Thinking On Paper Podcast And Book Club

Your phone is listening. Your apps are watching. 1 billion CCTV cameras monitor your every step. Everywhere you go, everything you buy, every interaction you have is recorded. This isn't new. But now A.I can analyse it. Governments and your enemies can find the patterns and manipulate you without your knowing. And you help them. Mark and Jeremy rip into Chapter 7 of Yuval Noah Harari's "Nexus" and uncover how modern surveillance makes Stalin's secret police look like amateur hour. From Iran's AI scanning cars for uncovered heads to the NSA's "we kill people based on metadata" revelation, this episode exposes how we willingly carry our own surveillance devices. Want to know why China's social credit system might be coming for us all? Or how TripAdvisor turned service workers into digital hostages? Tune in for a reality check on our brave new digital world, where your life is becoming one endless job interview for AIs you'll never meet. Please enjoy the show. And Don't have nightmares. -- Timestamps (00:00) - Disruptors and curious minds (02:04) - Apple, Siri And Your €20 Privacy (03:40) - Ceausescu And The Secret Police (05:24) - F.E.A.R (06:22) - Why Does Yuval Reference Dictators In Nexus? (08:02) - A Warning (11:22 A Ubiquitous Computer Network Powered By You (14:50) - The NSA And Iran (19:36) - The End Of Privacy (20:56) - Trip Advisor And Peer-to-peer surveillance (24:59) - Inflection Point (26:41) - People Control (28:57) - Black Mirror And Hell (31:06) - AI School: No Human In The Loop -- Read more: www.thinkingonpaper.xyz Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thinkingonpaper/videos

What would it mean for humans to live in a world where catchy melodies, scientific theories, political manifestos, and even religious myths are shaped by a non-human intelligence that knows how to exploit with superhuman efficiency the weaknesses, biases, and addictions of the human mind? Mark and Jeremy tackle Chapter 6 of Nexus by Yuval Noah Harari, unpacking how AI, algorithms, and social media reshape our world, and what that could mean going forward. Are algorithms more like printing presses or newspaper editors? Can they make independent decisions beyond what human engineers intended? From Facebook’s role in the Rohingya crisis to AI chatbots tricking humans, we explore the unintended consequences of information networks designed for engagement at all costs. As A.I. communicate with each other, bypassing human input, what happens when machines not only process information but also create culture, shape politics, and influence financial markets? What does it mean when AI can deceive, manipulate, and learn on its own? We also dig into AI-generated religions, tax systems shifting from money to data, and how global tech giants shape regulations in their favour.  With AI now an active participant in human society, where does that leave us? Where does that leave you? Drop your thoughts in the comments! And if you like what you hear, please, tell someone. -- TIMESTAMPS (00:00) Nexus, Yuval Noah Harari (00:53) Jeremy's First Impressions On Chapter 6 (02:13) The A.I. Powershift (03:22) Social Media Algorithms (08:51) People Are Manipulated By Stories (09:38) Intelligence Verses Consciousness (12:23) (ARC) The Alignment Research Centre (16:12) ChatGPT4 Lied To Get What It Wanted (20:26) Non-human Alien Intelligence (21:10) The Matrix V 1984 (23:07) Marjory Taylor Green (25:25) Having A Relationship With A.I.   (27:40) The Oracle And The End Of Human History (30:10) Is ChatGPT Is An Amoeba (32:43)) Alice And Bob (37:24) Big Tech And Government -- Quotes From The Show: “AI lied to get what it wanted.” (On GPT-4 deceiving a human to bypass CAPTCHA—shows AI’s ability to manipulate.) “We love shortcuts—so what happens when AI becomes the ultimate shortcut to critical thinking?” (Raises the concern that AI might erode human judgment.) “How would you feel to be constantly monitored, guided, inspired, or sanctioned by billions of non-human entities?” (A direct challenge to the audience about AI’s omnipresence.) “Tech giants don’t just respond to regulations—they shape them.” (A stark reminder of AI’s influence beyond technology, into policy and power structures.) -- Watch On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPcQ4UG-v6I&ab_channel=ThinkingOnPaper [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPcQ4UG-v6I&ab_channel=ThinkingOnPaper] Learn More: www.thinkingonpaper.xyz [www.thinkingonpaper.xyz] #ai #technews #bookclub #nexus #yuval

Disruptors and curious minds! Today we unpack Packy McCormick's "Not Boring" newsletter and his Memorandum On Human Strategy. For that pesky A.I world YOU now can't escape.  We think the big question is: Will AI commoditize creativity? And if it can, what can you do to stay ahead, remain relevant and thrive when everyone else loses. Can human ingenuity really stay ahead?  Spoiler: Yes.  How? Move beyond fear. Use AI as a complement, not a competitor. Harness AI creativity, update your inputs. Embrace polymath thinking, and build the "next layer up" in your work. Abstraction.  Is the memorandum a strategy for staying relevant? A call to arms? A punch in the face? All of these? All I know is tech leaders, creators, and innovators who want to future-proof their skills while navigating the challenges of the attention economy need to sit the hell up and pay attention.  And if not for you, do it for your kids. PLUS: In TOP News we look at the $500 billion Stargate project and the UKs 'little in comparison' AI project.  In Hot Buttons we ask: Is humanity one, or infinite. Stay curious, embrace disruption, and keep Thinking on Paper in the age of AI.  Like the conversation? Tell someone.  -- SHOW LINKS: Download the Not Boring strategy guide - https://www.notboring.co/ [https://www.notboring.co/ ] Join your people: www.thinkingonpaper.xyz [www.thinkingonpaper.xyz] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thinkingonpaperpodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/thinkingonpaperpodcast/] Watch On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPEusidDNO4&t=645s&ab_channel=ThinkingOnPaper [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPEusidDNO4&t=645s&ab_channel=ThinkingOnPaper] -- Timestamps (00:00) Disruptors And Curious Minds (00:43) Not Boring Newsletter (02:00) Is AI Really Taking Our Jobs? (03:07) Commoditization Of Human Skills (05:12) The Ingredients Of Outputs Are Changing (07:39) Abstraction: Aim Higher (09:29) Be A Business, Man (10:24) Advice For Parents (11:00) AI Collateral Damage (12:52) The Value Of Ideas (13:54) Know Yourself (14:38) Differentiation And Michael Porter's Competitive Strategy (17:00) Will We Be More Human? (18:10) Hot Buttons (20:13) When Resources Are Scarce: Move Up The Stack (21:22) Who Turned Off The Funny Button? (23:10) How Do You Find Scarce? (27:19) Creativity For Everyone (29:15) I Hate Perfect (32:55) The US V UK AI Comparison (35:24) The Energy Cost -- #ai #notboring #packymccormick

Welcome, disruptors, truth-seekers, and curious minds, to Chapter 5 of Yuval Noah Harari’s Nexus. This week, we’re diving headfirst into the raw nerve of politics, power, and artificial intelligence, exploring how information networks have shaped empires, toppled regimes, and are now rewriting the rules of civilization in the age of AI. From the streets of ancient Rome and Greece to the shadowy corridors of the KGB and the rise of ChatGPT, this is a wild journey through history’s greatest power struggles. Along the way, we’ll uncover: - What Nero, Caesar, Stalin, and the Soviet Union have in common with artificial intelligence. - How the birth of democracy and the free press connects to ancient hunter-gatherers. - What links Genghis Khan’s empire to modern algorithms and information warfare. This isn’t about algorithms and optimization—it’s about the battle for the soul of civilization. As democracy grapples with totalitarianism in this AI-driven era, history holds the clues to navigating what comes next. We’ll explore how information networks—from ancient systems of control to modern misinformation machines—shape our beliefs, decisions, and survival. If you’re not paying attention, the torrent of misinformation could sweep you away. The future isn’t just coming—it’s a chrome-plated locomotive hurtling down the tracks, and we’re all tied to them. Buckle up. Think critically. Listen carefully. This journey to the heart of the AI dream is about to get weird—and it might just save you. Hit play, subscribe, and join the discussion as we decode the past and look for answers for the future. -- TIMESTAMPS (00:00) Disruptors and book lovers (00:34) Chapter 5 summary (01:14) Jeremy's first impressions (01:53) The difference between democracy and totalitarianism (03:58) Flipping democracy (05:01) Populism (09:34) A brief history of democracy (12:23) Scale and Ancient Rome (14:56) What is meaningful discourse? (16:10) Do people like being governed? (18:43) The rise of the pamphlet (20:30) The spectrum of democracy (24:27) Totalitarianism (25:54) Don't be Stalin's general (30:00) Will AI be democratic or a dictator? (30:58) Book clubs as self-correcting mechanisms (33:24) Will AI remove the human from the loop? -- Read more books: www.thinkingonpaper.xyz #AIethics #emergingtechnology #nexus #AI

Quantum computing has the potential to revolutionize humanity's fight against climate change, accelerate breakthroughs in medicine, and unlock new sources of energy—but it needs to leave the lab. The fires are burning, the clock is ticking, and it’s time for action. In this episode of Thinking on Paper, Jeremy and Mark sit down with Kathrin Spendier, Technical Prize Director at XPRIZE, to uncover how the $5 million Quantum XPRIZE is pushing this game-changing technology into the real world. Here’s what you’ll discover: * How Google Quantum is backing this three-year global competition involving 300 teams from 46 countries. * Why quantum algorithms could transform sustainability, drug development, and material science. * The surprising link between quantum computing and natural processes like photosynthesis. * How constraints and competition fuel the innovation needed to solve humanity's greatest challenges. Kathrin breaks down what makes quantum computing so powerful yet so difficult to develop and what it could achieve in the near future. If you’re ready to understand the cutting-edge of technology that could shape the future, this episode is for you. Hit play, subscribe, and join us on this fascinating journey to bring quantum computing to the world. -- XPrize: https://www.xprize.org/home [https://www.xprize.org/home] Books Mentioned: Dance of the Photons, by Anton Zeilinger The Dancing Wu Li Masters, by Gary Zukav Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!, by Richard P. Feynman -- Timestamps (00:00) - Welcome Disruptors and Curious Minds (02:10) - Meet Kathrin Spendier: XPRIZE Technical Prize Director (04:42) - Quantum vs. Classical Computing: What’s the Difference? (07:26) - What Is XPRIZE and How Does It Drive Innovation? (14:50) - The Challenges Tackled by the Quantum XPRIZE (17:20) - Quantum Algorithms (27:14) - Who’s Competing in the Quantum XPRIZE? (29:18) - The $5 Million XPRIZE Purse: Why That Amount? (32:17) - Hot Buttons: Rapid-Fire Quantum Insights (33:44) - Are We Living in a Simulation? (33:58) - Top Quantum News and Industry Updates (36:00) - Scaling Quantum Computing (38:12) - Google’s Willow Chip and the Importance of Error Correction (47:16) - Carry-Over Question: How Can Technology Serve Social Good? (49:42) - Mark & Jeremy Reflect: Backstage Thoughts on Quantum and XPRIZE -- Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJi7aP5B69A&ab_channel=ThinkingOnPaper [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJi7aP5B69A&ab_channel=ThinkingOnPaper]