Thoughts On Tech & Things

Are AI Music Tools A New Instrument?

Fri, 02 Oct 2026 07:45:00 -0400

Host Jason Michael Perry sits down with Michael Huppe, President and CEO of SoundExchange, to discuss what happens to a very human business when a machine can make the whole song, and who gets paid when it does.

AI-generated tracks are now charting on Billboard and topping streaming charts, and 97% of listeners couldn't tell them from human music. Jason and Michael unpack where "AI-assisted" ends and "AI-generated" begins, why Sweden pulled a number one song off its official chart, and how an AI artist landed a $3 million record deal. They also get into what you own when you make a song with a tool like Suno, why US copyright law requires a human author, and how SoundExchange decides who gets a royalty check. From there, they look at the licensing deals and lawsuits between AI music companies, labels, and artists, and what the industry might look like in the years ahead.

Podcast Notes & Links:

Sponsors

This episode is brought to you by:

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

HoopDee: Are you a new parent, or do you have one on the way? Get HoopDee so you never waste a drop of breast milk or baby formula. HoopDee's smart system does all the milk math for you, and the whole family knows which bottle to use next. Enjoy 20% off with code: thoughts. Visit gethoopdee.com.

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Credits

Thanks to the team at WYPR, our producer Sam Bermas-Dawes, and Myrna Martinez, Head of Operations and Marketing at PerryLabs.

Is Your Brain Intellectual Property?

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 06:35:00 -0400

Host Jason Michael Perry sits down with Justin Pierce, co-chair of the Intellectual Property Division at Venable LLP, to talk about who actually owns your ideas once AI is involved, and why the answer changes depending on where you typed them.

Anthropic just paid over a billion dollars to settle the largest copyright case in U.S. history, over digital books used to train Claude. The twist: the same judge ruled that scanning physical books the company had legally purchased counted as fair use. Jason and Justin unpack where that line actually sits, why a dozen similar lawsuits against AI companies are still unresolved, and what it means when the companies fighting over stolen training data built their own models the same way.

They also get into who owns the knowledge in your head once you write it down for an AI to use, why your ChatGPT history might be more discoverable than your email, and what Justin tells CEOs about what never to type into a chatbot.

Podcast Notes & Links

Sponsors

This episode is brought to you by:

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.

HoopDee
Are you a new parent, or do you have one on the way? Get HoopDee so you never waste a drop of breast milk or baby formula. HoopDee's smart system does all the milk math for you, and the whole family will know which bottle to use next.

Enjoy 20% off with code: thoughts.
Visit gethoopdee.com.

Subscribe & Contact

Subscribe to the Thoughts on Tech & Things newsletter: jasonmperry.com/newsletter
Send feedback, questions, or guest suggestions: jasonmperry.com/contact or leave a message in the WYPR app or call 410-735-1616.

Credits

Thanks to the team at WYPR, our producer Sam Bermas-Dawes, and Myrna Martinez, Head of Operations and Marketing at PerryLabs.

Can a Newsroom Use AI Without Losing Your Trust?

Fri, 04 Sep 2026 06:30:00 -0400

Host Jason Michael Perry sits down with Greg Morton, data editor at The Baltimore Banner, to talk about what AI is actually doing inside a newsroom — and why admitting you used it can cost you a reader.

Long before anybody called it AI, machines were writing sports recaps, earnings reports, and election results. What changed isn't that machines write, it's that now they can write about anything and you can't tell. Greg and Jason get into the Banner's published AI rules and what they mean on deadline, what happens to what people believe when the good reporting is behind a wall and the junk is wide open, and how newsrooms are using these tools to get through document dumps no human could read in a lifetime. Greg was part of the team named a 2026 Pulitzer finalist for an investigation that tracked every city bus in Baltimore, every five seconds, for four months, to show why thousands of kids can't get to school on time.

Podcast Notes & Links

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Leave a message in the WYPR app or call 410-735-1616

Credits

Thanks to the team at WYPR, our producer Sam Bermas-Dawes, and Myrna Martinez, Head of Operations and Marketing at PerryLabs.

Who Owns Your Company's Intelligence?

Fri, 21 Aug 2026 06:35:00 -0400

Host Jason Michael Perry sits down with Chris Brandt, CEO of UpSurge Baltimore — the innovation arm of the Greater Baltimore Committee — and Managing Director at Audacious Capital, to unpack a growing fight over who controls the intelligence businesses increasingly rely on.

They discuss the tradeoffs between open and closed AI models, from guardrails and censorship to security, trust, and control. The conversation also explores AI distillation, the economics of building versus buying, and why companies may need to think beyond token costs when deciding how much of their intelligence they want to own.

