be extracted from lunar resourcesWhat infrastructure must exist before humans can live and work on the Moon continuouslyThe discussion also examines the gap between NASA’s long-term ambitions and the systems currently available. Many of the technologies exist individually, but they haven’t yet been combined into a reliable, scalable lunar operating environment.This episode asks whether a permanent Moon base is a realistic extension of human spaceflight or a programme whose infrastructure requirements remain badly underestimated.--Chapters00:00 Executive Summary and Vision01:17 Phased Approach to Moon Base Development07:21 Challenges of Lunar Environment09:06 Interoperability and Coordination in Space15:13 Economic Incentives and Future of Space Development17:03 Identifying Gaps in Space Technology20:23 Functional Gaps and Their Implications24:01 Dust Challenges and Solutions29:10 The Moon as a Launchpad for Mars31:08 Human Factors in Lunar Missions--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 YouTube🎧 Remember steve jobs on APPLE📺 Get the clips and outtakes on Instagram
Transcribe →Free, Unlimited Energy With Space-Based Solar Power
May 2700:52:14Tap to summarizeSanjay 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:How space-based solar power worksHow energy can be transmitted wirelesslyTerraSpark’s plan to power a concert in PortugalWhat its in-orbit power-beaming experiment will testThe differences between radio-frequency and laser power transmissionHow near-infrared power beaming worksHow much energy is lost during wireless transmissionWhether orbital data centres could use the same infrastructureHow space-based solar could improve energy securityWhy spectrum regulation and interference testing matterWhat investors and regulators need to see before the technology can scaleSanjay 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. 🏠 Buy us a beer on Substack🎧Be With Us On YouTube🎧 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
Transcribe →America Has One Lithium Mine. Clean Energy Wants 117 More
May 2300:52:23Tap to summarizeJennifer 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:The environmental impact of lithium miningHow lithium brine mining compares with hard-rock lithium miningWhy copper demand is risingHow mining affects water use and local water stressThe risks of pollution, biodiversity loss and mining wasteHow life cycle assessment compares mines and supply chainsWhy local conditions matter more than global averagesThe role of mine permitting in the energy transitionWhether recycling can reduce demand for new miningHow battery supply chains shift environmental costs between regionsWhat responsible critical-mineral production should look likeJennifer 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🎧 Take us with you on Spotify🎧 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
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