Thoughts On Tech & Things

Jason Michael Perry

Thoughts on Tech & Things helps you make sense of emerging technology and what it means for work, life, and business. From AI to quantum to the systems shaping our future, Jason cuts through the noise with clarity, curiosity, and a human touch.

Episodes

  1. Will the Space Economy Help Fix Earth?

    4D AGO

    Will the Space Economy Help Fix Earth?

    Host Jason Michael Perry sits down with Andrew Parlock, founder and CEO of Space Phoenix Systems, to explore how the space economy is moving from science fiction to everyday reality. From reusable launch systems to returnable payloads and zero-gravity manufacturing, they unpack how falling launch costs are turning low Earth orbit into an operating environment — not a destination. They dig into what this new economy means for business, sustainability, and the planet itself — from pharmaceuticals made in orbit to satellite networks connecting oceans and deserts alike. Andrew also shares why Maryland is uniquely positioned in this race and how companies like Space Phoenix are redefining access to orbit through logistics, not rockets. Podcast Notes & Links SpaceX Sets Insider Share Deal at About $800 Billion Valuation – Bloomberg Nvidia-Backed Starcloud Trains First AI Model in Space – CNBC Jeff Bezos Says Data Centers Could Move to Space – CNBC Blue Origin’s New Glenn Reaches Orbit – Ars Technica Zero-G Manufacturing: A New Frontier for Space-Based Production – Science Simplified The Future of Space Stations After the ISS – NPR For All Mankind (Apple TV+) – Wikipedia LLM Infinite Loop of Business Pleasantries – Daring Fireball Two AI Chatbots Stuck in an Infinite Politeness Loop – Instagram Reel 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, producer Sam Bermas-Dawes, and Myrna Martinez, Head of Operations and Marketing at PerryLabs.

    38 min
  2. How Are Public Schools Preparing for AI?

    DEC 10

    How Are Public Schools Preparing for AI?

    Host Jason Michael Perry sits down with Dawn Shirey, Director of Virtual Learning and Instructional Technology for Baltimore City Public Schools, to explore how one of the nation’s largest urban school systems is preparing teachers and students for the age of AI. They discuss the district’s new AI Guidance, how teachers are learning prompt-writing and responsible tool use, and why Baltimore chose a flexible, evolving framework instead of strict policy. They also talk about how students and parents are responding to tools like Microsoft Copilot and Google Gemini, and what’s ahead with the district’s upcoming Day of AI — a hands-on event designed to make artificial intelligence accessible, understandable, and empowering for both educators and learners. Podcast Notes & Links AI Guidance Overview – Baltimore City Schools Google Gemini and Gems for Education – Google Microsoft Copilot for Education – Microsoft AI Detector Flags Declaration of Independence as AI-Generated – Reddit Student Falsely Flagged “39–100% AI-Generated” Essay – Reddit AI Tools for Students – OpenAI ChatGPT Plus Now Free for College Students – Forbes ChatGPT for Teachers – OpenAI AI Chatbot Surveillance Tools Watching Kids in Class – Bloomberg Waymo Announces Expansion to Baltimore – WBAL Waymo Robotaxi Drives Through Active Police Standoff – Instagram 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, producer Sam Bermas-Dawes, and Myrna Martinez, Head of Operations and Marketing at PerryLabs.

    28 min
  3. Why Are Data Centers Suddenly So Controversial?

    NOV 26

    Why Are Data Centers Suddenly So Controversial?

    jenny-abamu-podcast-notes.txt Host Jason Michael Perry sits down with Jenny Abamu, education and infrastructure reporter for WAMU, to unpack Maryland’s rapidly growing data center boom — and the community backlash that’s followed. They explore how Governor Wes Moore’s push to make Maryland a data center hub has collided with local concerns about energy, land use, and environmental impact. From billion-dollar AI investments to zoning debates in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties, Jason and Jenny dig into why these massive, mostly unseen buildings have suddenly become so politically visible. Together, they trace how the global race for AI compute — with trillions of dollars pouring into infrastructure from companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and Oracle — is reshaping everything from local power grids to public trust. It’s a look at how a technology most of us never see is transforming both the landscape and the conversation about Maryland’s economic future. Podcast Notes & Links Find Data Centers Near You – Data Center Map AI Data Center Building Spree Hits $40 Billion in a Single Month – U.S. Global Investors Data centers spark fears of a Digital Cancer Alley in Louisiana – The Lens NOLA xAI Data Centre Emits Plumes of Pollution, New Video Shows – Gas Outlook Proposed Northern Maryland Route Unveiled for Controversial Piedmont Power Line – Maryland Matters Maryland Reboots Data Center Business with New Critical Infrastructure Streamlining Act – Data Center Frontier Nvidia Posts Record Q3 Results Driven by Data Center Growth – CNBC OpenAI Taps Foxconn to Manufacture AI Hardware in the U.S. – CNBC OpenAI Has $1.4 Trillion in Data Center Commitments – TechCrunch Virginia Data Centers Could Raise Maryland Electricity Bills – CNN Maryland Could Be Hit With $800 Million Energy Bill Due to Virginia Data Centers – WMAR JMail – Epstein Email Interface 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, producer Sam Bermas-Dawes, and Myrna Martinez, Head of Operations and Marketing at PerryLabs.

    24 min
  4. WTCI Agile Presents: What is Quantum?

    NOV 19

    WTCI Agile Presents: What is Quantum?

