Cyber Distortion Podcasters: AI Is New Frontier Of Digital Warfare (With Video)

"Accept AI is the future"

They are the self-described "cyber circus network" -- three podcasters who all happen to be IT professionals and experts on artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.

Kevin Pentecost and Jason Popillion are co-hosts of the Cyber Distortion podcast.

Joining them on stage was Chris Glanden who hosts his own podcast, BarCode Podcast.

They gave an informative (and often humorous) session on the implications AI may hold for society at the MES Midsize Enterprise Summit Spring 2024

The three kicked off their session with an interactive poll that asked attendees, "Do you believe AI will improve or replace your job?"

Ninety-six percent of the audience said "improve."

The trio then delved into the subject of AI's impact on the work and security fronts.

AI, Jason said, is already "replacing most tasks we do."

Kevin agreed. "It's already used in security in different ways like in identification of threats," he said. "It's also being used for prioritization, and another [use] is automation."

Jason also mentioned how AI is using the data it has access to with its ability to do deductive reasoning and of course, with the data it is trained on.

Chris weighed in on using AI for business decision-making. He said that AI can help with workflow and can provide predictive analytics. But "you have to start with clean, quality data," he cautioned and said you still need that "human element" to provide validation.

"Data is everything that makes an AI engine," Jason said in agreement and agreed that you need a "human loop" to validate AI output.

The podcasters then conducted another interactive poll, asking IT leaders what sector they believe will be most transformed by AI. The audience answered health care first, and then the entertainment industry.

AI is already being used for early detection of disease, Jason said. It can identify early markers to catch cancer, for instance.

Kevin mentioned the issues of AI powering smart cities.

AI, "could give everyone access to everything they need withing the smart city, and they really don't need to leave," he said, adding that the overall goal for many with this concept, is to reduce the carbon footprint.

The podcasters left the audience with some key takeaways:

• Stay informed – know AI technology and cybersecurity countermeasures.
• Prepare now the for the future AI landscape. Look at your acceptable use policies that specifically have guidelines around AI usage.
• Speak the lingo. Learn prompt engineering.
• Stay informed. Know AI technology and cybersecurity countermeasures.
• Lean more on the bleeding edge, not the leading edge.
• Accept that AI is the future.

The podcasters also shared a deepfake they created (to demonstrate how easy they are to make) about a little boy expressing his fears of AI: