AI Competition and Security: A discussion with Kemba Walden and Devin Lynch

·31 min·3 clips

Henry Kissinger warned at 100 that AI and data, not territory, will cause future wars.

Andrew Schwartz introduces the episode by highlighting a new report on the AI tech stack and connects it to Henry Kissinger's warning about AI and data as future battlegrounds. He welcomes guests Kemba Walden, president of the Paladin Global Institute and former acting U.S. National Cyber Director, and Devin Lynch, senior director at the institute and former director in the National Cyber Director's office. Kemba explains the report's timing, comparing the current AI fever pitch to the early, unsecured days of the internet, and shares her background in cybersecurity and policy. Devin outlines the report's main takeaway: policymakers must understand the AI tech stack to set democratic standards amid global competition. The hosts ask for a breakdown of the five-layer tech stack: data, model, infrastructure, application, and governance. Kemba and Devin discuss urgent AI security risks, starting with data poisoning and adversarial model attacks, and emphasize threats from nation-states like China and Russia. Devin delves into the unknown dangers of agentic AI and superintelligence, warning of risks beyond current imagination. The conversation shifts to critical infrastructure vulnerabilities, noting that human error remains a primary threat, exacerbated by AI-powered intrusions. They explore cloud infrastructure, energy resources, and hardware as next frontiers for AI-related vulnerabilities. Kemba argues that governance must be embedded across the stack, led by a combination of government and private sector with clear accountability. Devin draws parallels to internet security protocols, advocating for dynamic standards like the Model Context Protocol. Kemba discusses congressional efforts, highlighting the need for lawmakers to understand the tech stack beyond applications. The episode concludes with final thoughts: Kemba urges safe and responsible AI use, while Devin frames securing AI as an opportunity for societal advancement.

As heard by us

A grounded AI security conversation that keeps returning to human error, phishing, and deployment choices.

The Truth of the Matter turns to AI and cybersecurity through The AI Tech Stack, a primer for tech and cyber policy, with Andrew Schwartz speaking with Kemba Walden, president of the Paladin Global Institute and former acting United States National Cyber Director, and Devin…

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You get Kemba Walden, Devin Lynch, and a grounded look at the AI tech stack.

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