In this episode of the Technology & Security podcast, host Dr. Miah Hammond-Errey is joined by Professor Ganna Pogrebna. They explore the intersections of behavioural data science, AI, cybersecurity, and technology adoption. The discussion covers urban-rural technology divides and the dilemmas faced by small businesses using "off the shelf" AI tools. It explores Australia's global position in quantum algorithms and cybersecurity innovation and digital twins, showcasing their role in simulating complex systems in cybersecurity and even nuclear decision-making. 

This episode highlights the limits of machine learning for fighting misinformation, emphasising that humans still detect novel attacks better than algorithms. Ganna shares practical inclusion strategies that policy and industry leaders can adopt, such as "inclusion riders" in contracts to increase representation. The conversation closes on actionable ways to bridge the research-adoption gap, the evolving challenge of leading human–machine teams, and the enduring need for experimentation and resilience as technology, policy, and society evolve.​

Highlights 

🌏 Bridging urban–rural and global divides in technology use, access and security.

🛡️ Why digital twins are useful and how they can improve cybersecurity decision-making. 

🕵️‍♂️ Human intuition still outpaces AI for spotting new cyber threats.

⚖️ How business incentives and KPIS are still a leading method for behavioural change. 

🤖 Leadership now means leading people who are combinations of human–machine. 

💡 Co-design, not just adoption, drives effective technology and security tools.

In this episode of Technology & Security, host Dr. Miah Hammond-Errey is joined Dr Adrian De Grazia, Global Intelligence Lead at Pfizer. This episode explores counterfeit pharmaceuticals and the evolving landscape of forensic science. The conversation takes listeners inside global operations, including the technologies transforming supply chain integrity, collaboration with law enforcement, and the unique challenges of detecting and disrupting complex networks involved in medicine counterfeiting. It also explores the importance of data literacy for leaders, and the role of alliances in combating security threats at national and corporate levels. 

Listeners hear about innovative approaches to product integrity and authentication—from advanced packaging to real-time tracking—alongside reflections on emerging security risks linked to AI, chemical profiling, and supply chain vulnerabilities. Insightful examples, including Operation Pangea and Australia’s digital forensic strategy for foreign interference, highlight the real-world impact of science in protecting patients, supporting public safety, and fostering interdisciplinary cooperation at local and global scales.

Please note, while employed by Pfizer, the views shared by Dr De Grazia are his own, taken from studies, personal and professional experiences past and present.

Resources
https://www.pfizer.com/products/medicine-safety/counterfeiting 

This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Gadigal people, and we pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We acknowledge their continuing connection to land, sea and community, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Music by Dr Paul Mac and production by Elliott Brennan.

In this episode of the Technology & Security podcast, host Dr. Miah Hammond-Errey is joined by lawyer and digital rights activist, Lizzie O’Shea. This episode explores Australia’s technology debates from a security and legal lens—addressing copyright, creativity, AI, and the legal structures, including class action, that shape society and security. We discuss how so often in the AI discussion we are asked to make trade-offs about immense future potential with real present harms in the now. This episode breaks down why proposals to let large language models freely train on the copyrighted works of Australians have rattled artists, news media, and civil society. Lizzie explains the Productivity Commission’s push for a data mining exemption, unpacks strong community reaction, the distinction between fair use and fair dealing and highlights what’s at stake for creative industry sustainability and fair compensation in the digital age.

We also explore recent legal action against Google and Apple–in Australia–and  the breadth of big tech legal and enforcement action globally, and what this means. The episode also covers the changing nature of US and Chinese AI strategies and approaches to the Indo Pacific, as well as an increase in big tech spending in Australian policy and research landscape. We explore the vulnerability of allowing mass data collection, noting that while data minimisation, and prioritising strong cybersecurity are understood priorities we question whether they are they really supported by legislative regimes. We discuss the significance of incentivising feedback in AI systems to integrate them into businesses in productive ways and crafting successful narratives for cautious adoption of AI. Finally, we look at why litigation has become central to holding digital giants accountable, and how Australians’ blend of healthy scepticism and tech enthusiasm might finally force smarter AI regulation. The conversation highlights how quick fixes and premature adoption, risk deeper, lasting social harms and national security threats.

Resources mentioned in the recording:

·       Future Histories, What Ada Lovelace, Tom Paine, and the Paris Commune Can Teach Us about Digital Technology, by Lizzie O’Shea, Shortlisted for the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards 2020 Award. https://lizzieoshea.com/future-histories/

·       Burning Platforms podcast, https://percapita.org.au/podcasts/

·       Empire of AI by Karen Hao 

·       Digital Rights Watch https://digitalrightswatch.org.au

This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Gadigal people, and we pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. We acknowledge their continuing connection to land, sea and community, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Thanks to the talents of those involved. Music by Dr Paul Mac and production by Elliott Brennan. 

