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Random and Unscripted Podcast

Random and Unscripted Podcast

By: Marco Ciappelli Sean Martin ITSPmagazine Inc.
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 🎙️ Random and Unscripted Podcast | A Podcast with Sean and Marco with no script, no rules, and absolutely no idea where the conversation will go. Welcome to Random and Unscripted Podcast, where Sean and Marco dive into the week that was at ITSPmagazine—new episodes, newsletters, event coverage, what's coming up, or whatever else crosses their minds. Sometimes insightful, sometimes curious and weird, but always real. If you're tired of overproduced, predictable content, this is your escape into raw, spontaneous conversation about what they're actually creating and thinking. Tune in and see where randomness takes them. 🎧 New episodes when they feel like they have something to talk about, because the best conversations happen Random and Unscripted.© Copyright 2015-2025 ITSPmagazine, Inc. All Rights Reserved Politics & Government Social Sciences
Episodes
  • AI Dependency Crisis + EV Infrastructure Failures: Tech Reality Check 2025 | Random and Unscripted Weekly Update with Sean Martin and Marco Ciappelli

    AI Dependency Crisis + EV Infrastructure Failures: Tech Reality Check 2025 | Random and Unscripted Weekly Update with Sean Martin and Marco Ciappelli
    Aug 29 2025
    AI Dependency Crisis + EV Infrastructure Failures: Tech Reality Check 2025When Two Infrastructure Promises Collide with RealityThe promise was simple: AI would augment human intelligence, and electric vehicles would transform transportation. The reality in 2025? Both are hitting infrastructure walls that expose uncomfortable truths about how technology actually scales.Sean Martin and Marco Ciappelli didn't plan to connect these dots in their latest Random and Unscripted weekly recap, but the conversation naturally evolved from AI dependency concerns to electric vehicle infrastructure challenges—revealing how both represent the same fundamental problem: mistaking technological capability for systemic readiness."The AI is telling us what success looks like and we're measuring against that, and who knows if it's right or wrong," Sean observed, describing what's become an AI dependency crisis in cybersecurity teams. Organizations aren't just using AI as a tool; they're letting it define their decision-making frameworks without maintaining the critical thinking skills to evaluate those frameworks.Marco connected this to their recent Black Cat analysis, describing the "paradox loop"—where teams lose both the ability to take independent action and think clearly because they're constantly feeding questions to AI, creating echo chambers of circular reasoning. "We're gonna be screwed," he said with characteristic directness. "We go back to something being magic again."This isn't academic hand-wringing. Both hosts developed their expertise when understanding fundamental technology was mandatory—when you had to grasp cables, connections, and core systems to make anything work. Their concern is for teams that might never develop that foundational knowledge, mistaking AI convenience for actual competence.The electric vehicle discussion, triggered by Marco's conversation with Swedish consultant Matt Larson, revealed parallel infrastructure failures. "Upgrading to electric vehicles isn't like updating software," Sean noted, recalling his own experience renting an EV and losing an hour to charging—"That's not how you're gonna sell it."Larson's suggestion of an "Apollo Program" for EV infrastructure acknowledges what the industry often ignores: some technological transitions require massive, coordinated investment beyond individual company capabilities. The cars work; the surrounding ecosystem barely exists. Sound familiar to anyone implementing AI without considering organizational infrastructure?From his Object First webinar on backup systems, Sean extracted a deceptively simple insight: immutability matters precisely because bad actors specifically target backups to enable ransomware success. "You might think you're safe and resilient until something happens and you realize you're not."Marco's philosophical take—comparing immutable backups to never stepping in the same river twice—highlights why both cybersecurity and infrastructure transitions demand unchanging foundations even as everything else evolves rapidly.The episode's most significant development was their expanded event coverage announcement. Moving beyond traditional cybersecurity conferences to cover IBC Amsterdam (broadcasting technology since 1967), automotive security events, gaming conferences, and virtual reality gatherings represents recognition that infrastructure challenges cross every industry."That's where things really get interesting," Sean noted about broader tech events. When cybersecurity professionals only discuss security in isolation, they miss how infrastructure problems manifest across music production, autonomous vehicles, live streaming, and emerging technologies.Both AI dependency and EV infrastructure failures share the same root cause: assuming technological capability automatically translates to systemic implementation. The gap between "this works in a lab" and "this works in reality" represents the most critical challenge facing technology leaders in 2025.Their call to action extends beyond cybersecurity: if you know about events that address infrastructure challenges at the intersection of technology and society, reach out. The "usual suspects" of security conferences aren't where these broader infrastructure conversations are happening.What infrastructure gaps are you seeing between technology promises and implementation reality? Join the conversation on LinkedIn or connect through ITSP Magazine.________________Hosts links:📌 Marco Ciappelli: https://www.marcociappelli.com📌 Sean Martin: https://www.seanmartin.com Marco Ciappelli, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine [@ITSPmagazine] and Host of Redefining Society Podcast Sean Martin, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine [@ITSPmagazine] and Host of Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast & Music Evolves Podcast More Random and Unscripted Podcast content: https://www.randomandunscripted.comRandom and Unscripted Podcast playlist on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=...
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    15 mins
  • 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 with Sean Martin and Marco Ciappelli