They close by bringing the global debate over AI sovereignty home to Maryland and what it could mean for the region's businesses, investors, and entrepreneurs.

Podcast Notes & Links:
- Who Owns Your Company's Intelligence? — Chris Brandt, UpSurge Baltimore newsletter
- WTCI AGILE Global Innovation Series, Sept 23
- Meta introduces Muse Glimmer
- Anthropic to watermark Claude output under EU rules — The Register
- Anthropic restores Fable 5 with new jailbreak filter — The Hacker News
- Censorship in Chinese AI models can be undone — Semafor
- Kimi vs DeepSeek censorship comparison — ellamind
- OpenAI's gpt-oss open-weight models (Aug 2025) — MIT Technology Review
- PerryLabs - Start with an AI Assessment

Sponsors
This episode is brought to you by:

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.

WTCI
The path to growth shouldn't stop at the border. The World Trade Center Institute provides the connections, knowledge, and global network Maryland's most ambitious leaders need to scale. From executive development to international trade, we help our region's businesses thrive on the world stage. Start your global journey at wtci.org.

How will Maryland meet its future energy needs?

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 06:40:00 -0400

Host Jason Michael Perry moderated a live panel for the World Trade Center Institute's AGILE Global Innovation Series, exploring the constraint quietly shaping Maryland's future: energy capacity.

As Maryland positions itself as a hub for emerging technologies, demand from data centers, electric vehicles, and an increasingly digital economy is rising faster than in-state power generation can keep up. This session explores what the state's future energy mix must look like to support growth, reliability, and competitiveness, examining the role of renewables, the current limits of the Maryland grid, PJM's regional challenges, and the power needs of next-generation infrastructure, including data centers and quantum computing.

Jason is joined by three leaders shaping how Maryland meets that challenge: Lindsay North, Director of Clean Energy Strategy at Exelon; Jason Stanek, Executive Director of Governmental Services at PJM Interconnection; and Adam Ortiz, Deputy Secretary of the Maryland Department of the Environment.

They break down where Maryland's power actually comes from, why the state imports a significant share of its electricity from the regional grid, and what's driving the sharp rise in demand. The conversation covers the tension between clean energy goals and grid reliability, the real cost pressures showing up on ratepayers' bills, and what infrastructure, new generation, and new transmission need to get built — and how fast.

The result: a grounded look at one of the most consequential and least understood questions facing the state right now.

Podcast Notes & Links

Sponsors

This episode is brought to you by:

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.

Enjoy 20% off with code: thoughts.
Visit gethoopdee.com.

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Subscribe to the Thoughts on Tech & Things newsletter: jasonmperry.com/newsletter
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Credits

Special thanks to the team at the World Trade Center Institute. Thanks to the team at WYPR, producer Sam Bermas-Dawes, and Myrna Martinez, Head of Operations and Marketing at PerryLabs.

Can a Machine Bring Back the Dead?

Fri, 31 Jul 2026 06:45:00 -0400

Host Jason Michael Perry picks his conversation with psychotherapist Jessica Daniel, founder of Peace in Perspective, back up — this time with the heaviest version of the question. You can now feed someone's texts and voicemails into an AI and get back something that talks like them. Jess makes the case that grief isn't a problem to be solved but something that has to be witnessed and held — close to the opposite of how an answer engine works. They end where the two of them started: what's left that a machine can't have. If You Need Support 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org. 24/7. Maryland Department of Health — 988 in Maryland 211 Maryland — Maryland's Helpline — dial 211 or text your zip code to 898-211. 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 producers Sam Bermas-Dawes, and Myrna Martinez, Head of Operations and Marketing at PerryLabs.

Is It Grief If Nobody Died?

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 06:25:00 -0400

Is It Grief If Nobody Died?

Host Jason Michael Perry sits down with psychotherapist Jessica Daniel, founder of Peace in Perspective, to ask what happens when you're grieving something that never had a funeral.

Jess widens grief past death — a career, an identity, the life you were promised. Maryland has lost more than 31,000 federal jobs in about a year, and she describes what that grief looks like when it walks into her office. Then the harder part: why so many people hand their inner lives to something free, awake at 2am, and impossible to disappoint.

If You Need Support

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org. 24/7.
Maryland Department of Health — 988 in Maryland
211 Maryland — Maryland's Helpline — dial 211 or text your zip code to 898-211.

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 producers Sam Bermas-Dawes and Shania Mapson, and Myrna Martinez, Head of Operations and Marketing at PerryLabs.

Will AI Do The Shopping?