In this episode, Dr Miah Hammond-Errey is joined by Professor Emily M. Bender—A renowned AI commentator, professor of linguistics at the University of Washington and co-author of The AI Con: How to Fight Big Tech Hype and Create the Future We Want. In this episode we explore the complex relationship between language, large language models, and the rise of “synthetic text-extruding machines.” Bender discusses the origins of the “stochastic parrots” metaphor, the risks of anthropomorphising generative AI, and what’s really at stake as automated systems permeate journalism, leadership, and collective decision making.

The conversation outlines some of the social and democratic impacts of synthetic content, including on democratic discourse and journalism, the dangers of language standardisation, and how emerging tools can erode diversity and self-confidence in language users. Emily Bender offers practical advice for policymakers and leaders, emphasizing transparency, recourse, and data minimisation. She offers observations from her book tour, reflecting on the ongoing need for human connection in a digital era, and outlines the importance of workers’ collective rights in navigating the future of automation.

In this episode of the Technology & Security podcast, Dr. Miah Hammond-Errey is joined by Professor Edward Santow, former Australian Human Rights Commissioner and co-director of the Human Technology Institute at UTS. The conversation is a candid exploration of Australia’s evolving AI landscape, diving into why Australians remain sceptical of AI despite being early adopters, and how trust in technology must be earned—not demanded—through transparency, robust safeguards, and practical engagement with both risks and opportunities.

Professor Santow shares insights from his recent book, "Machines in Our Image," reflecting on the dual nature of AI: its power to enhance inclusion and accessibility, but also causing real harm. The discussion traverses global AI politics, the need for balanced regulation, and the critical role of workers and individuals in shaping responsible AI adoption. We also discuss the challenges of AI-driven information threats, misinformation and to democracy. Listeners come away with a nuanced understanding of how Australia can approach its own path in the rapidly shifting world of technology and security.

Dr Miah Hammond-Errey is joined by Dr Johnny Ryan, Director of Enforce at the Irish Council for Civil Liberties and a leading authority on surveillance, data rights, and privacy. Drawing on his extensive experience in the ad tech industry and digital rights advocacy, Dr Ryan explains how real-time bidding (RTB)—the backbone of online advertising—routinely exposes Australians’ sensitive personal information to hundreds of companies. The conversation unpacks the findings of "Australia’s Hidden Security Crisis," a report revealing how RTB enables the unchecked flow of data about individuals, their families, and even high-level government and defence personnel to foreign jurisdictions, including China and Russia. 

Listeners learn how this invisible system works–and how extensive it is–why consent pop-ups do little to protect privacy, and how data categories traded in these auctions can include everything from health and finances to mental state and personal relationships. We explore the current challenges for legislators and enforcement agencies as well as the impact of algorithms on influence and interference. The discussion highlights the national security risks posed by this pervasive form of data collection and sale, including the potential for blackmail, espionage, and foreign surveillance. The episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the intersection of technology, privacy, data and security.

*Note there was a slight audio issue in this recording. Apologies if the sound is less than our usual very high standard. 

Resources mentioned in the recording:

·               Johnny Ryan, Wolfie Christl, October 2024, Australia’s hidden security crisis, https://www.iccl.ie/digital-data/australias-hidden-security-crisis/

·               Barry Lynn, 1 June 2025 Resurrecting the Rebel Alliance: To end the age of Trump, Democrats must relearn the language and levers of power. https://washingtonmonthly.com/2025/06/01/resurrecting-the-rebel-alliance/

·               Steven Levitsky and Lucan Way, March/April 2025, The Path to American Authoritarianism What Comes After Democratic Breakdown, https://www.foreignaffairs.com/united-states/path-american-authoritarianism-trump

·               US State Department Substack, The Need for Civilizational Allies in Europe, https://statedept.substack.com/p/the-need-for-civilizational-allies-in-europe
·               Johnny Ryan, 15 January 2025, Big tech is picking apart European democracy, but there is a solution: switch off its algorithms, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jan/14/big-tech-picking-apart-europe-democracy-switch-off-algorithms

·               Miah Hammond-Errey (2024)  Big Data, Emerging Technologies and Intelligence: National Security Disrupted, Routledge (30% off code: ADC24)

This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Gadigal people, and we pay our respects 

to their Elders past, present and emerging. We acknowledge their continuing connection to land, sea and community, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Music by Dr Paul Mac and production by Elliott Brennan. 

In this episode of Technology & Security, Dr. Miah Hammond-Errey is joined by Dr Zena Assaad to explore the technical, human, ethical, and geopolitical dimensions of artificial intelligence. From workforce disruption to military application, this episode unpacks the complex ways AI is reshaping leadership, war, jobs and global power structures. Dr Assaad challenges common misconceptions about AI’s capabilities, explaining why understanding its limits is just as crucial as understanding its potential.

From code to command, the conversation explores the relationships between human decision-makers and machines. This podcast explores why leadership–and human decision-making–is key in technology. It is poor human decision making and inappropriate use of technology that drives harmful outcomes like inappropriate use, job loss and civilian casualties. It also covers why algorithmic transparency is key to security and why interactive and non-linear complexity are underappreciated interdependencies of AI.

