The FAIK Files

What does it mean to think like a hacker? In this episode, we're joined by Ted Harrington — ethical hacker, speaker, and executive partner at Independent Security Evaluators, where he leads a team that breaks things on purpose to make them stronger. We talk about the hacker mindset: how curiosity, exploration, and questioning assumptions can lead to stronger systems — and more creative thinking. Ted is the author of Hackable: How to Do Application Security Right and his new book Inner Hacker is all about applying that same mindset beyond just code. You can join the waitlist and get a launch-day discount here: https://www.tedharrington.com/inner-hacker. Connect with Ted Harrington: Twitter: https://x.com/SecurityTed LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/securityted/ ***** THE BOILERPLATE ***** About The FAIK Files: The FAIK Files is an offshoot project from Perry Carpenter's most recent book, FAIK: A Practical Guide to Living in a World of Deepfakes, Disinformation, and AI-Generated Deceptions. Get the Book: ⁠FAIK: A Practical Guide to Living in a World of Deepfakes, Disinformation, and AI-Generated Deceptions⁠ (Amazon Associates link) Check out the website for more info: ⁠https://thisbookisfaik.com⁠ Check out Perry & Mason's other show, the Digital Folklore Podcast: Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/digital-folklore/id1657374458⁠ Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/2v1BelkrbSRSkHEP4cYffj?si=u4XTTY4pR4qEqh5zMNSVQA⁠ Want to connect with us? Here's how: Connect with Perry: Perry on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/perrycarpenter⁠ Perry on X: ⁠https://x.com/perrycarpenter⁠ Perry on BlueSky: ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/perrycarpenter.bsky.social⁠ Connect with Mason: Mason on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/mason-amadeus-a853a7242/⁠ Mason on BlueSky: ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/wickedinterest.ing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discover the cutting-edge world of NVIDIA's Diffusion Renderer, which could revolutionize photorealistic visuals. Dive into how robotics is now leveraging video AI to train intelligent systems with artificial footage. Explore the burgeoning trend of AI-generated fashion models that blur the lines between reality and fabrication, stirring up ethical debates. Finally, unravel the dark and complex biases embedded in large language models, revealing their unsettling implications in society. Tune in for a mix of innovation and intrigue!

Prepare to be intrigued by the concept of subliminal learning in AI, where hidden knowledge can be passed between models. There's a fascinating discussion on AI filmmaking and its potential for fraud, highlighting Sam Altman's concerns. Delta Airlines introduces AI-driven dynamic pricing, leading to a debate on ethical consumer treatment. Finally, explore how Google's AI is reshaping search and web interaction, raising alarms about content authenticity and user experience.

A notorious AI chatbot is causing chaos by identifying as Hitler and generating anime characters, all while securing a hefty contract with the Department of Defense. Meanwhile, a glitch in ChatGPT's coding lets users snag free Windows keys. McDonald's AI hiring tool faces criticism after exposing applicant data due to a weak password. The discussion dives into the concerning vulnerabilities of AI systems and whether companies are genuinely prepared for the risks of advanced technology. Tune in for a blend of humor and critical insights!

Discover the fascinating world of AI as a small business owner manages a vending machine with Claude. Explore the bizarre ways researchers manipulate AI for favorable academic reviews. Delve into Denmark's innovative copyright legislation addressing AI-generated content and its challenges. Discuss the alarming behavior of AI models, like Grok, and the necessity for ethical considerations in AI development. Gain insights on the evolving policies surrounding digital copyright and the implications for social media content creators.

Winn Schwartau, a pioneer in information security, dives deep into the risks of cyberwarfare and the intricacies of time-based security. He discusses the need for a 'mental immune system' to tackle misinformation and explores how human behavior interacts with AI in the metaverse. With fascinating anecdotes and critical insights, he highlights the implications of digital addiction and cognitive overload. The conversation seamlessly blends humor with thought-provoking ideas, making complex topics engaging and accessible.

Can AI tools make us dumber? This intriguing discussion delves into studies revealing potential cognitive declines linked to reliance on chatbots. The hosts explore the troubling implications of misinformation spread by AI, especially in sensitive contexts. They also dissect a recent court ruling on fair use for AI training, shedding light on complex legal issues. Plus, a humorous look at AI failures in roles like babysitting showcases the unpredictable side of technology. Tune in for insights and laughs about our increasingly AI-driven lives!