Fri, 10 Jul 2026 06:00:00 -0400

Host Jason Michael Perry sits down with Brad Thompson, Senior Vice President of Technology at Target, to talk about what happens to shopping when AI starts doing the finding — and what it would take before you'd let it do the buying.

In this episode, they get into Target's bet on agentic commerce: the Target app inside ChatGPT, the open Universal Commerce Protocol Target helped shape with Google, and what it means to meet shoppers inside Gemini or AI Mode instead of on Target.com. Brad explains why Target is a "build shop" that increasingly "rents" software rather than buying it, how a tool called Store Companion answers team members' questions on the store floor, and how AI quietly fixes the "unknown out-of-stock" problem before you ever notice the shelf is empty. They close on the near future Brad imagines — telling your app, "I'm hosting Taco Tuesday: send the ingredients, skip the guacamole" — and what it takes to earn that kind of trust.

Podcast Notes & Links

Sponsors

This episode is brought to you by:

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

HoopDee
Are you a new parent, or do you have one on the way? Get HoopDee so you never waste a drop of breast milk or baby formula. HoopDee’s smart system does all the milk math for you, and the whole family will know which bottle to use next.

Enjoy 20% off with code: thoughts.
Visit gethoopdee.com.

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 producers Sam Bermas-Dawes and Shania Mapson, and Myrna Martinez, Head of Operations and Marketing at PerryLabs.

Who Wrote That, AI or You?

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 12:35:00 -0400

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Host Jason Michael Perry sits down with Joseph Thibault, founder and CEO of Cursive Technology, to dig into one of the most contested questions in education right now: in a world where AI can write anything, how do you know if the thinking actually belongs to the person who submitted it?

In this episode, they explore what "plagiarism" even means anymore — how the old definition doesn't map onto a world where AI can do the thinking while a student writes every word, or where detectors flag innocent students for work they genuinely produced. Joseph brings his perspective as someone who's been tracking this problem since before most schools had a policy, including his work building Cursive's typing biometrics platform that focuses on the process of writing, not just the final product.

Podcast Notes & Links

Cursive Technology — Joseph Thibault's academic integrity platform
NBC News — College Students, AI Cheating Detectors, and Humanizers — The January 2026 investigation featuring Joseph Thibault
Cursive Blog — Joseph on the NBC Report — His additional context on trust, surveillance, and the "new agreement" schools need to make with students
This Isn't Fine — Joseph Thibault's newsletter tracking the academic integrity and essay mill landscape

Sponsors

This episode is brought to you by:

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.

HoopDee: Are you a new parent, or do you have one on the way? Get HoopDee so you never waste a drop of breast milk or baby formula. HoopDee's smart system does all the milk math for you, and the whole family will know which bottle to use next. Enjoy 20% off with code: thoughts. Visit gethoopdee.com.

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 Sam Bermas-Dawes, and Myrna Martinez, Head of Operations and Marketing at PerryLabs.

What Is a Game?

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 07:20:00 -0400

Host Jason Michael Perry sits down with Frank J. Lee, Professor of Digital Media at Drexel University and the founding director of the Entrepreneurial Game Studio, to take a deceptively simple question seriously: what is a game? Frank is the cognitive psychologist who turned a 29-story Philadelphia skyscraper into the world's largest video game — Pong in 2013, Tetris in 2014, both Guinness World Records — and who has spent the last twenty years arguing that games are an art form, a story form, and one of the most underrated tools we have for understanding ourselves and the cities we live in.

Podcast Notes & Links

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Credits

Thanks to the team at WHYY in Philadelphia, our on-site audio engineer Diana Martinez, WYPR's Shania Mapson, and Myrna Martinez, Head of Operations and Marketing at PerryLabs.

Is AI a Performance-Enhancing Drug for Entrepreneurs?

Fri, 29 May 2026 06:30:00 -0400

Host Jason Michael Perry sits down with Chris Wink, cofounder and CEO of Technical.ly, to explore whether AI is becoming a performance-enhancing drug for founders — and what that means for workers, entrepreneurs, and the cities trying to build ecosystems around both.

Recorded in Philadelphia during Philly Tech Week at the WHYY studios, the conversation digs into Chris's framework for cutting through the AI noise, the gap between what AI could do at work and what people are actually using it for, why the most exposed workers may not be who you expect, and what the bar is now to be taken seriously as a founder in 2026.

Podcast Notes & Links

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Credits

Special thanks to the team at WHYY, and our on-site audio engineer, Diana Martinez. Our producer Shanya Mapson at WYPR, and Myrna Martinez, Head of Operations and Marketing at PerryLabs.

