Thoughts On Tech & Things

Can Journalism Schools Teach AI Without Losing the Craft?

Host Jason Michael Perry [https://www.jasonmperry.com] sits down with Derek Willis, a lecturer at the University of Maryland's Philip Merrill College of Journalism [https://merrill.umd.edu/] and affiliate professor at AIM — Maryland's Artificial Intelligence Interdisciplinary Institute — to explore what happens when the newsroom's most powerful new tool is also its most dangerous. In this episode, they dig into how journalism schools are preparing the next generation of reporters for a world where AI can draft articles, fabricate quotes, and produce content at a speed no human can match. Derek draws on years inside The New York Times, ProPublica, and The Washington Post to talk about where AI actually helps journalists, why his "Team Luddite" classroom experiment keeps proving human skill still matters, and how educators teach craft during a technological transition where nobody knows the end state. Podcast Notes & Links * An AI Upheaval Is Coming for Media. This Journalist Is Already All In – Wall Street Journal [https://www.wsj.com/business/media/an-ai-upheaval-is-coming-for-media-this-journalist-is-already-all-in-3511d951] * Union Denounces AI-Generated News Stories as Baltimore Sun Management Predicts More of Them – Baltimore Brew [https://www.baltimorebrew.com/2026/02/16/union-denounces-ai-generated-news-stories-as-baltimore-sun-management-predicts-more-of-them/] * AP's Approach to Artificial Intelligence [https://www.ap.org/solutions/artificial-intelligence/] * Principles for Using Generative AI in the Times's Newsroom – New York Times [https://www.nytco.com/press/principles-for-using-generative-a%E2%80%A4i%E2%80%A4-in-the-timess-newsroom/] * The Baltimore Banner's Approach to AI [https://www.thebanner.com/artificial-intelligence/] * Editor's Note: Retraction of Article Containing Fabricated Quotations – Ars Technica [https://arstechnica.com/staff/2026/02/editors-note-retraction-of-article-containing-fabricated-quotations/] * Ars Technica Fires Senior AI Reporter After AI-Generated Quotes Scandal – Futurism [https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/ars-technica-fires-reporter-ai-quotes] * An AI Agent Published a Hit Piece on Me – Scott Shambaugh [https://theshamblog.com/an-ai-agent-published-a-hit-piece-on-me/] Subscribe & Contact Subscribe to the Thoughts on Tech & Things newsletter: jasonmperry.com/newsletter [https://jasonmperry.com/newsletter] Send feedback, questions, or guest suggestions: jasonmperry.com/contact [https://jasonmperry.com/contact] Credits Thanks to the team at WYPR [https://www.wypr.org], our producers Sam Bermas-Dawes and Shania Mapson, and Myrna Martinez, Head of Operations and Marketing at PerryLabs [https://www.perrylabs.io].

Are You Ready to Pivot or Die?

Host Jason Michael Perry [https://www.jasonmperry.com] sits down with Gary Shapiro [https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-shapiro/], Executive Chair of the Consumer Technology Association [https://www.cta.tech] and the man who led CES [https://www.ces.tech] for more than 35 years, for a conversation about what it really takes to pivot when everything around you is changing. Recorded on site at CTA's headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, this episode traces the arc of pivoting through Gary's career: from the forced pivot of taking CES fully virtual during COVID, to the slow-burn evolution of technologies like AI and robotics on the show floor, to the policy fights shaping what technology actually reaches consumers. Gary shares the framework from his book Pivot or Die — the startup pivot, the forced pivot, the failure pivot, and the success pivot — and explains why even the smartest leaders struggle with change. They dig into AI adoption, the Trump administration's new AI policy framework, autonomous vehicles stalling in Maryland, the intensifying tech race with China, and what 35 years of walking the CES floor teaches you about separating the breakthroughs from the flameouts. The conversation closes with Gary's own pivot — stepping from CEO to Executive Chair — and with the question of whether Kinsey Fabrizio [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kinsey-fabrizio/] will let him get a ticket to next year's show. PODCAST NOTES & LINKS * Gary's latest book, laying out his four-type pivot framework, drawn from decades of leading CTA and watching companies rise and fall at CES [https://www.amazon.com/Pivot-Die-Leaders-Everything-Changes/dp/0063374773] * The trade association representing more than 2,200 consumer technology companies, the owner and producer of CES [https://www.cta.tech] * Waymo's push to bring autonomous ride-hailing to Baltimore stalls as the Maryland legislature ends its session without passing the bill [https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/maryland-driverless-waymo-lawmakers/] * A deeper look at the regulatory gap keeping driverless cars parked in Maryland while Waymo expands to Dallas, Nashville, and other cities [https://www.thebanner.com/community/transportation/waymo-driverless-car-maryland-annapolis-I6R3EKIQ5BGC5HTTX6OBNMMT5U/] * CTA's overview of CES 2026, where robotics and physical AI dominated the show floor [https://www.ces.tech] * A humanoid robot named Lightning finished the Beijing half-marathon in 50 minutes, beating the human world record by nearly seven minutes — then crashed into a barricade at the finish line [https://www.nbcnews.com/world/china/humanoid-robots-race-humans-beijing-half-marathon-showing-rapid-advanc-rcna340842] SUBSCRIBE & CONTACT Subscribe to the Thoughts on Tech & Things newsletter: jasonmperry.com/newsletter [https://jasonmperry.com/newsletter] Send feedback, questions, or guest suggestions: jasonmperry.com/contact [https://jasonmperry.com/contact] CREDITS Thanks to the team at WYPR [https://www.wypr.org/], our producer Shanya Mapson, and Myrna Martinez, Head of Operations and Marketing at PerryLabs [https://www.perrylabs.io/].