    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 with Sean Martin and Marco Ciappelli
    Aug 20 2025
    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__________________SummarySean 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 QuotesSean:"It's hard for them to siphon the noise. Sift through the noise, I should say, and figure out what the heck is really going on.""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 things better.""We'll stop thinking and we won't use it as a tool to make our minds better, to make our decisions better.""We are told then that this is the reality. This is what good looks like.""Maybe there's a different way to even look at things. So it's kind of become uniform... a very low common denominator that is just good enough for everybody."Marco:"Do you really wanna trust the weapon to just go and shoot everybody? At least you can tell it's a human factor and that's the people that ultimately decide.""If we don't make decision anymore, we're gonna turn out in a lot of those sci-fi stories, like the time machine where we become dumb.""We all perceive reality to be different from what it is, and then it creates a circular knowledge learning where we use AI to create the knowledge, then to ask the question, then to give the answers.""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.""You're selling the illusion of security and that could be something that then you replicate in other industries." 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....
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    28 mins
  • From Black Hat to Black Sabbath / Ozzy: AI Agents and Guitars (again!) + Entry Level Cybersecurity Jobs, Robots Evolution, and the Weekly Recap You Didn’t Expect | Random and Unscripted Weekly Update with Sean Martin and Marco Ciappelli

    From Black Hat to Black Sabbath / Ozzy: AI Agents and Guitars (again!) + Entry Level Cybersecurity Jobs, Robots Evolution, and the Weekly Recap You Didn’t Expect | Random and Unscripted Weekly Update with Sean Martin and Marco Ciappelli
    Jul 25 2025

    ITSPmagazine Weekly Update | From Black Hat to Black Sabbath / Ozzy: AI Agents and Guitars (again!) + Entry Level Cybersecurity Jobs, Robots Evolution, and the Weekly Recap You Didn’t Expect - On Marco & Sean's Random & Unscripted Podcast

    __________________
    Marco Ciappelli and Sean Martin are back with another random and unscripted weekly recap—from pre-Black Hat buzz and AI agents to vintage wood guitars, talent gaps, and Glen Miller debates. This week’s reflection hits tech, music, and philosophy in all the right ways. Tune in, ramble with us, and subscribe.

    __________________Full Blog Article

    This week’s recap was a ride.

    Sean and I kicked things off with the big news: we’re officially consistent. Weekly recap number… I lost count. But we’re doing it. We covered what ITSPmagazine’s been working on, what we’ve been publishing, and where our minds are wandering lately (spoiler: everywhere).

    Black Hat USA 2025 is just around the corner, and we’re deep into prep mode. I even bought a paper map. Why? I don’t know. But we’ve got some great pre-event conversations already out—like our annual chat with Black Hat GM Steve Wylie, plus briefings with Dropzone AI (get ready for “agentic automation” to be the next big buzzword) and Akamai (yes, bots and APIs again, but with a solid strategy twist).

    We also talked about a fantastic episode Sean did on resonance and reinvention—featuring Cindy, a luthier in NYC who builds custom guitars using century-old beams from historic buildings. The pickups even use the old nails. Music and wood with a past life. It’s beautiful stuff.

    Speaking of stories, I officially closed down the Storytelling podcast. But don’t worry—I’m still telling stories. I’ve just shifted focus to “Redefining Society and Technology,” my newsletter and podcast series where I explore how humans and tech evolve together. This week’s edition tackled the merging of humans and machines as a new species. Isaac Asimov meets Andy Clark.

    We also got a bit philosophical about AI and jobs. If machines take over the “easy” roles, where do humans begin? Are we cutting off our own training paths?

    Sean’s episode with John Solomon dug into the cybersecurity hiring crisis—challenging the idea that we have a “talent gap.” The real issue? We’re not hiring or nurturing people properly.

    Oh, and I finally released my long-overdue interview with Michael Sheldrick from Global Citizen. Music. Social impact. Doing good. It’s all there. I’m honored to support even a small piece of what he’s building.

    And yes… Ozzy. RIP. Music never dies.

    So if you’re into random reflections with meaning, tech with humanity, and stories that don’t always follow the rules—subscribe, share, and join the ride.

    See you in Vegas. Or the future. Or somewhere in between.


    ________________ Keywords

    Black Hat USA 2025, ITSPmagazine recap, Marco Ciappelli, Sean Martin, cybersecurity podcast, AI in cybersecurity, agentic automation, Dropzone AI, Akamai APIs, HITRUST security, Global Citizen, Michael Sheldrick, storytelling podcast, Redefining Society, Andy Clark, Isaac Asimov, human-machine evolution, cybersecurity talent gap, custom guitar NYC, Ozzy tribute

    Hosts links:

    📌 Marco Ciappelli: https://www.marcociappelli.com
    📌 Sean Martin: https://www.seanmartin.com

    Marco Ciappelli, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine [@ITSPmagazine] and Host of Redefining Society Podcast

    Sean Martin, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine [@ITSPmagazine] and Host of Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast & Music Evolves Podcast

    More Random and Unscripted Podcast content: https://www.randomandunscripted.com

    Random and Unscripted Podcast playlist on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnYu0psdcllQx7EJswMWTfaTdzzU3Dh1R

    ITSPmagazine YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@itspmagazine

    Be sure to share and subscribe!
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    50 mins
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