Looking ahead to the next year in tech and human impact

Looking ahead to the next year in tech and human impact

Author: BKBT Productions December 8, 2025 Duration: 33:28
2025 was hella weird. The AI revolution is here whether we asked for it or not. This week, George K and George A reflect on the year and what it means for 2026. At AWS re:Invent, George A watched a machine create a custom fragrance and marketing campaign in real-time from a voice prompt. What does that portend for product prototyping, and scaled manufacturing? Could voice and natural language finally replacing typing as the primary interface? We're watching the biggest shift in human-computer interaction since the mouse. Worldwide AI adoption isn't hype anymore—it's happening and doing so unevenly. Some enterprises are getting serious and some are still noodling. The tools are maturing. The question shifted from "if" to "how do we do this responsibly." There are serious questions to answer. GPU lifecycles. The Magnificent Seven's circular financing models. The human cost of moving this fast. But that's the work—building technology that serves us instead of the other way around. The revolution came. Now comes the interesting part: what we actually build with it. 2026 is going to be wild. We remain up to the challenge. Mentioned: * Brookings Institution, "New data show no AI jobs apocalypse—for now" [https://www.brookings.edu/articles/new-data-show-no-ai-jobs-apocalypse-for-now/] * Discussed in further detail with Ethan Mollick on Your Undivided Attention [https://open.spotify.com/episode/7tVke0Fuo6WSssgJ4eUDQa?si=UXKBrqKyR2acZqVl3UqXwA] * Reid Hoffman's interview with Wispr Flow founder/CEO Tanay Kothari [https://open.spotify.com/episode/7AxM51x61saSou9M1GkYwk?si=h7yIQa3fSrWyT2E4B8jYJQ] * More on Coreweave's financing model at The Verge [https://www.theverge.com/2023/8/8/23824661/coreweave-nvidia-debt-gpu-ai-chips-collateral?utm_source=podcast&utm_id=bareknucklesbrasstacks]

There’s a lot of noise in the world of technology talk, but Bare Knuckles and Brass Tacks cuts through it with a focus on the people behind the products and the societal currents shaping our digital landscape. Hosts George K and George A steer conversations that are less about specs and hype, and more about real-world consequences. You’ll hear them dig into topics like the messy rollout of new AI tools, the often-invisible backbone of digital infrastructure, and why communities adopt or reject certain technologies. This podcast regularly features guests from various fields who offer unvarnished opinions on what’s genuinely functional and what’s fundamentally flawed in our tech-saturated lives. The discussions move beyond simple commentary to challenge the standard narratives promoted by the tech industry, examining the cultural and social ripples of every new development. It’s a show for anyone who feels that technology coverage often misses the human element-the frustrations, the adaptations, and the ethical dilemmas. Tune in for a grounded, critical, and consistently engaging dialogue that connects the dots between code and culture. This production from BKBT Productions lives up to its name, getting down to the brass tacks of how technology is built and used, with a bare-knuckle honesty that’s increasingly rare.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Bare Knuckles and Brass Tacks
Podcast Episodes
Building Teams, the Quantum Future, Outsourcing, and So Much More! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:47
Vivek Khindria, longtime CISO, joins the show and he brought the heat. We talk building security teams, quantum computing timelines, and why your board doesn't want to hear about firewall rules. George K and George A tal…
Best of:  Supporting the Queer Community in Cybersecurity [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:36
This week, we're returning to the original inspiration for our Pride in Cyber campaign! Angela Brown and Amber DiPippa join the podcast to discuss their scholarship initiative supporting LGBTQ+ individuals pursuing cyber…
Phish Club is Building a Community for Junior Practitioners [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:41
Madeline and Oliver from Phish Club [https://www.linkedin.com/company/phishclub/] joined the show to talk community building for junior practitioners in cybersecurity. George K and George A talk to Madeline and Oliver ab…
From Digital Saturation Back to Real Relationships in Cyber Marketing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:59
While everyone's obsessing over digital lead gen and automation, veteran marketer David Mundy argues the best companies are going back to basics - building actual relationships and cutting through the noise. George K and…
What's Really Plaguing SOC Teams, Lessons for Vendors & Leaders [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:51
Erik Bloch, security operations expert and longtime infosec leader, joins the show to talk about the real problems plaguing SOCs and why the industry keeps missing the mark! George K and George A talk to Erik about: - Th…
Burnout Lessons for Executive Leaders in Tech & Cyber [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:44
This conversation hits different. Mohammed "Moh" Waqas, CTO Healthcare at Armis, joined us to talk about burnout, mental health, and the hidden costs of our "always-on" cybersecurity culture. George K and George A talk t…
From SOC to CEO, and Learning from Failure to Find Success [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:07
Quinnlan Varcoe, founder of Blueberry Security, joins the show for a raw conversation about building a security startup! Quinn takes us through her wild ride from SOC analyst to founder - including how she shut down her…
New Research on Burnout and Performance in Cyber [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:47
Dr. Kashyap "Kash" Thimmaraju joins the show to talk about a new study on burnout, wellbeing, and flow state in security operations. George K and George A talk to Kash about: * New research using psychologically validate…
Memes, Menace, and Monster Trucks: Live from RSAC 2025 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:00
Recorded LIVE at RSAC 2025: Don Jeter, Chief Meme Officer at Torq returns! He breaks down how Torq built a cult brand in cybersecurity around their "SOAR is Dead" campaign. George K and George A talk to Don about: * Harn…