Why are Maryland's Electric Bills Rising?

Host Jason Michael Perry sits down with Jason Stanek, Executive Director of Governmental Services at PJM Interconnection, to unpack why Maryland electricity bills keep climbing — and how the structure of the grid itself is at the center of the problem. Maryland is a net importer — the state produces about 60 percent of the electricity it uses and buys the rest from the regional market. Stanek explains what that actually means: who generates power, who moves it, and who delivers it to your door. He walks through how PJM — the organization that coordinates electricity across 13 states and 65 million people — fits into the system, and why Maryland’s dependence on regional supply has become so expensive as data center demand drives capacity costs sharply higher. The conversation covers the double squeeze on Maryland ratepayers: BGE’s multi-year infrastructure investment plan pushing distribution costs up at the same time that regional generation costs are rising. Stanek also explains the stalled renewable buildout, the fight over the proposed Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project transmission line, and what a new deal between Entergy Louisiana and Meta suggests about how states can push data centers to pay their fair share. Plus: what regular Marylanders can actually do about their bills, including BGE’s time-of-use rate program that rewards off-peak energy use. SPONSORS This episode is brought to you by: PerryLabs   Invested in AI but is not seeing results? You’re not alone. PerryLabs helps organizations find what’s working and build what’s next. Start with our AI Assessment at PerryLabs.io HoopDee   Got a baby on the way? HoopDee tracks breast milk and formula with our smart Hoops and free app so you always know what’s fresh, what’s next, and what’s expired. Save 20% off using promo code: thoughts. For more information, visit gethoopdee.com. PODCAST NOTES & LINKS * PJM Interconnection — Who We Are [https://www.pjm.com/about-pjm/who-we-are] * EIA State Energy Profiles — Maryland [https://www.eia.gov/states/MD/rankings] * WYPR — What Would Happen If Maryland Left the Nation's Largest Power Grid? [https://www.wypr.org/wypr-news/2026-02-19/what-would-happen-if-maryland-left-the-nations-largest-power-grid-lawmakers-want-to-find-out] * CNS Maryland — As Data Centers Multiply, Maryland's Power Grid Struggles to Keep Up [https://cnsmaryland.org/2026/03/04/as-data-centers-multiply-marylands-power-grid-struggles-to-keep-up/] * BGE Residential EV Programs & Time-of-Use Rate [https://www.bge.com/smart-energy/innovation-technology/electric-vehicles/residential-evs] * TechCrunch — $1B DOE Loan to Restart Three Mile Island [https://techcrunch.com/2025/11/18/trump-doe-gives-microsoft-partner-1b-loan-to-restart-three-mile-island-reactor/] * Anthropic Exposed 512,000 Lines of Its Own Code [https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/31/anthropic-leak-claude-code-internal-source.html] * WTCI AGILE: Energy Discussion with Panelists Including Jason Stanek [https://wtci.org/events/agile-global-innovation-series-2/] SUBSCRIBE & CONTACT Subscribe to the Thoughts on Tech & Things newsletter: jasonmperry.com/newsletter Send feedback, questions, or guest suggestions: jasonmperry.com/contact CREDITS Thanks to the team at WYPR, our producer Shanya Mapson, and Myrna Martinez, Head of Operations and Marketing at PerryLabs.

Is Your Next Outfit Designed by AI?

