Sean and Marco expose Black Hat 2025's AI marketing problem on Random and Unscripted: every vendor claimed "agentic AI" while CISOs couldn't tell them apart. Using the Greek myth of Talos, they warn we're surrendering decision-making to imperfect systems, creating echo chambers that make us "dumb and numb" to reality.
We're Becoming Dumb and Numb": Why Black Hat 2025's AI Hype Is Killing Cybersecurity -- And Our Ability to Think
Random and Unscripted Weekly Update Podcast with Sean Martin and Marco Ciappelli
__________________Summary
Sean and Marco dissect Black Hat USA 2025, where every vendor claimed to have "agentic AI" solutions. They expose how marketing buzzwords create noise that frustrates CISOs seeking real value. Marco references the Greek myth of Talos - an ancient AI robot that seemed invincible until one fatal flaw destroyed it - as a metaphor for today's overinflated AI promises. The discussion spirals into deeper concerns: are we becoming too dependent on AI decision-making? They warn about echo chambers, lowest common denominators, and losing our ability to think critically. The solution? Stop selling perfection, embrace product limitations, and keep humans in control.
__________________10 Notable Quotes
Picture this: You walk into the world's largest cybersecurity conference, and every single vendor booth is screaming the same thing – "agentic AI." Different companies, different products, but somehow they all taste like the same marketing milkshake.
That's exactly what Sean Martin and Marco Ciappelli witnessed at Black Hat USA 2025, and their latest Random and Unscripted with Sean and Marco episode pulls no punches in exposing what's really happening behind the buzzwords.
"Marketing just took all the cool technology that each vendor had, put it in a blender and made a shake that just tastes the same," Marco reveals on Random and Unscripted with Sean and Marco, describing how the conference floor felt like one giant echo chamber where innovation got lost in translation.
But this isn't just another rant about marketing speak. The Random and Unscripted with Sean and Marco conversation takes a darker turn when Marco introduces the ancient Greek myth of Talos – a bronze giant powered by divine ichor who was tasked with autonomously defending Crete. Powerful, seemingly invincible, until one small vulnerability brought the entire system crashing down.
Sound familiar?
"Do you really wanna trust the weapon to just go and shoot everybody?" Marco asks, drawing parallels between ancient mythology and today's rush to hand over decision-making to AI systems we don't fully understand.
Sean, meanwhile, talked to frustrated CISOs throughout the event who shared a common complaint: "It's hard for them to sift through the noise and figure out what the heck is really going on." When every vendor claims their AI is autonomous and perfect, how do you choose? How do you even know what you're buying?
The real danger, they argue on Random and Unscripted with Sean and Marco, isn't just bad purchasing decisions. It's what happens when we stop thinking altogether.
"If we completely just use it for the easy button, we'll stop thinking and we won't use it as a tool to make our minds better," Sean warns. We risk settling for what he calls the "lowest common denominator" – a world where AI tells us what success looks like, and we never question whether we could do better.
Marco goes even further, describing a "circular knowledge learning" trap where "we use AI to create the knowledge, then to ask the question, then to give the answers." The result? "We're just becoming dumb and numb. More than dumb, but we become numb to everything else because we're just not thinking with our own head."
Their solution isn't to abandon AI – it's to get honest about what it can and can't do. "Stop looking for the easy button and stop selling the easy button," Marco urges vendors on Random and Unscripted with Sean and Marco. "Your product is probably as good as it is."
Sean adds: "Don't be afraid to share your blemishes, share your weaknesses. Share your gaps."
Because here's the thing CISOs know that vendors often forget: "CISOs are not stupid. They talk to each other. The truth will come out."
In an industry built on protecting against deception, maybe it's time to stop deceiving ourselves about what AI can actually deliver.
________________ Keywords
cybersecurity, artificialintelligence, blackhat2025, agentic, ai, marketing, ciso, cybersec, infosec, technology, leadership, vendor, innovation, automation, security, tech, AI, machinelearning, enterprise, business
________________Hosts links:
📌 Marco Ciappelli: https://www.marcociappelli.com
📌 Sean Martin: https://www.seanmartin.com
Sean and Marco return from Black Hat USA 2025 with sharp observations about the cybersecurity industry's AI obsession. Every vendor booth was pushing "agentic AI" solutions, creating what Marco describes as a marketing milkshake where "all the cool technology that each vendor had" was blended into something that "just taste the same."
The conversation begins with CISOs' frustration over buzzword overload. Sean notes how security leaders struggle to "sift through the noise and figure out what the heck is really going on" when every product claims AI-powered perfection. Marco introduces the Greek myth of Talos - an ancient bronze robot that autonomously defended Crete until one fatal vulnerability destroyed it - as a metaphor for today's overinflated AI promises.
Their discussion evolves into deeper societal concerns about AI dependency. Marco warns against trusting systems to make autonomous decisions, asking "Do you really wanna trust the weapon to just go and shoot everybody?" Sean worries about the "easy button" mentality leading to intellectual laziness: "If we completely just use it for the easy button, we'll stop thinking."
Both fear we're creating echo chambers where AI defines reality. Marco describes a "circular knowledge learning" trap where "we use AI to create the knowledge, then to ask the question, then to give the answers." This leads to what he calls becoming "dumb and numb" - losing our ability to think critically.
The solution isn't abandoning AI but embracing honesty about limitations. Marco urges vendors to "stop looking for the easy button and stop selling the easy button," while Sean advocates sharing "blemishes" and "weaknesses." They remind vendors that "CISOs are not stupid" and "talk to each other" - the truth about product capabilities will emerge.
The episode concludes with references to their Black Hat articles exploring these themes deeper, warning against selling "the illusion of security" in an industry built on protecting against deception.