Resources mentioned in the recording:

• Trust, attitudes and use of artificial intelligence: A global study 2025 https://mbs.edu/faculty-and-research/trust-and-ai
• Dr Zena Aassad’s, guest, bio: https://www.zenaassaad.com
• Dr Miah Hammond-Errey’s, host, bio: https://miahhe.com/about
• For extras, special clips and videos sign up to the Technology & Security YouTube Channel.
• https://hcss.nl/gcreaim/
• https://jameshaydon.github.io/nats-fail/
• https://www.noemamag.com/ai-is-evolving-and-changing-our-understanding-of-intelligence/
• Tech won’t save us episode How Brainrot AI is Upending the Internet

This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Gadigal people, and we pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. We acknowledge their continuing connection to land, sea and community, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Music by Dr Paul Mac and production by Elliott Brennan.

In this episode of Technology & Security, Dr. Miah Hammond-Errey speaks with Carmen Medina, former CIA executive, influential voice in the U.S. intelligence community and renowned change-maker. Carmen shares insights on leadership, cognitive diversity, and what it really takes to build organisations that can adapt to change. This episode goes beyond the intelligence community—it’s a must-listen for leaders across industries where thinking, analysis, and communication are core to success.

We explore how to harness cognitive diversity, compile high-performing teams, and make intelligence work for decision-makers in real time. There’s practical inspiration, including tools for understanding external change and evolving internal cultures to keep pace. Carmen shares why representation matters and her experience as a Puerto Rican woman in a system shaped by elite norms. She talks about how her background shaped her as a systems thinker and how she eventually embraced her identity to influence change. From YouTube algorithms and competitive pickleball to the power dynamics within national security institutions, this episode unpacks what it means to disrupt from within—and why diverse perspectives are essential to the future of intelligence–and society.

Resources mentioned in the recording

·               Carmen Medina, 2015, Who Needs Rebels at Work? Forbes https://www.forbes.com/sites/oreillymedia/2015/01/13/who-needs-rebels-at-work/#7506efbd20a6

·               Rebels at Work: A Handbook for Leading Change from Within https://www.rebelsatwork.com/resources

This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Gadigal people, and we pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. We acknowledge their continuing connection to land, sea and community, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Music by Dr Paul Mac and production by Elliott Brennan. 

In this episode of Technology & Security, Dr. Miah Hammond-Errey is joined by Professor Lyria Bennett Moses, one of Australia’s foremost experts in technology and law. We explore how government responses to AI often focus on regulating technology rather than addressing the human and social challenges these systems impact. We discuss how to centre humanity in legal responses to technology. We examine regulatory approaches, anti-discrimination laws and governance structures to better address the realities of AI-driven decision-making. As AI is increasingly embedded in daily life, much like past technological shifts, its influence may become invisible, but its impact on knowledge, democracy, and security will be significant.

Future leaders must develop systems thinking, recognising the deep interconnections between technology, law, politics, and security. Education must beyond data literacy to equip students with an understanding of how different systems function and their limitations. AI is reshaping how we access information, formulate ideas, and tell stories and it is shifting power in ways we are only beginning to grasp. In this episode, we explore the evolving role of search and AI-generated knowledge and the geopolitical tensions shaping the future of technology. This thought-provoking conversation will change the way you think about AI, law, knowledge creation and the future of regulation.

Professor Lyria Bennett Moses is the head of the School of Law, Society and Criminology and a professor at the University of New South Wales. She was previously the director of the Allens Hub for technology and has held many academic leadership and research roles related to law, data, cybersecurity and AI. She's worked on AI standards with Standards Australia and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and has published extensively on technology and law. Lyria is a member of numerous editorial boards. She is a fellow of the Australian Academy of Law and Royal Society of New South Wales, and a fellow of the Association of Social Sciences Australia. 

Resources mentioned in the recording:

+ The Rest is History podcast (BBC) www.therestishistory.com

+ The Machine Stops, E.M Forster 

This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Gadigal people, and we pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. We acknowledge their continuing connection to land, sea and community, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Music by Dr Paul Mac and production by Elliott Brennan.

In this episode of the Technology & Security podcast, Dr. Miah Hammond-Errey speaks with privacy expert Anna Johnston about the evolving landscape of data privacy, AI governance, and security. With AI dominating the global conversation, this episode explores why strong data governance is the essential—yet often overlooked—foundation for innovation. Anna warns that companies rushing into AI without mature privacy practices risk legal challenges and regulatory crackdowns, including the risk of ‘algorithmic disgorgement’. 

With new privacy reforms on the horizon, 2025 is set to be a defining year for digital rights and compliance. The discussion explores major legal shifts in 2025, including Australia’s new statutory privacy tort and a landmark Victorian court decision recognising a common law right to privacy. The episode explores the links between privacy, national security, and algorithmic polarisation as well as mis and disinformation and tech facilitated gender violence—and why privacy law reform is essential to safeguarding democracy. Johnston shares insights on how privacy reform could fix some of these intractable problems. Whether you're a tech leader, policymaker, or privacy-conscious citizen, this episode unpacks critical issues shaping our digital future.