Each week on The Jacksonville Buzz our host, Tom Reber, sits down with some of the brightest and most entertaining guests you can find on the First Coast to discuss what’s buzzing in the Bold City. Tom talks with Jake Van Clief of Van Clief Media LLC.
Van Clief Media is an emerging AI education and software company. We provide AI literacy workshops and consultations to professors and professionals, helping them navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of AI in academia. Our flagship product, Eduba, is an innovative group chat platform that connects multiple AI models, facilitating natural, branching discussions among peers. This not only enhances collaborative learning but also generates valuable educational data that can be applied across various industries.
What Is Your Why?
Our mission is to bridge the gap between cutting-edge AI technology and its practical application in higher education as well as showing people that we need to prepare for a world where technology like AI in more out of the box ways. What makes us human is now more important than ever.
How Did You Get Started In Your Field or Work?
Started out with cryptography and avionics in the marine corps, then while pursing my degree I realized the deep need for the understanding and strategic use of AI within higher education.
What’s the biggest change in Jacksonville that you’ve seen since you moved here?
The list is large, I left active-duty service after being stationed overseas for over three years and right into the college environment in north Florida, the contrast of my high tempo life to a more relaxed and completely different focused lifestyle took a massive amount of adjustment.
What’s One Thing We Should Know That Makes Your Company Unique?
What makes us unique is our team’s diverse background and our hands-on experience in both AI development and academic environments. I’ve been deeply involved in AI research and policy analysis, even publishing academic papers on post-digital governance. Our team includes David, a full-stack developer with an electrical engineering background; Paul, a NASA L’Space Academy graduate and cybersecurity major; and Nick, a project manager with experience in high-value construction. This blend of technical expertise, academic insight, and practical management skills allows us to approach any problem from very abstract perspectives.
What Are Your Biggest Goals in the Next 6 to 12 Months for Your Business?
In the coming months, we aim to expand our partnerships with universities, fully launch our Eduba software, and secure initial investment. We’re focused on refining our AI workshops based on feedback from educators and scaling our software to meet the growing demand for collaborative AI tools in academia. We’re also exploring potential applications of our technology beyond education, as we believe our approach to AI-assisted group discussions and data generation could benefit various industries.