Can Journalism Schools Teach AI Without Losing the Craft?

Fri, 15 May 2026 06:16:00 -0400

Host Jason Michael Perry sits down with Derek Willis, a lecturer at the University of Maryland's Philip Merrill College of Journalism 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

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Credits

Thanks to the team at WYPR, our producers Sam Bermas-Dawes and Shania Mapson, and Myrna Martinez, Head of Operations and Marketing at PerryLabs.

Are You Ready to Pivot or Die?

Fri, 01 May 2026 06:30:00 -0400

Host Jason Michael Perry sits down with Gary Shapiro, Executive Chair of the Consumer Technology Association and the man who led CES 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 will let him get a ticket to next year's show.

Podcast Notes & Links

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Credits

Thanks to the team at WYPR, our producer Shanya Mapson, and Myrna Martinez, Head of Operations and Marketing at PerryLabs.

Why are Maryland's Electric Bills Rising?

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 05:34:00 -0400

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

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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?

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 15:35:00 -0400

Host Jason Michael Perry sits down with Janey Park, founder of The Digital Runway 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

Podcast Notes & Links

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Credits

Thanks to the team at WYPR, our producers Sam Bermas-Dawes and Shania Mapson, and Myrna Martinez, Head of Operations and Marketing at PerryLabs.

What Is OpenClaw, Really?

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 13:37:00 -0400

Host Jason Michael Perry sits down with Marcus Penny, VP of Technology and Digital Services at Bruce Bolt and founder of boutique AI consulting firm Techabo, 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

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Credits

Thanks to the team at WYPR, our producers Sam Bermas-Dawes and Shania Mapson, and Myrna Martinez, Head of Operations and Marketing at PerryLabs.

What does a Chief AI Officer do?

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 17:20:00 -0500

What does a Chief AI Officer do?

Host Jason Michael Perry sits down with Andy Quick, former Chief AI Officer at Entergy, to explore what it actually means to lead AI inside a Fortune 500 company.

In this episode, they unpack what a Chief AI Officer actually does inside a Fortune 500 company. Andy shares what it takes to align AI with business outcomes in a regulated utility, how to plan when models evolve faster than enterprise cycles, and why process maturity matters.

Podcast Notes & Links

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Credits

Thanks to the team at WYPR, producers Sam Bermas-Dawes and Shania Mapso, and Myrna Martinez, Head of Operations and Marketing at PerryLabs.

WTCI Agile Presents: Can You Trust What You See Anymore?

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 12:31:00 -0500

Episode: WTCI Agile Presents

Episode Title: WTCI Agile Presents: Can You Trust What You See Anymore?

Host Jason Michael Perry brings a special live episode from the World Trade Center Institute Agile Global Innovation Series , hosted in partnership with the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School . Joined by panelists Tina Williams-Koroma , Yolanda Reid , and Joel M. Benge , with an introduction from Eddie Resende , Jason explores how cybersecurity is evolving in a world where AI can fake voices, faces, writing styles — even entire digital identities.

The conversation moves beyond traditional hacking and into something more foundational: what happens when reality itself becomes manipulatable? From deepfake fraud to AI agents running autonomous businesses, this episode unpacks how trust is becoming the most important — and most fragile — infrastructure we have.

Podcast Notes & Links

Real or AI-generated: https://www.npr.org/2025/11/30/nx-s1-5610951/fake-ai-videos-slop-quiz
Molty – AI-driven social personas and automation experiments: https://www.molty.me/
Moltbook – AI-powered social network concept: https://www.moltbook.com/
Project Vend 1 – Anthropic research on autonomous AI running a small business: https://www.anthropic.com/research/project-vend-1
Project Vend 2 – Follow-up research on AI autonomy and economic impact: https://www.anthropic.com/research/project-vend-2

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Credits

Special thanks to the World Trade Center Institute and the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School for hosting this event.
Thanks to the team at WYPR, producers Sam Bermas-Dawes and Shanya Mapso, and Myrna Martinez, Head of Operations and Marketing at PerryLabs.

Is Solving Disability the Real Test of Emerging Technology?

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 17:59:00 -0500

Episode 9: Is Solving Disability the Real Test of Emerging Technology?

Show: Thoughts on Tech & Things
Host: Jason Michael Perry
Guest: Rebecca Rosenberg, Founder & CEO of Rebokeh

Show Description

Host Jason Michael Perry sits down with Rebecca Rosenberg, Founder & CEO of Rebokeh, to explore how technology is reshaping what it means to see — and what accessibility can teach us about innovation. From everyday tools like glasses to emerging vision and mobility technologies, they unpack how design that meets people where they are can expand independence, dignity, and opportunity.

Jason and Rebecca dig into the business and human sides of accessibility: why companies overlook a trillion-dollar market, how designing for difference can spark better products, and where frontiers like AI vision and neural implants might take us next. They also ask the big question — when technology doesn’t just restore ability but changes perception, what does that mean for being human?

Podcast Notes & Links

Core sources referenced in the episode

Additional links mentioned

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Credits

Thanks to the team at WYPR, our producers Sam Bermas-Dawes and Shania Mapson, and PerryLabs’ Head of Operations and Marketing, Myrna Martinez.

How Is AI Rewriting the Job Market?

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 10:45:00 -0500

Host Jason Michael Perry sits down with Chris Frew, founder and CEO of BioBuzz and CEO of Workforce Genetics, to explore how AI is reshaping the job market — not just by changing what work looks like, but how people get hired in the first place.

In this episode, they dig into what Jason calls an “AI arms race” in hiring, where job seekers and employers are both using automation at scale. From AI-powered résumé tools and applicant tracking systems to first-round interviews conducted by bots, Chris breaks down how recruiters are navigating record application volumes — and what candidates can do to stand out when every résumé suddenly looks perfect.

Podcast Notes & Links

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Credits

Thanks to the team at WYPR, our producer Sam Bermas-Dawes, and Myrna Martinez, Head of Operations and Marketing at PerryLabs.

What Happened at CES 2026?

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 10:42:00 -0500

Host Jason Michael Perry returns from Las Vegas with a special CES 2026 edition of Thoughts on Tech & Things. Jason breaks down the Consumer Technology Association’s 2026 megatrends, including Longevity, Intelligent Transformation, and Engineering Tomorrow, and connects them to what actually showed up at CES. From Nvidia’s vision for “Physical AI,” to robots, and life sciences

With far more conversations than we could fit into a single episode. Additional interviews and extended demos from CES are available on our YouTube channel and social feeds using the links below.

Companies Mentioned at CES 2026

Featured Interviews & CES Video Interviews

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Credits

Thanks to the team at WYPR, Director of Digital Kyle Leslie, producers Sam Bermas-Dawes and Shanya Mapson, and Myrna Martinez, Head of Operations and Marketing at PerryLabs.

Do Hackers Hack Computers or People?

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 17:01:00 -0500

Host Jason Michael Perry sits down with Tina Williams-Koroma, founder and CEO of CyDeploy and TCecure, to explore a simple but unsettling question: do hackers hack computers — or do they hack people?

In this episode, they dig into how social engineering, AI-generated content, and human psychology have become the primary attack surface for modern cyber threats. From deepfakes and impersonation scams to spyware targeting journalists and activists, Tina explains why cybersecurity today is less about breaking code and more about breaking trust — and how businesses and families can prepare for the scenarios no system is ever fully trained to handle.

Podcast Notes & Links

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Credits

Thanks to the team at WYPR, our producer Sam Bermas-Dawes, and Myrna Martinez, Head of Operations and Marketing at PerryLabs.

Will the Space Economy Help Fix Earth?

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 12:28:00 -0500

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

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Credits

Thanks to the team at WYPR, producer Sam Bermas-Dawes, and Myrna Martinez, Head of Operations and Marketing at PerryLabs.

How Are Public Schools Preparing for AI?

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 10:05:00 -0500

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.

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Credits

Thanks to the team at WYPR, producer Sam Bermas-Dawes, and Myrna Martinez, Head of Operations and Marketing at PerryLabs.

Why Are Data Centers Suddenly So Controversial?

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 11:22:00 -0500

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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.

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Credits

Thanks to the team at WYPR, producer Sam Bermas-Dawes, and Myrna Martinez, Head of Operations and Marketing at PerryLabs.

WTCI Agile Presents: What is Quantum?

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 14:22:00 -0500

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.

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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.

What Happens When Google Search Traffic Falls to Zero?

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 10:00:00 -0500

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

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Credits

Thanks to the team at WYPR, producer Sam Bermas-Dawes, engineer Shanya Mapson and Myrna Martinez, Head of Operations and Marketing at PerryLabs.

Are Smart Glasses the Next Smartphone?

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 10:02:00 -0400

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.

What’s Really New with OpenAI?

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 13:30:00 -0400

Show notes:

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Credits

Thanks to the team at WYPR, producer Sam Bermas-Dawes, and Myrna Martinez, Head of Operations and Marketing at PerryLabs.

What is a Photo?

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 13:24:00 -0400

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.