Phil Dursey joined the show this week to cut through the hype and talked through what red teaming for AI means in mindset and practice.

The conversation reveals a fundamental problem: organizations are rushing to implement AI without understanding their own workflows. Executives are buying "the thing with the AI" expecting magic efficiency gains, but they've never mapped out basic business processes. You can't automate what you don't understand.

Phil's approach starts with the right question: "Are we using the right tool for the use case?"

We also talked about education and kids. Find out why Phil argues philosophy and humanities give you the biggest advantage when working with AI systems. It’s what he looks for in hiring, too. The ability to formulate good questions, understand context, and think clearly matters more than technical prowess.

And finally we touch on the job market. We're heading toward AI capabilities that will exceed human professionals in specific domains. The displacement won't be overnight, but it's coming.

If you're implementing AI in your organization, this episode should make you pause and ask harder questions. The technology is powerful, but power without thoughtful application is just expensive chaos.

Mentioned:

• Phil Dursey's guide, Red Teaming AI
  
• Hard Fork podcast segment on a student's AI workflow

A stalkerware economy is thriving on TikTok, and it's generating hundreds of thousands in sales. Journalist Rosie Thomas from 404 Media joins the show this week discuss her investigation into GPS trackers being sold as relationship surveillance tools directly through TikTok Shop. This isn't some dark web operation - it's happening on one of the world's most popular social platforms.

The findings are disturbing. Content targets people with taglines like "Is she really going out with friends?" are generating hundreds of thousands in sales. Algorithms don't just show you this content - they amplify it the moment you engage.

The digital economy we all live in has normalized surveillance to the point where stalking your partner is being marketed as a reasonable relationship tool. The technology isn't new, but the accessibility and algorithmic amplification absolutely is.

This conversation touches on everything from the failure of tech companies to consider abuse cases in product design, to how parasocial relationships are replacing actual community bonds, to the legal gaps that leave victims with limited recourse.

If you work in tech, this episode should make you uncomfortable. As a citizen, it should terrify you. It's a reminder that our biggest threats often come from the normalization of our culture's worst tendencies.

Read more on 404Media: https://www.404media.co/tiktok-shop-sells-viral-gps-trackers-marketed-to-stalkers/

This week on the show: some seriously cutting-edge territory. George A talks about what he saw at the Love and Sex with Robots conference in Montreal. Then George K and George A discuss AI companions, embodied LLMs, and the wild intersection of technology and human intimacy.

This isn't just about sex robots - it's about the broader question of how AI is reshaping fundamental human experiences. 

The reality check: If you think this stuff is too niche or weird to matter, give it 5 years. This technology is going to be everywhere - in education, therapy, companionship. The question isn't whether it's coming, it's whether we'll think through the implications before it's too late.

This might be one of the most uncomfortable (and important) tech conversation we're not having as a society.

Fair warning: This episode gets real, fast. But if you work in tech, security, or just want to understand where we're heading as a species, it's worth your time.

Stay tuned to the end to hear about the "door prize" George A from the conference that is gonna make the office Secret Santa…interesting.

Mentioned this episode:

• Our Season 4 opener with Savannah Sly
• Gov Pritzker Signs Legislation Prohibiting AI Therapy in Illinois
• Parents of teenager who took his own life sue OpenAI
• You can read the full text of the lawsuit here
•  Scene from Interstellar that George K references

Sumona Banerji, founder of MindShield and PhD candidate in cyber psychology, joins us to discuss building cognitive resilience in an age of exponential technology and algorithmic manipulation.

George K and George A talk to Sumona about:

• Truth is fragmented - Everyone only sees a piece of it, creating space for better discussion
• The TAR framework - Trigger, Analysis, Response for emotional regulation with manipulative content
• Expanding the amygdala - How meditation literally grows brain regions for critical thinking
• Algorithm curation - Your feeds mirror your choices; conscious curation transforms your information diet

From documentary filmmaker to tech psychology researcher, Sumona's unconventional path offers unique insights into protecting our cognitive capacity as knowledge workers navigating an increasingly complex information landscape.

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Got an idea or topic you'd like us to cover? Drop us a line at [email protected]

Former NFL player Mark LeVoir joins us this week to talk about life after pro sports, and the lessons he took transitioning to a career in tech.