    Host Jason Michael Perry moderates a special live panel for theWorld Trade Center Institute's AGILE Global Innovation Series, digging into what quantum actually is, why it matters, and how Maryland became a powerhouse in the global quantum race. The session opens with remarks from Jeremy Rosendale, VP of Membership & Business Development at the World Trade Center Institute, and Kim Mentzell, Director of the Office of Strategic Industries at the Maryland Department of Commerce, where she leads statewide strategy across cybersecurity, aerospace, AI, and quantum. Jason is joined by three leaders shaping the region’s quantum ecosystem: John Sawyer of the University of Maryland, who helped build the Mid-Atlantic Quantum Alliance; Jessica Ponds, CFO of Strangeworks and a voice in quantum commercialization; and Rick Muller, VP of Quantum Computing at IonQ and former national lab leader. They break down the fundamentals — qubits, superposition, entanglement — and get into real-world business use cases, talent and ecosystem development, global competition, and the looming concept of “Q Day,” when today’s encryption may no longer be secure. The result is a rare, clear-eyed look at a field that’s equal parts exciting, confusing, and massively important for the future of industry. Subscribe & Contact Subscribe to the Thoughts on Tech & Things newsletter: jasonmperry.com/newsletterSend feedback, questions, or guest suggestions:jasonmperry.com/contact Credits Special thanks to the team at the World Trade Center Institute. Thanks to the team at WYPR, producer Sam Bermas-Dawes and Shanya Mapson, and Myrna Martinez, Head of Operations and Marketing at PerryLabs.

    1h 2m
  5. What Happens When Google Search Traffic Falls to Zero?

    NOV 12

    What Happens When Google Search Traffic Falls to Zero?

    Host Jason Michael Perry sits down with Andy Janaitis, founder of PPC Pitbulls, to unpack what happens when Google search traffic falls to zero — and how businesses can survive the shift. As search engines turn into answer engines and clicks give way to conversations, Jason and Andy explore how SEO, PPC, and digital advertising are evolving in real time. They dive into the rise of “Answer Engine Optimization,” the impact of AI-driven search from tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity, and the new world of conversational commerce — including Shopify’s plan to let users shop directly inside ChatGPT. The conversation moves from the fundamentals of search to the future of discovery itself, asking the big question: if you’re not in the answer, are you even visible anymore? Podcast Notes & Links Wikipedia Says AI Is Causing a Dangerous Decline in Human Visitors – 404 Media Grokipedia: Elon Musk’s AI-Powered Encyclopedia – Wikipedia Perplexity AI’s Comet Browser Draws Amazon’s Ire – CNBC Shopify and OpenAI Bring Commerce to ChatGPT – Shopify Newsroom David vs. Digital Goliaths – HouseFresh Google’s AI Overview Is Crushing Publisher Traffic – NPR Apple’s Eddy Cue Testifies on Safari Search Decline – Fortune Mission Mourns Beloved Bodega Cat KitKat Killed by Self-Driving Car – Mission Local Subscribe & Contact Subscribe to the Thoughts on Tech & Things newsletter: jasonmperry.com/newsletter Send feedback, questions, or guest suggestions: jasonmperry.com/contact CreditsThanks to the team at WYPR, producer Sam Bermas-Dawes, engineer Shanya Mapson and Myrna Martinez, Head of Operations and Marketing at PerryLabs.

    24 min
  6. Are Smart Glasses the Next Smartphone?

    OCT 29

    Are Smart Glasses the Next Smartphone?

    Host Jason Michael Perry sits down with Will Gee, founder and CEO of Balti Virtual, to unpack the mixed-reality moment: the sudden wave of headsets and AI-powered glasses from Meta, Apple, Samsung, and Amazon. They talk about the roadblocks still ahead, the social stigma left over from Google Glass, and what it might take for wearables to truly replace the smartphone. Along the way, Will shares his perspective as an early XR pioneer building creative and practical applications for this new wave of immersive technology. Subscribe to the Thoughts on Tech & Things newsletter: jasonmperry.com/newsletter Send feedback, questions, or guest suggestions: jasonmperry.com/contact Thanks to the team at WYPR, producer Sam Bermas-Dawes, and Myrna Martinez, Head of Operations and Marketing at PerryLabs.

    42 min
  7. What’s Really New with OpenAI?

    OCT 16

    What’s Really New with OpenAI?

    Host Jason Michael Perry sits down with Ben Slavin, an AI entrepreneur and researcher, to unpack what OpenAI’s DevDay 2025 conference really means. From Sora 2, the next-generation AI video tool, to ChatGPT 5, and connectors, they explore how OpenAI is shifting from product to platform and what that means for developers, creators, and the broader ecosystem. Head to wypr.org/podcast/thoughts-on-tech-things for more information about what was discussed and to subscribe to Jason's newsletter. Thanks to the team at WYPR, producer Sam Bermas-Dawes, and Myrna Martinez, Head of Operations and Marketing at PerryLabs.

    26 min
  8. What is a Photo?

    SEP 30

    What is a Photo?

    Host Jason Michael Perry sits down with Joel Benge, a communications strategist and author, to ask what a photo even means in an age where AI can rewrite reality. From fake principal voicemails to AI-generated films, Perry and Benge explore how synthetic media is reshaping trust and what that means for security, family, and everyday life. Benge brings his perspective from years in risk and cybersecurity, his work at Message Specs, and his book Be a Nerd That Talks Good.

    25 min

Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

Thoughts on Tech & Things helps you make sense of emerging technology and what it means for work, life, and business. From AI to quantum to the systems shaping our future, Jason cuts through the noise with clarity, curiosity, and a human touch.

Information

  • Creator
    Jason Michael Perry
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    8
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 WYPR Baltimore
  • Show Website
    Thoughts On Tech & Things

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