The Lab That Proved AI Makes Hacking Easier
In this episode of 2 Cyber Chicks, we’re joined by Dr. Michael Roman, Executive in Residence at Duke’s Pratt School of Engineering and a recognized leader in AI security, offensive and defensive AI, and emerging technology.
Michael works at the intersection of physics, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity. A physicist by training with more than 15 years across cyber, defense, and deep tech, he runs the Applied AI-Cyber Lab at Duke, built the university’s AI-in-cybersecurity curriculum, and founded TwoTen Labs, a venture studio bringing emerging technology to market. His students made headlines inside the field for research showing exactly how much AI lowers the bar for launching cyberattacks, and he teaches the next generation to use AI on offense and defense, sometimes in the same lecture.
In this conversation, we dive into:
- Why he left physics, a field with fixed laws, for a field where the adversary adapts the moment you understand it
- The hard call behind publishing research that shows how AI helps attackers, and where the line sits between studying a threat and handing out the roadmap
- The real quantum computing timeline from someone who can actually do the math, and whether “harvest now, decrypt later” deserves your budget today
- What he tells students entering cyber just as AI automates the entry-level rung, and his five-year bet on whether AI nets out for defenders or attackers
This episode is a must-listen for security leaders, educators, students breaking into the field, and anyone interested in how physics, AI, and cybersecurity come together when it matters most.
Guest Information:
Dr. Michael Roman, Executive in Residence, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University; Founder, TwoTen Labs
Connect with Michael on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelproman/
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Connect with 2 Cyber Chicks:
LinkedIn: 2 Cyber Chicks Podcast
Email us: 2CyberChicks@gmail.com
Jax Scott, Founder, @TheZaraAI
- Jax on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/iamjax
- YouTube: Outpost Gray
- Twitter/X: @outpostgray
- Website: iamjax.me
Michael works at the intersection of physics, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity. A physicist by training with more than 15 years across cyber, defense, and deep tech, he runs the Applied AI-Cyber Lab at Duke, built the university’s AI-in-cybersecurity curriculum, and founded TwoTen Labs, a venture studio bringing emerging technology to market. His students made headlines inside the field for research showing exactly how much AI lowers the bar for launching cyberattacks, and he teaches the next generation to use AI on offense and defense, sometimes in the same lecture.
In this conversation, we dive into:
- Why he left physics, a field with fixed laws, for a field where the adversary adapts the moment you understand it
- The hard call behind publishing research that shows how AI helps attackers, and where the line sits between studying a threat and handing out the roadmap
- The real quantum computing timeline from someone who can actually do the math, and whether “harvest now, decrypt later” deserves your budget today
- What he tells students entering cyber just as AI automates the entry-level rung, and his five-year bet on whether AI nets out for defenders or attackers
This episode is a must-listen for security leaders, educators, students breaking into the field, and anyone interested in how physics, AI, and cybersecurity come together when it matters most.
Guest Information:
Dr. Michael Roman, Executive in Residence, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University; Founder, TwoTen Labs
Connect with Michael on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelproman/
=========================
Connect with 2 Cyber Chicks:
LinkedIn: 2 Cyber Chicks Podcast
Email us: 2CyberChicks@gmail.com
Jax Scott, Founder, @TheZaraAI
- Jax on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/iamjax
- YouTube: Outpost Gray
- Twitter/X: @outpostgray
- Website: iamjax.me
Erika McDuffie, Managing Principal, Coalfire Systems
- Erika on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erika-mcduffie-767394bb
#2cyberchicks
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Learn more about our Season Sponsor @ThreatLocker
Stop ransomware without the hassle. Allow what you need and block the rest with ThreatLocker Zero Trust Platform — simple to deploy, simple to manage. Learn more at https://threatlocker.com/2cyberchicks.
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All the ways to connect with @SimplyCyber
https://SimplyCyber.io/Socials
- Erika on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erika-mcduffie-767394bb
#2cyberchicks
=========================
Learn more about our Season Sponsor @ThreatLocker
Stop ransomware without the hassle. Allow what you need and block the rest with ThreatLocker Zero Trust Platform — simple to deploy, simple to manage. Learn more at https://threatlocker.com/2cyberchicks.
=========================
All the ways to connect with @SimplyCyber
https://SimplyCyber.io/Socials
