Épisodes

  • Building Community Around the AI SOC Revolution | A Brand Spotlight Conversation with Monzy Merza, Co-Founder and CEO of Crogl | AI SOC Summit 2026

    Building Community Around the AI SOC Revolution | A Brand Spotlight Conversation with Monzy Merza, Co-Founder and CEO of Crogl | AI SOC Summit 2026
    Feb 12 2026
    What happens when the security community stops debating whether AI belongs in the SOC and starts figuring out how to make it work? Monzy Merza, Co-Founder and CEO of Crogl, is helping answer that question, both through the autonomous AI SOC agent his company builds and through the inaugural AI SOC Summit, a community event designed to bring practitioners together for honest, no-nonsense conversation about what is real and what is hype in AI-driven security operations.Crogl builds what Merza describes as a "superhero suit" for SOC analysts. The platform investigates every alert in depth, working across multiple data lakes without requiring data normalization, and escalates only the issues that require human judgment. But the conversation here goes beyond any single product. Merza explains that the motivation for creating the AI SOC Summit came directly from community feedback. Security teams across enterprises are trying to determine what to buy, what to build, and how to govern AI in their environments, and they need a transparent, practical space to share those experiences.How are threat actors changing the game with agentic AI? Merza points to two critical shifts. First, adversaries are now conducting campaigns using agentic systems, which means defenders need to operate at the same speed. Second, the barrier to entry for sophisticated attacks has dropped significantly because agentic systems handle much of the technical detail, from crafting convincing phishing emails to automating post-exploitation activity. The implication is clear: security teams that do not adopt AI-driven capabilities risk falling behind attackers who already have.The AI SOC Summit, hosted March 3rd at the Hyatt Regency in Tysons, Virginia, is structured to serve the practitioners who are doing the daily work of security operations. The morning features keynotes from CISOs sharing what is working and what is not, along with perspectives on AI governance and privacy. The afternoon splits into two tracks: talk sessions from startups and established companies, and a five-and-a-half-hour hackathon where attendees get free access to frontier AI models and tools to experiment hands-on with real security data.Who should attend the AI SOC Summit? Merza identifies four key personas. SOC analysts at every tier who are buried in alert triage. Security engineers deploying AI-driven and traditional tools who want to see how other enterprises are rationalizing their investments. Incident responders and threat hunters who need to understand how to track agentic activity rather than just human activity. And builders, the security teams prototyping and testing AI capabilities in-house, who want to learn from what others have tried, what has failed, and what constraints can be overcome.What sets this event apart from the typical conference experience? The AI SOC Summit is intentionally vendor-agnostic. Sponsors range from reseller partners serving government organizations to household names like Splunk and Cribl, but the focus stays on community learning rather than product pitches. Many organizations still restrict employee access to frontier models and agentic systems, and the summit provides a space where attendees can kick the tires on these technologies without worrying about tooling costs or corporate restrictions. The goal is for every participant to leave with something practical they can take back and apply to their work immediately.This is a Brand Spotlight. A Brand Spotlight is a ~15 minute conversation designed to explore the guest, their company, and what makes their approach unique. Learn more: https://www.studioc60.com/creation#spotlightGUESTMonzy Merza, Co-Founder and CEO, Crogl [@monzymerza on X]https://www.linkedin.com/in/monzymerzaRESOURCESCrogl: https://www.crogl.comAI SOC Summit: https://www.aisocsummit.com/Are you interested in telling your story?▶︎ Full Length Brand Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#full▶︎ Brand Spotlight Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#spotlight▶︎ Brand Highlight Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#highlightKEYWORDSMonzy Merza, Crogl, Sean Martin, brand story, brand marketing, marketing podcast, brand spotlight, AI SOC Summit, AI SOC agent, security operations center, agentic AI, autonomous security, threat detection, SOC analyst, incident response, threat hunting, security engineering, AI governance, cybersecurity community, hackathon, frontier AI models, agentic speed, security automation Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
    Voir plus Voir moins
    18 min
  • Chris Buck and His Signature Yamaha Revstar RS02CB at NAMM 2026 | A Brand Highlight Conversation with Chris Buck, Yamaha Signature Artist

    Chris Buck and His Signature Yamaha Revstar RS02CB at NAMM 2026 | A Brand Highlight Conversation with Chris Buck, Yamaha Signature Artist
    Feb 11 2026
    What does it take to design a signature guitar from the ground up? Chris Buck sits down with Sean Martin at NAMM 2026 to talk about the journey of creating the Yamaha Revstar RS02CB, his first production signature model. Buck describes the experience as surreal, noting that the weight of joining Yamaha's legacy of signature artists continues to hit him in waves. The lengthy design process, he says, was about making sure every detail lived up to what the guitar could be.How did Chris Buck and Yamaha land on the right pickups for the RS02CB? Buck explains that the pickups were the centerpiece of the collaboration, with the team working through countless iterations of magnet types, wire specifications, and voicing options. The result is a set of custom P90-style pickups that deliver the dynamic, responsive tone he has built his sound around. The wraparound tailpiece, a feature less common on modern instruments, adds sustain and directness to the signal path, contributing to the guitar's massive volume and resonance.What makes the RS02CB stand apart from other Revstar models? Buck highlights a three-way pickup selector switch instead of the five-way found on the current generation of Revstars, along with custom inlays and his own signature squiggle on the back of the headstock. He caps the conversation by playing a lick that shows exactly what the guitar can do, leaving no doubt about the instrument's character and capability.This is a Brand Highlight. A Brand Highlight is a ~5 minute introductory conversation designed to put a spotlight on the guest and their company. Learn more: https://www.studioc60.com/creation#highlightGUESTChris Buck, Yamaha Signature Artist | On Instagram: @chrisbuckguitar | Website: https://www.chrisbuckguitar.shop/RESOURCESYamaha: https://usa.yamaha.com/Yamaha RS02CB Chris Buck Signature Revstar: https://usa.yamaha.com/products/musical_instruments/guitars_basses/el_guitars/rs02cb/index.htmlPart of ITSPmagazine's On Location Coverage at NAMM 2026. 🌐 https://www.itspmagazine.com/the-namm-show-2026-namm-music-conference-music-technology-event-coverage-anaheim-californiaAre you interested in telling your story?▶︎ Full Length Brand Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#full▶︎ Brand Spotlight Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#spotlight▶︎ Brand Highlight Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#highlightMore From Sean MartinMore from Music Evolves: https://www.seanmartin.com/music-evolves-podcastMusic Evolves on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnYu0psdcllTRJ5du7hFDXjiugu-uNPtWMusic Evolves: Sonic Frontiers Newsletter | https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7290890771828719616/Line of Sight Newsletter | https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7400591548452667392/ITSPmagazine YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@itspmagazineBe sure to share and subscribe!KEYWORDSChris Buck, Yamaha, Sean Martin, brand story, brand marketing, marketing podcast, brand highlight, Yamaha Revstar, RS02CB, signature guitar, P90 pickups, NAMM 2026, Cardinal Black, wraparound tailpiece, electric guitar, guitar design, custom pickups, signature artist Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
    Voir plus Voir moins
    2 min
  • Chat Control: The EU Law That Could End Privacy and Why Breaking Encryption Won't Stop Criminals | A Conversation with Cybersecurity Expert John Salomon | Redefining Society and Technology Podcast with Marco Ciappelli

    Chat Control: The EU Law That Could End Privacy and Why Breaking Encryption Won't Stop Criminals | A Conversation with Cybersecurity Expert John Salomon | Redefining Society and Technology Podcast with Marco Ciappelli
    Feb 10 2026
    None of Your Goddamn BusinessJohn Morgan Salomon said something during our conversation that I haven't stopped thinking about. We were discussing encryption, privacy laws, the usual terrain — and he cut through all of it with five words: "It's none of your goddamn business."Not elegant. Not diplomatic. But exactly right.John has spent 30 years in information security. He's Swiss, lives in Spain, advises governments and startups, and uses his real name on social media despite spending his career thinking about privacy. When someone like that tells you he's worried, you should probably pay attention.The immediate concern is something called "Chat Control" — a proposed EU law that would mandate access to encrypted communications on your phone. It's failed twice. It's now in its third iteration. The Danish Information Commissioner is pushing it. Germany and Poland are resisting. The European Parliament is next.The justification is familiar: child abuse materials, terrorism, drug trafficking. These are the straw man arguments that appear every time someone wants to break encryption. And John walked me through the pattern: tragedy strikes, laws pass in the emotional fervor, and those laws never go away. The Patriot Act. RIPA in the UK. The Clipper Chip the FBI tried to push in the 1990s. Same playbook, different decade.Here's the rhetorical trap: "Do you support terrorism? Do you support child abuse?" There's only one acceptable answer. And once you give it, you've already conceded the frame. You're now arguing about implementation rather than principle.But the principle matters. John calls it the panopticon — the Victorian-era prison design where all cells face inward toward a central guard tower. No walls. Total visibility. The transparent citizen. If you can see what everyone is doing, you can spot evil early. That's the theory.The reality is different. Once you build the infrastructure to monitor everyone, the question becomes: who decides what "evil" looks like? Child pornographers, sure. Terrorists, obviously. But what about LGBTQ individuals in countries where their existence is criminalized? John told me about visiting Chile in 2006, where his gay neighbor could only hold his partner's hand inside a hidden bar. That was a democracy. It was also a place where being yourself was punishable by prison.The targets expand. They always do. Catholics in 1960s America. Migrants today. Anyone who thinks differently from whoever holds power at any given moment. These laws don't just catch criminals — they set precedents. And precedents outlive the people who set them.John made another point that landed hard: the privacy we've already lost probably isn't coming back. Supermarket loyalty cards. Surveillance cameras. Social media profiles. Cookie consent dialogs we click through without reading. That version of privacy is dead. But there's another kind — the kind that prevents all that ambient data from being weaponized against you as an individual. The kind that stops your encrypted messages from becoming evidence of thought crimes. That privacy still exists. For now.Technology won't save us. John was clear about that. Neither will it destroy us. Technology is just an element in a much larger equation that includes human nature, greed, apathy, and the willingness of citizens to actually engage. He sent emails to 40 Spanish members of European Parliament about Chat Control. One responded.That's the real problem. Not the law. Not the technology. The apathy.Republic comes from "res publica" — the thing of the people. Benjamin Franklin supposedly said it best: "A republic, if you can keep it." Keeping it requires attention. Requires understanding what's at stake. Requires saying, when necessary: this is none of your goddamn business.Stay curious. Stay Human. Subscribe to the podcast. And if you have thoughts, drop them in the comments — I actually read them.Marco CiappelliSubscribe to the Redefining Society and Technology podcast. Stay curious. Stay human.> https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7079849705156870144/Marco Ciappelli: https://www.marcociappelli.com/John Salomon Experienced, international information security leader. vCISO, board & startup advisor, strategist.https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnsalomon/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
    Voir plus Voir moins
    37 min
  • It's Not a Technology Problem, It's an Organizational Opportunity -- Building a Culture of Cybersecurity | Human-Centered Cybersecurity Series with Co-Host Julie Haney and Guest Dr. Keri Pearlson | Redefining CyberSecurity with Sean Martin

    It's Not a Technology Problem, It's an Organizational Opportunity -- Building a Culture of Cybersecurity | Human-Centered Cybersecurity Series with Co-Host Julie Haney and Guest Dr. Keri Pearlson | Redefining CyberSecurity with Sean Martin
    Feb 10 2026
    Show Notes

    Most organizations treat cybersecurity as a technology problem. They invest in layers of defense, run phishing tests, and deploy identity and access management tools. Yet headlines about breaches keep coming. Dr. Keri Pearlson, Senior Lecturer and Principal Research Scientist at the MIT Sloan School of Management, argues that the real opportunity lies not in more technology but in changing how people across the organization think about and value cybersecurity.

    In this episode of the Human-Centered Cybersecurity Series, co-hosted by Julie Haney, Computer Scientist and Lead of the Human-Centered Cybersecurity Program at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Dr. Keri Pearlson introduces her framework for cybersecurity culture built around values, attitudes, and beliefs. Rather than simply training employees on what to do, the focus shifts to shaping why they do it. When people genuinely believe cybersecurity matters, they take action without waiting for mandates or programs to tell them how.

    Dr. Pearlson shares vivid examples from her research: a CISO who hired a marketing professional to run the cybersecurity culture program, a CEO who opens every all-hands meeting with a five-minute cybersecurity story, and organizations that use creative rewards like chocolate chip cookies and digital badges to reinforce positive behaviors. She also outlines a five-stage maturity model for cybersecurity culture, from ad hoc efforts all the way to a dynamic culture that self-regulates as new threats like AI-driven vulnerabilities emerge.

    The conversation also tackles the relationship between organizational culture and cybersecurity culture, the role of group-level accountability, and why consequences matter just as much as rewards. Dr. Pearlson makes the case that cybersecurity should move from being viewed as an infrastructure play to a strategic advantage, one that can attract customers, reduce costs, and build competitive differentiation.

    For any leader looking to move the needle on security culture, this episode offers a research-backed roadmap and practical steps that anyone can take starting tomorrow.

