The Informed Frontier

The Informed Frontier

A podcast series examining innovation at the intersection of science, technology, and media. Season 1 explores AI as a 'reader' of content, and how this fundamental shift is changing the way we access, interpret, and share information. Hosted by Jessica Miles, each episode looks at the philosophical considerations and practical consequences of this disruption, focusing on scientific and scholarly content.

Episodes

  1. Jan 25

    What publishers learned about AI in 2025 with Nick Thompson

    From court decisions to bot-blocking infrastructure, the AI licensing landscape shifted dramatically in 2025, leaving publishers to learn along the way. In this live Q&A, Jessica speaks with Nicholas Thompson about major shifts in 2025 and his predictions for a fair exchange of value between AI and media. Featured Guest: Nicholas Thompson, CEO of The Atlantic

  2. 10/03/2025

    AI search for science research with JL Needham

    AI tools have the potential to transform research discovery. In this episode, Jessica speaks with JL Needham about lessons from the last era of search, building partnerships between publishers and AI developers, and his advice for navigating disruption. Featured Guest: JL Needham, Director of Partnerships at Consensus

  3. 10/01/2025

    Atomizing science with Chirag Patel

    As AI systems increasingly consume scientific literature, publishers face fundamental questions about the format and function of the research paper. In this episode, Jessica speaks with Chirag “Jay” Patel about atomizing science, answer engine optimization, and what academic publishers should learn from the music industry.

  4. 10/01/2025

    Open science meets AI with Mark Hahnel

    For over a decade, Figshare has led the way in making scientific research and data open to the world. In 2025, that entails figuring out how to continue their vital work of serving the research ecosystem, while managing the impact of a new type of user: AI bots. In this episode, Jessica speaks to Figshare founder Mark Hahnel about the history and future of open data and how human-AI collaboration could spark a perpetual research cycle.

  5. 09/30/2025

    Libraries and AI readers with Lisa Hinchliffe

    How should libraries balance their core mission with the demands of rapidly changing technology? In this episode, Jessica speaks with Lisa Janicke Hinchliffe about human and AI readers, the impact of bots on digital collections, and the future of virtual information research assistants.

  6. 09/30/2025

    Tradition and transformation in the AI age with Wendy Queen

    Publishing has navigated successive disruptions over the last few decades – from print to digital, web search and Google Scholar, and now AI as a new user of content. In this episode, Jessica speaks with Wendy Queen about learning from inflection points in digital publishing and why Johns Hopkins University Press decided to license its content for training AI models. Featured Guest: Wendy Queen, Chief Transformation Officer at Johns Hopkins University Press

  7. 09/29/2025

    Should AI get human rights? with David Atkinson

    If AI seems human, should it get human rights? In this episode, Jessica speaks with David Atkinson about the risks of legal personhood and exceptionalism for AI systems, what’s at stake in ongoing copyright and fair use cases, and why property law might be the best defense against unwanted bots.

  8. 09/29/2025

    AI’s impact on copyright and licensing with Lauren Tulloch

    ChatGPT changed everything: now, confronted with a fascinating and fast-moving technology, organizations face urgent questions around AI governance, licensing, and copyright. In this episode, Jessica speaks with Lauren McLeod Tulloch about how AI is shifting the legal landscape and what firms need to know to manage AI tools responsibility. Featured Guest: Lauren McLeod Tulloch, Vice President and Managing Director at Copyright Clearance Center

  9. 09/25/2025

    What do AIs owe you when they read your work? with Josh Freeman

    Generative AI presents an extraordinary opportunity for media and technology, but only if content owners and creators can survive the existential threats posed by a shifting paradigm. In this episode, Jessica speaks with Josh Freeman about how authors and publishers can support fair attribution and compensation amid disruption. Featured Guest: Josh Freeman, Vice President of Business Development at ProRata.ai

  • 9 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

A podcast series examining innovation at the intersection of science, technology, and media. Season 1 explores AI as a 'reader' of content, and how this fundamental shift is changing the way we access, interpret, and share information. Hosted by Jessica Miles, each episode looks at the philosophical considerations and practical consequences of this disruption, focusing on scientific and scholarly content.

Information

  • Creator
    The Informed Frontier
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    9
  • Rating
    Clean