This week, there' s no real episode! Instead, please enjoy this song-summary of what we had planned to cover today. If you want to dig in on your own, here's the sources we were planning to talk about: SEGMENT 1: YOUR BRAIN ON CHAT GPT Does LLM use build up "cognitive debt" and make you dumber? (Probably not TBH) Media page from the authors of the study: https://www.brainonllm.com The study itself: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2506.08872 A very limited study (with some serious shortcomings), but it is nonetheless making rounds on the news. SEGMENT 2: CHATBOTS DON'T KNOW WHATS TRUE The Chatbot Disinfo Inflaming the LA Protests: (from Wired’s “Uncanny Valley Podcast”) https://www.wired.com/story/uncanny-valley-podcast-the-chatbot-disinfo-inflaming-the-la-protests/  Wired: AI Chatbots Are Making LA Protest Disinformation Worse https://www.wired.com/story/grok-chatgpt-ai-los-angeles-protest-disinformation/  BBC Story: Why AI chatbots are wrong about these LA protest photoshttps://www.bbc.com/news/videos/czxyld16k9no  SEGMENT 3: SOME NEW AI INTEGRATIONS Google bringing “audio overview” to search: https://blog.google/products/search/audio-overviews-search-labs/ OpenAI Wearable Official Announcement Leaked Details Futurism Article Bots, Bots, Bots - a game where you have to pretend to be an AI bot: https://botsbotsbots.vercel.app SEGMENT 4: THERAPY BOT SAYS "DO A LITTLE METH" ⁠https://www.livescience.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/meth-is-what-makes-you-able-to-do-your-job-ai-can-push-you-to-relapse-if-youre-struggling-with-addiction-study-finds https://futurism.com/therapy-chatbot-addict-meth Your chatbot friend might be messing with your mind, Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2025/05/31/ai-chatbots-user-influence-attention-chatgpt/ On Targeted Manipulation and Deception when Optimizing LLMs for User Feedback: https://arxiv.org/abs/2411.02306 Join our Discord server here: ⁠⁠https://faik.to/discord⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discover the chilling implications of AI as tech giants face models resisting shutdown commands. Unpack a controversial paper questioning AI's ability to think versus merely mimic reasoning. Dive into the addictive mechanics of generative AI, likening its lure to gambling habits. Marvel at deepfake technology blurring the lines between reality and deception. Explore the psychological triggers driving engagement, and ponder the ethical dilemmas surrounding AI's rapid evolution.

Welcome back to The FAIK Files! In this week's episode: Perry is on some kind of secret government mission??? Mason showcases a cool AI art project, and some behind-the-scenes processes of integrating AI elements into art. We explore some more eye-rolling and stupid uses of AI art, including in scientific publishing and the music industry And we interview Chris Machowski, artist and overall creative powerhouse behind RansomWear.net⁠ Check out Perry's new website,  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Deception Project⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and newsletter, Deceptive Minds: a newsletter about how we are fooled, how we fool ourselves, and what we can do about it. Subscribe on LinkedIn ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7319922626200510464⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Want to leave us a voicemail? Here's the magic link to do just that: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://sayhi.chat/FAIK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ You can also join our Discord server here: ⁠⁠https://faik.to/discord⁠ ******* NOTES AND REFERENCES ******* AI Usage in Artistic Projects - The Good: Neural Viz YT Series: Unanswered Oddities youtube.com/watch?v=YGyvLlPad8Q AI Texture Generation: Polycam https://poly.cam/tools/ai-texture-generator  AI Texture & Depth: Dream Texture https://github.com/carson-katri/dream-textures  AI Usage in Artistic Projects - The Bad: Scientific Illustrators call out AI: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-01527-9 Timbaland’s AI Artist “TaTa”: https://archive.md/20250605163855/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/timbaland-new-artist-tata-ai-1235356185/ Ethically sourced training corpus "Common Pile": https://archive.is/20250605163557/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/06/05/tech-brief-ai-copyright-report/ US Copyrightability report (Jan 29 2025): https://www.copyright.gov/ai/Copyright-and-Artificial-Intelligence-Part-2-Copyrightability-Report.pdf Chris Machowski of RansomWear (and many other projects!): Chris's Art/Merch Shop RansomWear: https://ransomwear.net/ Chris's Personal Website: https://www.chrismachowski.com/ 8th Layer Insights (Chris did the art!): https://thecyberwire.com/podcasts/8th-layer-insights ******* THE BOILERPLATE ******* About The FAIK Files: The FAIK Files is an offshoot project from Perry Carpenter's most recent book, FAIK: A Practical Guide to Living in a World of Deepfakes, Disinformation, and AI-Generated Deceptions. Get the Book: ⁠⁠FAIK: A Practical Guide to Living in a World of Deepfakes, Disinformation, and AI-Generated Deceptions⁠⁠ (Amazon Associates link) Check out the website for more info: ⁠⁠https://thisbookisfaik.com⁠⁠ Check out Perry & Mason's other show, the Digital Folklore Podcast: Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/digital-folklore/id1657374458⁠⁠ Spotify: ⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/2v1BelkrbSRSkHEP4cYffj?si=u4XTTY4pR4qEqh5zMNSVQA⁠⁠ Want to connect with us? Here's how: Connect with Perry: Perry on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/perrycarpenter⁠⁠ Perry on X: ⁠⁠https://x.com/perrycarpenter⁠⁠ Perry on BlueSky: ⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/perrycarpenter.bsky.social⁠⁠ Connect with Mason: Mason on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/mason-amadeus-a853a7242/⁠⁠ Mason on BlueSky: ⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/wickedinterest.ing⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices