Practical AI

AI is changing cybersecurity, accelerating vulnerability research and exploit development while raising new questions about reliability, risk, and guardrails. Daniel and Chris talk with Spencer McIntyre, Director of Exploit Development at VulnCheck, about how agents are being used to discover vulnerabilities, why many proof-of-concept exploits (POCs) fail to deliver, and how initial access intelligence helps security teams prioritize real threats. They also explore the limitations of AI-assisted exploitation, the challenges of AI guardrails for security researchers, and what these developments mean for the future of threat intelligence.Featuring: Spencer McIntyre – LinkedInDaniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, XChris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, XLinks:VulnCheckGo Exploit frameworkInitial Access IntelligenceSponsors:Hostinger: Create your website today. Go to hostinger.com/practical and use practical for 10 percent off now.Resources and Events:Register for upcoming webinars here!Prior Webinars from our partner Prediction GuardMidwest AI Summit 2026Chris’s new book The Art of Swarming will be published soon, written to be the seminal foundational book for the fledgling swarming industry, defining the principles and architecture that enable autonomous agentic UxS swarms with emergent unified embodied intelligence.

As AI reshapes how we work, create, and think about our roles, staying adaptable means understanding not just the technology, but our own stories and identities. Reed Frerichs joins Daniel and Chris to explore narrative intelligence, storytelling, leadership, and personal growth in an AI-driven world. They discuss how entrepreneurs and leaders can use AI tools to navigate changing roles, embrace uncertainty, and develop emotional intelligence along with Reed's “own, author, act” framework.Featuring: Reed Frerichs – Website, LinkedIn, InstagramDaniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, XChris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, XLinks:Inner Story Series (YouTube)Inner Story Series (Spotify)Inner Story Essays (Substack)Inner Story (Website)Inner Story (Instagram)EverspaceThe LessonSponsors:Framer: The enterprise-grade website builder that lets your team ship faster. Get 30% off at framer.com/practicalaiPrediction Guard: A self-hosted AI control plane for running agents in high impact environments. predictionguard.com/practicalaiResources and Events:Register for upcoming webinars here!Prior Webinars from our partner Prediction GuardMidwest AI Summit 2026

AI agents are moving beyond laptops and prototypes and into enterprise environments where security, compliance, scalability, and reliability matter. Nick Kuhn from VMware Tanzu Platform joins Daniel and Chris to discuss what changes (and what doesn’t) when deploying agents alongside traditional applications. They explore agent build packs, MCP gateways, shared memory, identity, sandboxing, and what enterprises can learn from years of platform engineering. Nick also shares practical advice for organizations adopting agents today and looks at what the future of AI could mean for enterprise teams and software development.Featuring: Nick Kuhn – LinkedInDaniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, XChris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, XSponsors:Midwest AI Summit: Join AI practitioners on October 15 in Indianapolis for practical sessions, hands-on discussions, and real-world AI solutions. Use code PracticalAI20 to save 20% on your registration. https://midwestaisummit.com/#ticketsPrediction Guard: A self-hosted AI control plane for running agents in high impact environments. predictionguard.com/practicalaiResources and Events:Register for upcoming webinars here!Prior Webinars from our partner Prediction GuardMidwest AI Summit 2026

Longtime followers of Practical AI know that multi-repeat guest and friend Demetrios Brinkmann combines brilliant insight and playful banter into one fun-filled show, and this conversion with Chris was no different. They had a blast!As AI agents become more capable of using computers, interacting with software, and taking action on behalf of users, what does that mean for the way we work and interact with the internet? Chris and Demetrios explore computer-use agents, MCP, agent harnesses, agent-to-agent interactions, and prognosticate the emerging possibilities around agentic commerce. They also discuss how these tools are already being used to automate everyday tasks, the challenges of bringing computer-use agents into enterprise environments, and how the relationship between models and agent harnesses is evolving.In fact, they had so much fun that their conversation continued long after the show was over, but we didn’t get that here. 🤷‍♂️Featuring:Demetrios Brinkmann – LinkedInChris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, XLinks:Agentic AI FoundationMLOps CommunityAGNTCon + MCPCon – the Agentic AI Foundation’s flagship conferenceSponsors:Midwest AI Summit: Join AI practitioners on October 15 in Indianapolis for practical sessions, hands-on discussions, and real-world AI solutions. Use code PracticalAI20 to save 20% on your registration. https://midwestaisummit.com/#ticketsResources and Events:Register for upcoming webinars here!Prior Webinars from our partner Prediction GuardMidwest AI Summit 2026