Cybernomics Radio!

AI can feel like a cold calculator until you realize the “human” part was never in the machine. It was in the way you ask, the way you react, and the space you give yourself to think. Seth Wylie - Owner of The Wild Edge - and I start in a surprising place: summer heat, showers, naps, and why calling rest “lazy” is often just your inner critic replaying an old script. That thread matters because th...

AI used to feel like a flat-fee superpower. Now it is starting to behave like electricity: metered, variable, and tied to exactly how you use it. We dig into what that shift means for the people actually trying to run AI in the real world, from small businesses building their first workflows to sales, ops, and dev teams pushing tools like Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT, Claude, and agents into daily w...

Richard Stiennon is back with the Word on the Street! AI isn’t just a chatbot tab anymore. It’s quietly becoming the interface inside the software we already rely on, and that shift changes how fast we can build, operate, and secure modern systems. We talk about what it feels like when AI is embedded directly into tools like AWS Route 53, guiding you through confusing workflows step by step instea...

Fraud doesn’t hide because it’s clever. It hides because our models keep looking for “normal” instead of interrogating “wrong.” That’s where this conversation with Dr. Chase Cunningham (known to many as “Dr. Zero Trust”) gets practical fast. We talk about his recent patent work using deterministic math to surface fraud inside huge systems, and why the usual data science playbook of finding enough...

AI feels like a shortcut until it becomes a liability. We sit down with Nikki Robinson, STSM of AI and Platform at IBM and co author of Human Factors and Cybersecurity, plus security and risk executive Jennifer Baca, to get brutally practical about responsible AI use, data privacy, and what “secure” even means when the tooling changes weekly. We start with the basics that too many teams skip: due...

Ten months of job hunting can mess with your identity, even when you know you’re good at what you do. We sit down with Jennifer “Jen” T. Baca, a cybersecurity risk leader and single mom, to talk honestly about what it feels like to be qualified, visible, and still stuck in the silence of today’s hiring market. We get into the mental weight of layoffs, the endless loop of applications, and the weir...

Most scams don’t start with “bad technology” they start with a perfectly normal human impulse to trust. Josh Bruyning sits down with security speaker Robert Siciliano to get honest about why cybersecurity still doesn’t stick for everyday people, even when the stakes are obvious to CISOs and security teams. We dig into the uncomfortable truth: denial feels good, and compliance training often turns...

We dig into why security awareness fails even when the risks are obvious, and why the real challenge is human behavior rather than tools. Robert explains the “human blind spot” and how AI deepfakes and voice cloning make trust harder to manage at every level.  • CISOs and tech executives as unsung heroes protecting modern life  • why attackers target people instead of systems  • the human blind sp...

We talk with Robert Cicliano about why cybersecurity matters for people who do not work in security and why scams keep working even on smart, capable adults. We dig into how fraudsters build trust, why denial is so common, and why compliance-style training fails to create real risk awareness.  • why everyday people are targets, not exceptions  • fraud as a business model built on trust tricks  • c...

We reconnect with Richard Stiennon to chart how AI is rewriting cybersecurity, from the rise of 290 AI security vendors to SOC automation, investor momentum, and the criteria that separate true AI players from marketing. • Explosion of AI security vendors since late 2022 • Criteria for defining AI-first cybersecurity companies • Investor appetite, valuations, and looming acquisitions • SOC automat...

In this clip, Karl Mosgofian breaks down why most vendor pitches lose buyers in the first minutes and how to fix it with a simple, direct first-meeting flow. We show how to validate pain fast, lead with what you built, and make differentiation tangible so a champion can emerge. • One-slide pain validation with a quick head nod • Skip the long problem story and benefit monologue • Lead with what yo...

We explore how to sell to CIOs who are flooded with pitches yet hungry for real innovation, and how sellers can move from vague benefits to clear outcomes and CFO-ready cases. Carl Mosgofian shares how to frame differentiation, map to the stack, and help champions win internal approval. • CIO and CISO partnership realities and reporting nuance • Vendor fatigue contrasted with desire for useful inn...

We unpack how a failed “AI Rapture” spread from a viral prophecy to AI‑stamped pamphlets and sycophantic chatbots, and we trace the feedback loops that keep bad ideas alive. Along the way, we compare models, costs, and trade‑offs, and ask what real discernment looks like at work and online. • origins of the rapture rumor and AI‑branded pamphlet • social virality, platform incentives, and LLM sycop...

Josh Bruyning welcomes Rafael Ramirez to discuss communicating AI concepts, building community in cybersecurity, and navigating the tech industry as an immigrant. Rafael has almost 30,000 followers on LinkedIn. The conversation reveals practical strategies for explaining complex technologies to non-technical audiences and developing genuine professional connections. • Context is key when explainin...

In this conversation, Joshua Bruyning engages with DataTribe Managing Directors Rob Ackerman and Leo Scott to explore the intricate dynamics of cybersecurity startups and venture capital. They discuss the essential qualities of successful founders, the importance of coachability, and the unique challenges faced in the cybersecurity landscape. The conversation delves into the investment process, th...

In this episode of Cybernomics, Al Kennickell joins me to discuss the importance of embracing AI in small and medium businesses, addressing common misconceptions and hesitations surrounding its use. We emphasize that many negative opinions about AI stem from a lack of understanding and experience. Our discussion highlights practical applications of AI, its role as a revenue driver, and the necessi...

Charles Payne and Olivia Phillips join us to explore the evolving relationship between CISOs and BISOs, examining how business-focused security leadership is transforming cybersecurity from a technical function to a strategic business enabler. • BISOs serve as the "Swiss army knife" of the CISO, bringing deeper business knowledge to security decisions • The BISO role bridges the gap betw...

We explore organizational theory applications to AI agents and examine the transformation of Security Operations Centers through artificial intelligence solutions. • Traditional organizational structures like military-style hierarchies are being applied to AI agent systems in cybersecurity • Matrix organizations with multiple reporting lines have parallels in how specialized security agents might...

Josh Bruyning and Richard Stiennon explore how AI agents are fundamentally changing the SaaS industry and traditional software models. They discuss the shift from feature-based to outcome-based solutions and why companies must adapt to survive. • Richard Stiennon shares insights about Security Yearbook 2025 and IT Harvest's database tracking over 4,340 cybersecurity vendors • Introduction to...

EU's complex regulatory environment creates both challenges and opportunities for businesses navigating data privacy, financial services, and healthcare regulations across member states.  • Significant differences exist between EU-wide regulations and country-specific implementations • Large companies like Meta and Uber have faced multi-million Euro fines for GDPR violations • Financial insti...

Marcus Peet, Senior Director of Information Security at PT Solutions, shares his unique perspective as both a cybersecurity expert and father of three on navigating the complex world of digital parenting. His "growth with guardrails" philosophy demonstrates how parents can protect their children online while allowing them the freedom to develop necessary digital literacy skills. • When c...

Kyle and I dive into the reality of the RSA Conference experience, exploring how the security industry's biggest event has transformed into a vendor-dominated spectacle with declining CISO attendance. • The conference atmosphere is overwhelmingly loud with vendors everywhere and marketing materials covering every available surface • San Francisco completely transforms during RSA, with securit...

AI agents equipped with computer use capabilities will transform the cybersecurity landscape within the next year, shifting from augmenting to potentially replacing human SOC analysts with systems that can perform 100% alert triage. The investment landscape reflects this shift, with 78% of venture capital reportedly flowing into AI companies despite many firms simply adopting AI terminology withou...

Ever wonder what happens when centuries-old legal practices collide with cutting-edge technology? Dean Sapp, CISO at FileVine, pulls back the curtain on the digital transformation revolutionizing law firms worldwide. Beyond just modernizing paperwork, Dean reveals why attorneys have become prime targets for sophisticated hackers and nation-states. "Law firms are data aggregators of some of th...

In this episode, Richard Stiennon makes some bold predictions about the future of AI in Cybersecurity. Artificial intelligence is transforming cybersecurity at an unprecedented pace, with large language models increasing in intelligence tenfold every 12 months and reaching a potential critical mass by 2027. • SOC automation represents the most immediate and profound application of AI in cybersecur...