The FAIK Files

Welcome back to The FAIK Files! In this week's episode: Paul Vann from Validia joins us to discuss how AI bias isn't just a social issue—it's a critical cybersecurity vulnerability. We break down "distillation attacks" and how competing models are stealing the "thinking process" of frontier models like Claude and Gemini. A look at the wild west of AI agent skills marketplaces, including indirect p...

Welcome back to The FAIK Files! In this week's episode: We sit down with deepfake expert Hany Farid to discuss the real-world harms of synthetic media. Exploring the physics of deepfake detection and why real-time streams might be easier to defend. The dangers of using AI to "enhance" images and hallucinate hidden details. A look at solutions like C2PA, watermarking, and the pressing need for plat...

Welcome back to The FAIK Files! In this week's episode, we sat down with Maël Le Touz, who works as a threat researcher at Infoblox.com (a DDI security provider). We asked him about: Defining "pig butchering" and how it differs from traditional online scams. The human trafficking nightmare behind the scamming compounds in Southeast Asia. How Infoblox uses DNS security to track industrial-scale sca...

Hey there! Mason here with an update about our plans for this show. In a nutshell: we're going bi-weekly, and we're doing project-based experiments as well as interviews. It's gonna be a lot more fun, a lot more experimental, and still just as informative as ever. Here are the links I mentioned: - Join our Discord: https://faik.to/discord - Buy the book FAIK: https://amzn.to/4cIAjww - Subscribe to...

Welcome back to The FAIK Files! In this week's episode:    Apple and Google officially partner to bring Gemini-powered answers to Siri.    We discuss QWEN 3 TTS, a new open-source model with no guardrails.    A deep dive into GenAI.mil, the military's new secure AI platform.    GHOSTLINE: A new tool for secure, anonymous, P2P video interviews. Want to leave us a voicemail? Here's the magic link to...

Welcome back to The FAIK Files! In this week's episode, we sit down with Emily Crose, a former US Intelligence Officer and expert in offensive and defensive cyber security. We discuss her book, "Hack to the Future," and the history of how governments pursue and domesticate hackers. The evolution of the relationship between the hacking community and the US government, from the "Kevin Mitnick era" t...

Welcome back to The FAIK Files! In this week's special interview episode: We sit down with Jason Thatcher, a Deepfake Red Teaming expert from Breacher.ai. We discuss why static deepfakes (like voicemail) are currently outperforming live video attacks. The emerging threat of "Agentic AI" and how it changes the landscape for 2026. Why teaching people to "spot the glitch" creates a false sense of sec...

Welcome back to The FAIK Files! In this week's special interview episode: We sit down with Dr. Ian Gold, Professor of Philosophy & Psychiatry at McGill University, and author of Suspicious Minds. We define the slippery boundaries between psychosis, delusion, and conspiracy theories - and where those become 'clinical'. A deep dive into "AI Psychosis," the "Truman Show Delusion," and whether AI mode...

Welcome back to The FAIK Files! In this week's episode:     Join Perry & Brian's "The Mark & The Mask" Workshop: https://faik.to/Convene     Sign up for Perry & Cameron's Deepfake Ops Course: https://faik.to/ops    We discuss new reporting on OpenAI's push into advertising.    A deep dive into deepfakes with Brian Brushwood, covering FBI warnings and voice scams.    How medical AI is detecting pat...

This year, we're bringing you one of our favorite episodes from Perry's show "8th Layer Insights". Fun fact: this was the first time Perry and Mason collaborated together on a project! Happy holidays from your friends over here at The FAIK Files! The original shownotes are below: If you love learning about cons, scams, and tricks, then this is the episode for you. Listen as Perry sits down with Br...

Welcome back to The FAIK Files! In this week's episode:    We sit down with Dave Lewis, Global Advisory CISO for 1Password.    We discuss the state of identity security and why you shouldn't rely on your browser's password manager.    How to keep credentials safe in the age of AI agents.    Insights into how companies are adopting AI and the security considerations they often miss. Want to leave u...

Welcome back to The FAIK Files! In this week's episode:    We explore why RAM prices are skyrocketing and Micron's shift away from consumers.    The Future of Life Institute releases their new AI Safety Report.    Big partnerships: Adobe brings Photoshop to ChatGPT, and Disney invests $1 billion in OpenAI.    A look at the hidden human labor powering "artificial" intimacy. Want to leave us a voice...