Host Jason Michael Perry [https://www.jasonmperry.com] sits down with Janey Park [https://www.janeypark.com], founder of The Digital Runway [https://thedigitalrunway.substack.com] and global marketing strategist, to explore how AI is reshaping the fashion industry — from the design studio to your shopping cart. In this episode, they dig into fashion's long history of failed tech experiments (remember Google's touch-sensitive Levi's jacket?), the Vogue controversy over AI-generated models, virtual try-on tools that create a digital version of you from a selfie, and whether AI can actually have good taste. Janey brings more than 20 years of experience at brands like LVMH, Elizabeth Arden, and Nordstrom, and breaks down what's hype, what's real, and what every consumer should be paying attention to. SPONSORS PerryLabs Invested in AI but not seeing results? You're not alone. PerryLabs helps organizations find what's working and build what's next. Start with our AI Assessment at PerryLabs.io [https://perrylabs.io] World Trade Center Institute The growth path shouldn't stop at the border. WTCI provides the connections, knowledge, and global network Maryland's most ambitious leaders need to scale. Start your global journey at wtci.org [https://wtci.org] Podcast Notes & Links * The Digital Runway Newsletter — Janey Park [https://thedigitalrunway.substack.com] * AI Models in Vogue: Your Favorite Model May Not Be Real — CNN [https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/31/style/vogue-ai-models-guess-campaign] * AI Has Officially Entered the Fashion Week Conversation — Vogue [https://www.vogue.com/article/ai-has-officially-entered-the-fashion-week-conversation] * Fashion AI Expo Debuts During Paris Fashion Week 2026 — Fashion Week Online [https://fashionweekonline.com/fashion-ai-expo-debuts-during-paris-fashion-week-2026] * CFDA and OpenAI Launch Innovation Hub — WWD [https://wwd.com/fashion-news/fashion-scoops/cfda-open-ai-launch-innovation-hub-1238553467/] * AI's Big Shopping Breakthrough — Business of Fashion [https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/retail/how-ai-will-shape-e-commerce-in-2026/] * Google's AI Try-On Feature Now Works With Just a Selfie — TechCrunch [https://techcrunch.com/2025/12/11/googles-ai-try-on-feature-for-clothes-now-works-with-just-a-selfie/] * AI Is Shaking Up Fashion's Workforce — Business of Fashion / McKinsey State of Fashion 2026 [https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/technology/the-state-of-fashion-2026-report-ai-automation-workforce-organisation-talent/] * Meta Sued Over Smart Glasses Privacy Concerns — TechCrunch [https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/05/meta-sued-over-ai-smartglasses-privacy-concerns-after-workers-reviewed-nudity-sex-and-other-footage/] * Think Twice Before Buying or Using Meta's Ray-Bans — EFF [https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/03/think-twice-buying-or-using-metas-ray-bans] * Google + Levi's Project Jacquard — Levi Strauss & Co. [https://www.levistrauss.com/2015/05/29/google-levis-project-jacquard/] Subscribe & Contact Subscribe to the Thoughts on Tech & Things newsletter: jasonmperry.com/newsletter [https://jasonmperry.com/newsletter] Send feedback, questions, or guest suggestions: jasonmperry.com/contact [https://jasonmperry.com/contact] Credits Thanks to the team at WYPR [https://www.wypr.org], our producers Sam Bermas-Dawes and Shania Mapson, and Myrna Martinez, Head of Operations and Marketing at PerryLabs [https://www.perrylabs.io].

What Is OpenClaw, Really?

Host Jason Michael Perry [https://www.jasonmperry.com] sits down with Marcus Penny [https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcuspenny/], VP of Technology and Digital Services at Bruce Bolt [https://brucebolt.com] and founder of boutique AI consulting firm Techabo [https://techabo.com], to dig into one of the most talked-about — and least understood — tools in tech right now: OpenClaw. In this episode, they unpack what OpenClaw actually is, why it feels so different from anything we’ve seen before, and what it really means when an AI can wake up on its own schedule, manage a team of other AIs, and take actions on your behalf — whether you’re watching or not. Marcus brings a practitioner’s eye: real workflows, real failures, and a clear-eyed take on where the hype ends and the genuine opportunity begins. Podcast Notes & Links * OpenClaw [https://openclaw.ai] * OpenClaw Security Fears Lead Meta, Other AI Firms to Restrict Its Use – Ars Technica [https://arstechnica.com/ai/2026/02/openclaw-security-fears-lead-meta-other-ai-firms-to-restrict-its-use/] * After All the Hype, Some AI Experts Don’t Think OpenClaw Is All That Exciting – TechCrunch [https://techcrunch.com/2026/02/16/after-all-the-hype-some-ai-experts-dont-think-openclaw-is-all-that-exciting/] * Apple Mac Mini Is Having a Moment Thanks to the OpenClaw Craze – Business Insider [https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-mac-mini-having-a-moment-openclaw-craze-2026-2?op=1] * Personal Computer – Perplexity [https://www.perplexity.ai/hub/blog/everything-is-computer] * OpenAI Hires OpenClaw Creator Peter Steinberger – Fortune [https://fortune.com/2026/02/15/openai-openclaw-ai-agent-developer-peter-steinberg-moltbot-clawdbot-moltbook/] * What Is Moltbook, the Viral Social Media Platform for AI Agents? – Mashable [https://mashable.com/article/what-is-moltbook-viral-social-media-ai-agents] Subscribe & Contact Subscribe to the Thoughts on Tech & Things newsletter: jasonmperry.com/newsletter [https://jasonmperry.com/newsletter] Send feedback, questions, or guest suggestions: jasonmperry.com/contact [https://jasonmperry.com/contact] Credits Thanks to the team at WYPR [https://www.wypr.org], our producers Sam Bermas-Dawes and Shania Mapson, and Myrna Martinez, Head of Operations and Marketing at PerryLabs [https://www.perrylabs.io].