    Host

    Sean Martin, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine, Studio C60, and Host of Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast & Music Evolves Podcast | Website: https://www.seanmartin.com/

    Guest(s)

    Dr. Keri Pearlson, Senior Lecturer and Principal Research Scientist at MIT Sloan School of Management | On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kpearlson/

    Julie Haney (Co-Host), Computer Scientist and Lead, Human-Centered Cybersecurity Program at National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) | On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-haney-037449119/

    Resources

    Learn more about Dr. Keri Pearlson's research: https://mitsloan.mit.edu/faculty/directory/keri-pearlson

    Learn more about the NIST Human-Centered Cybersecurity Program: https://csrc.nist.gov/projects/human-centered-cybersecurity

    Cybersecurity at MIT Sloan (CAMS): https://cams.mit.edu/

    The Future of Cybersecurity Newsletter | https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7108625890296614912/

    More Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast episodes | https://www.seanmartin.com/redefining-cybersecurity-podcast

    Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast on YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnYu0psdcllS9aVGdiakVss9u7xgYDKYq

    Keywords

    dr. keri pearlson, julie haney, mit sloan, nist, sean martin, cybersecurity culture, security culture, values attitudes beliefs, cyber resilience, human-centered cybersecurity, security awareness, phishing, cybersecurity maturity model, security behavior, cybersecurity strategy, redefining cybersecurity, cybersecurity podcast, redefining cybersecurity podcast


    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
    Voir plus Voir moins
    47 min
  • Taylor Guitars at NAMM 2026: Next Gen Guitars, Action Control Neck & Gold Label Collection | A Brand Highlight Conversation With Jim Kirlin from Taylor Guitars From NAAM 2026

    Taylor Guitars at NAMM 2026: Next Gen Guitars, Action Control Neck & Gold Label Collection | A Brand Highlight Conversation With Jim Kirlin from Taylor Guitars From NAAM 2026
    Feb 9 2026
    Innovation and Tradition: Taylor Guitars at NAMM 2026

    Walking into the Taylor booth at NAMM 2026 felt like stepping into a sonic candy store. Jim Kirlin's words, not mine—but he's right.

    I sat down with Jim to talk about what Taylor is bringing to the table this year, and it comes down to two distinct directions: the Next Generation Grand Auditorium series and the Gold Label Collection. Modern innovation on one side, vintage inspiration on the other.

    The Next Gen guitars build on Taylor's flagship Grand Auditorium—that versatile middle-size body that works for everything from fingerpicking to strumming. But they've added three significant upgrades.

    First is the Action Control Neck. It's a patented design with a long tenon joint that enhances resonance and tonal transfer between neck and body. More importantly, it lets players adjust string height in seconds through the sound hole. Climate changes, different venues, personal preference—you can dial it in on the fly. That's the kind of player-centric thinking that removes obstacles from the playing experience.

    Second is Scalloped V-Class Bracing. Andy Powers introduced V-Class back in 2018, and this evolution adds warmth and low end while maintaining that clear, balanced Taylor articulation. You get more of everything without losing what makes a Taylor sound like a Taylor.

    Third is the new Claria Pickup system. It's discreet—sound hole mounted with volume, mid contour, and tone controls. The goal was simplicity. Plug in, play, express yourself. No fussing with complicated setups depending on the venue. Just reliable amplified sound wherever you are.

    Then there's the Gold Label Collection—a completely different approach.

    These are non-cutaway guitars with traditional styling inspired by instruments from the 1930s and 40s. Andy Powers designed them to broaden Taylor's tonal palette and reach players who've never been drawn to the brand before.

    The new square shoulder dreadnought caught my attention. Deeper body dimensions than a traditional Taylor dread, with serious lung capacity inside. You strum those chords and feel the low end push back. Fan V-Class Bracing gives it projection and response that traditional dreadnought fans will appreciate.

    There's also round shoulder dreadnoughts and super auditoriums—the latter based on the Grand Auditorium but with all the curves pushed out for more air mass. Many feature torrified tops that give them an aged, played-in character right out of the case.

    The headstock shape is different. The logo styling is older. It's Taylor paying respect to tradition while still building with modern precision.

    What struck me most was how intentional both directions are. Taylor isn't abandoning their modern sound—they're expanding what's possible. Next Gen for players who want cutting-edge innovation. Gold Label for players who want vintage warmth and resonance.

    Two paths. Same commitment to removing obstacles and inspiring players.

    That's 50 years of guitar making at work.

    Sean Martin interviews Jim Kirlin from Taylor Guitars at NAMM 2026 for ITSPmagazine.

    __________________________

    This is a Brand Highlight. A Brand Highlight is an introductory conversation designed to put a spotlight on the guest and their company. Learn more: https://www.studioc60.com/creation#highlight

    GUESTS

    Jim Kirlin
    Editorial Director at Taylor Guitars

    RESOURCES

    Learn more about Taylir Guitars Strings Guitars: https://www.taylorguitars.com

    Are you interested in telling your story?
    ▶︎ Full Length Brand Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#full
    ▶︎ Brand Spotlight Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#spotlight
    ▶︎ Brand Highlight Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#highlight


    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
    Voir plus Voir moins
    10 min
  • Paoletti Custom Guitars at NAMM 2026: Handcrafted in Florence Italy from Wine Barrel Wood | A Brand Highlight Conversation with Filippo Martini, Managing Director at Paoletti Guitars | NAMM 2026 Coverage

    Paoletti Custom Guitars at NAMM 2026: Handcrafted in Florence Italy from Wine Barrel Wood | A Brand Highlight Conversation with Filippo Martini, Managing Director at Paoletti Guitars | NAMM 2026 Coverage
    Feb 8 2026

    Wine Barrels, Duomo Marble, and Florence: Paoletti Custom Guitars at NAMM 2026

    I've been away from Florence for 25 years. I didn't know there was a guitar company like this back home.

    At NAMM 2026, I found Filippo Martini from Paoletti Custom Guitars—a boutique manufacturer based in the heart of Tuscany, building instruments that are equal parts guitar and artwork.

    Paoletti does something no one else does: they build guitars from chestnut wood sourced from Italian wine barrels. The material offers a wide harmonic spectrum, but it's difficult to work with. You need to know how to handle it. Founder Fabrizio Paoletti figured it out, and now every guitar they produce shows the natural grain—no opaque finishes, no hiding the wood.

    The craftsmanship runs deep. Bridges, pickguards, pickups—all made in-house. Necks carved from Canadian maple, roasted on-site. 99% of the process happens in Tuscany. As Filippo put it, "Kilometer zero." Zero miles. Everything local except the screws.

    Their model is 100% custom. You don't buy a Paoletti off the rack. You tell them your style, your sound, the genre you play. They build around your vision while keeping the Italian essence intact—chestnut wood, Italian-made components, tailored to your idea.

    But what stopped me cold was the Duomo collection.

    Eight individual guitars, each hand-engraved by Fabrizio Paoletti himself. Three years of work. The subject: Florence's cathedral—the Duomo di Santa Maria del Fiore.

    This isn't just decoration. Paoletti secured an official partnership with the Opera del Duomo, the authority that oversees the cathedral. The back of each guitar reproduces the marble floor pattern from inside the Duomo. And when the collection is complete this October, every guitar will contain an actual piece of marble from the cathedral.

    I got shivers standing there.

    This is what happens when guitar making meets Italian heritage. It's not about specs or market positioning. It's about place, history, and craft passed down through generations.

    Filippo invited me to visit the workshop in Florence when I return in April. I'm going. I want to see where this happens—where wine barrel wood becomes an instrument, where cathedral marble gets embedded into a guitar body, where a team of artisans builds one-of-one pieces for players around the world.

    Florence is known for many things. Leather. Art. Architecture. The Renaissance itself. Now I know it's also home to some of the most distinctive guitars being made anywhere.

    Paoletti proves that boutique doesn't mean small ambitions. They're partnering with galleries in Dubai, working with the Duomo authorities, and bringing Florence to NAMM.

    Not bad for a company I didn't even know existed until I walked the show floor and heard an Italian accent.

    Sometimes you find home in unexpected places.

    Marco Ciappelli interviews Filippo Martini from Paoletti Custom Guitars at NAMM 2026 for ITSPmagazine.

    Part of ITSPmagazine's On Location Coverage at NAMM 2026.

