Let AI Do More Without Surrendering Your Judgment with Jen Easterly

Fresh off the showroom floor at Black Hat 2026, Ron brings back some hot takes from the crowd. Nearly every booth he visited, including the Exaforce booth, was pushing in the same direction. Trust in AI isn’t a philosophy debate anymore, it’s an engineering problem people are actively solving.    Ron then catches up with Jen Easterly, CEO of RSAC, for a wide-ranging conversation on what it actually takes to build that trust. From her move out of government to her hard line on AI regulation and liability, the conversation takes an unexpected turn when Jen opens up about "cognitive surrender" and why she believes good judgment can't be automated away. Couldn't make it to Black Hat this year? This episode has you covered.   Impactful Moments  00:00 - Introduction  02:45 - Reporting live from Black Hat 2026: hot takes from the showroom floor  05:05 - Welcoming Jen Easterly, CEO of RSAC 07:55 - A day in the life running RSAC and the Innovation Sandbox 10:00 - AI whack-a-mole and the sweet spot for regulation 11:00 - Governance vs. regulation, the EU AI Act, and state laws 13:30 - Why accountability and liability need to catch up to AI makers 14:45 - The case for autonomous patching and healing code like "The Matrix" 17:50 - The hot take Jen hasn't said before: not outsourcing our humanity 20:30 - Why in-person conferences matter more in the AI era 21:55 - Ron's takeaway: who decides when AI has earned our trust?   Links Connect with Jen Easterly on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-easterly  Learn more about Exaforce: https://www.exaforce.com –  Check out our upcoming events: https://www.hackervalley.com/livestreams  Love Hacker Valley Studio? Pick up some swag: https://store.hackervalley.com  Become a sponsor of the show: https://hackervalley.com/work-with-us