George K and George A talk to Mark about:

• The transition from professional sports to tech sales and why goals beat identity every time
• His simple method for aligning business outcomes with corporate objectives in enterprise deals
• Building sales teams that can fail fast, learn quick, and operate on trust instead of aggressive tactics
• Life lessons from the NFL locker room and why hanging with Tom Brady is just like hanging with regular dudes

"I want my people to be able to fail. Fail fast. What do we learn from it? If your intent's in the right spot and you just failed, it's a coaching experience. If your intent isn't right, we're having a different conversation."

Plus, George A. gets Mark talking about hanging with Tom Brady, why Lamborghinis are useless when you're 6'7", and his top cigar picks, because why not?

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If there’s a burning topic you think we should address, let us know! Email us at [email protected]

This week Savannah Sly, dominatrix and sex worker rights advocate, joins the show to talk about privacy, power, and the nuances of human intimacy as generative AI takes hold.  

George K and George A talk to Savannah about:

• The current state of privacy for vulnerable communities and the real-world operational security challenges they face
• Practical steps individuals can take to protect their digital identities when dating online
• The intersection of AI, deepfakes, and the weaponization of intimate content
• The zeitgeist and cultural headwinds for sex workers today

New season, new scope. Thank you for listening!

Season 4 is here! While George K and George A are in Las Vegas for Black Hat and DEFCON this week, here's a preview of some changes coming to the podcast.

We're grateful for every listener. Thank you for being on this journey with us!

Rinki Sethi joins the show this week! She's held just security leadership roles on just about all possible sides, and now she's also a VC investing in the next generation of founders.

George K and George A talk to Rinki about:

• Real talk and timeline on AI in SecOps
• How security teams are gonna get reorganized around AI tooling
• Why most founders fall in love with solutions instead of problems
• The brutal truth about career development in the AI era

Best quote: "I don't think AI is going to replace people. AI is going to replace people that aren't using AI - and it's already starting to happen."

Rinki breaks down why the finance team beat an engineering team during a hackathon at her portfolio company, and why that feat portends an industry wide change.

For vendors: Stop trying to impress CISOs with your tech specs. They're drowning in noise and need you to understand the actual problems their teams are facing.

For practitioners: Learn the fundamentals, then use AI to scale. The combo is gonna separate good from great.

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Your contribution covers our hosting fees, helps us make cool events and swag, and it lets us know that what we're doing is of value to you.

We appreciate you!

Kendrick Trotter joins the show to talk about going from Uber driver to a major account executive at a public cybersecurity company, then founding his own business that created over $70 million in annualized salaries for underrepresented professionals.

George K and George A talk to Kendrick about:

• How a Division I football scholarship and one life-changing Uber ride with an Amazon VP changed everything
• His game-changing approach to calling CISOs
• Building Us and Technology - training 13,000+ people for free and placing them at companies like Zscaler and Airtable
• The harsh reality of what happened to DEI initiatives and why diversity of thought drives 30% more revenue

The bottom line: Kendrick's story proves that with the right mindset, genuine human connection, and "unreasonable hospitality," you can break barriers and create opportunities for others.

————

👊⚡️Support the show!

For as little as $1 a month, you can support the show and get exclusive member benefits, or send a one-time gift!

https://ko-fi.com/bareknucklesbrasstacks

Your contribution covers our hosting fees, helps us make cool events and swag, and it lets us know that what we're doing is of value to you.

George K and George A went completely off-script this week and recorded their first one-on-one episode in years. Fair warning: it gets heated about some industry trends that have been grinding their gears.

George K and George A get into:

• The AI hype cycle vs. actual utility as George K articulates step by step how he used an LLM to prepare for a talk - what it could and couldn't help with
• The danger for companies gutting entry-level positions while claiming "AI efficiency"
• The risks of a generation that can't handle disagreement or boredom
• The return of Gilded Age exploitation disguised as "hustle culture"

Real talk: If your company is advertising 70+ hour work weeks as a feature, you're part of the problem. We didn't survive a pandemic just to forget every lesson about work-life balance for the sake of some exec's third yacht.

If you're feeling the cognitive dissonance of working in tech right now, you're not alone.

What's your take? Are they just two old guys yelling at clouds, or are these legitimate concerns about where our industry is headed?

————

👊⚡️Support the show!

For as little as $1 a month, you can support the show and get exclusive member benefits, or send a one-time gift!

https://ko-fi.com/bareknucklesbrasstacks

Your contribution covers our hosting fees, helps us make cool events and swag, and it lets us know that what we're doing is of value to you.

We appreciate you!