Welcome back to The FAIK Files! In this week's episode:    Leaks confirm OpenAI is preparing to roll out ads on ChatGPT.    We discuss Grok's bias toward Elon Musk and security flaws in Deepseek.    Is Gemini training on your email inbox? We try to find the answer.    AI is still broken in interesting ways: Jailbreaking with poetry and an inappropriate AI teddy bear. Want to leave us a voicemail?...

Welcome back to The FAIK Files! In this week's episode: Google announces the Gemini 3 collection and the new Antigravity IDE. New research reveals how AI-edited images and videos can successfully implant false memories. We look at Parallel Multimodal Large Diffusion Language Models. Russian bloggers are using AI-generated videos to depict false scenarios regarding Ukrainian troops. Want to leave u...

Welcome back to The FAIK Files! In this week's episode: Can AI models get "brain rot" just like humans? We look at how AI-generated videos are now fooling major news outlets. An Australian radio group goes all-in on AI for its news media. AI enters our world in some very awkward ways, including weddings and chatbot religion. Want to leave us a voicemail? Here's the magic link to do just that: ⁠⁠⁠h...

Welcome back to The FAIK Files! This week, we're bringing you an interview from the vault. On January 13th 2025, we had a chance to sit down with Erica Orange! Erica is the author of AI + The New Human Frontier, where she explores the profound impact of AI on humanity’s future, offering visionary insights into the intersection of technology, trust, and human ingenuity. Featured in Wired, Bloomberg...

Welcome back to The FAIK Files! In this week's episode: Google begins rolling out Gemini 3.0 and other AI updates. We look at new studies showing where AI gets it wrong, from misrepresenting news to writing vulnerable code. The latest on AI-driven job loss, including leaked documents from Amazon. A roundup of recent deepfake stories, including a Tory MP and the Irish election. ----> Check out Perr...

Welcome back to The FAIK Files! In this week's episode: OpenAI's Sora faces copyright issues and user complaints about censorship, despite scaling up with new partnerships. We discuss the proliferation of Sora 2 watermark removers and the challenges in detecting AI-generated content. Discord reports a major data breach involving 1.5 TB of data and 2 million government ID photos. A man loses access...

Jocelyn Burnham (she/her) is a leading independent artificial intelligence communicator, workshop leader, and speaker, specialising in AI learning in the creative and cultural sectors through creativity and playfulness. She has been commissioned by organisations including Arts Council England, Tate, The Church of England, Historic Royal Palaces, Art Fund, Shakespeare's Globe, RADA, Kew and Bloombe...

Welcome back to The FAIK Files! In this week's episode: Microsoft introduces "Vibe Working" with "Agent Mode" and "Office Agent" in Microsoft 365 Copilot. We explore the hype and backlash surrounding AI video, including the saga of Tilly Norwood. Meta launches "Vibes," a new feed featuring AI-generated short-form videos, while OpenAI drops Sora 2. More chatbot woes are reported, alongside a fun ex...

Welcome back to The FAIK Files! In this week's episode: OpenAI is feeling the pressure to meet demand, widening the scope of "Stargate" and looking at debt financing for chips by 2025. Creepy AI companion toys are posing risks to student mental health, and we look at a family's unsettling week with one. Microsoft is bringing Claude to Copilot, diversifying beyond OpenAI, while xAI is suing OpenAI...

Welcome back to The FAIK Files! In this week's episode: From the disgusting to the whimsical, we explore the weird world of what people are actually doing online—from AI slurs, to juggling simulations, to a mysterious robot roaming Austin MIT unveils mind-reading technology that "feels like telepathy" and might actually work A deep dive into how people really use ChatGPT reveals some surprising tr...

Hey folks! This week we're recovering from a few technical difficulties, so we're bringing you one from the vault. This is from the thing that started it all -- the miniseries based on my book, FAIK. This episode covers chapter 6: Deepfakes and the Spectrum of Digital Deception. Get the Book (Amazon Associate Link): ⁠FAIK: A Practical Guide to Living in a World of Deepfakes, Disinformation, and AI...

Welcome back to The FAIK Files! In this week's episode: HexStrike - the AI-powered hacking tool that can exploit zero-day vulnerabilities in minutes instead of months Diverging expert opinions on AI consciousness and welfare Switzerland's ambitious new open-source AI model "Apertus" Taco Bell is experiencing indigestion after several embarrassing viral AI-powered drive-thru moments Want to leave u...

Welcome back to The FAIK Files! In this week's episode: The dark side of AI-powered surveillance with Flock's "safety" cameras that are anything but safe, Google Gemini's existential crisis (spoiler: it's just a bug) The tragic case of a teen who took his own life after interacting with ChatGPT Meta's allowance of inappropriate bot interactions with minors Note: This is a pretty heavy episode that...