    🌐 https://www.itspmagazine.com/the-namm-show-2026-namm-music-conference-music-technology-event-coverage-anaheim-california

    __________________________

    This is a Brand Highlight. A Brand Highlight is an introductory conversation designed to put a spotlight on the guest and their company. Learn more: https://www.studioc60.com/creation#highlight

    GUEST

    Filippo Martini
    Managing DIrector at Paoletti Guitars | Florence | Tuscany | Italy

    RESOURCES

    Learn more about Paoletti Guitars: https://www.paolettiguitars.com

    Are you interested in telling your story?
    ▶︎ Full Length Brand Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#full
    ▶︎ Brand Spotlight Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#spotlight
    ▶︎ Brand Highlight Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#highlight


    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
    Voir plus Voir moins
    6 min
  • Yamaha at NAMM 2026: Introducing Chris Buck Custom Revstar Guitar, Pacifica SC, and a deep dive into the BB735 Bass | A Brand Highlight Conversation with Andy Winston, Product Training Specialist at Yamaha | NAMM 2026

    Yamaha at NAMM 2026: Introducing Chris Buck Custom Revstar Guitar, Pacifica SC, and a deep dive into the BB735 Bass | A Brand Highlight Conversation with Andy Winston, Product Training Specialist at Yamaha | NAMM 2026
    Feb 5 2026
    60 Years Forward: Yamaha at NAMM 2026Yamaha at NAMM 2026: Chris Buck Revstar, Pacifica SC & 60 Years of Guitar InnovationSome brands chase nostalgia. Yamaha builds forward.At NAMM 2026, I spoke with Andy Winston to talk about 60 years of Yamaha guitar design—and why this company keeps delivering instruments that punch way above their price point.The conversation started with the Chris Buck Signature Revstar. Buck is the guitarist for Cardinal Black, and he's earned his own model. The specs tell the story: overwound P90 pickups for a hotter sound, wraparound tailpiece with adjustable saddles, stainless steel frets, lightweight tuners, and those old-school inlays from the first-generation Revstar. No boost circuit. Buck wanted it stripped to essentials.Then Andy dropped a tease: Matteo Mancuso is getting his own Revstar this summer. The Italian virtuoso. That's a statement.We moved to the new Pacifica SC—Yamaha's answer for T-style players. Humbucker in the neck, single coil in the bridge, and pickups designed in partnership with Rupert Neve's team. The boost circuit under the bridge pickup gives you five sounds from two pickups. Made in Indonesia at $999 or Made in Japan with compound radius fretboard and IRA wood treatment at $2,199.I bought my nephew a Pacifica. Entry level, around $200. It works. That's Yamaha's philosophy—you can start at $200 and work your way up to a Mike Stern signature model without ever leaving the family.But here's what stuck with me.Andy said something that defines Yamaha's approach: "We don't do reissues. You're never gonna see us reissue a 1972."Sixty years of guitar history, and they're not looking backward. The Revstar draws inspiration from the 1970s Super Flight, sure—but it's chambered mahogany, tuned to eliminate harsh mid-range frequencies. Yamaha builds pianos, violins, marimbas. They know how to tune wood. They apply that knowledge to electric guitars in ways other companies don't.The BB Bass series came next. String-through body with 45-degree break angle. Extra bolts pulling the neck tight into the pocket. A maple stripe running through the center of the body for note response. Active/passive switching. Five-ply neck. Professional features at prices that don't require a car payment."We give people more instrument than what a price tag says," Andy told me.That's not marketing. That's mission.Before we wrapped, Andy shared a personal story. In 1977, hair down to his shoulders, bell bottoms on, his mom decided he was serious about guitar. She bought him a Yamaha FG-75. His first real acoustic. He doesn't have that one anymore, but he found a replacement. Had to.That's brand loyalty earned over decades. Not through heritage mythology—through instruments that work, that last, that give players what they need without emptying their wallets.Sixty years of guitar design. No reissues. Just forward.Yamaha keeps proving that innovation and accessibility aren't mutually exclusive.Marco Ciappelli interviews Andy Winston from Yamaha at NAMM 2026 for ITSPmagazine.Part of ITSPmagazine's On Location Coverage at NAMM 2026.🌐 https://www.itspmagazine.com/the-namm-show-2026-namm-music-conference-music-technology-event-coverage-anaheim-california__________________________This is a Brand Highlight. A Brand Highlight is an introductory conversation designed to put a spotlight on the guest and their company. Learn more: https://www.studioc60.com/creation#highlightGUESTAndy WinstonProduct Training Specialist at YamahaRESOURCESLearn more about Yamaha Guitars: https://www.yamaha.com/Are you interested in telling your story?▶︎ Full Length Brand Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#full▶︎ Brand Spotlight Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#spotlight▶︎ Brand Highlight Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#highlight Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
    Voir plus Voir moins
    11 min
  • The Rise of the Bionic Hacker and AI-Driven Vulnerability Discovery | A Brand Highlight Conversation with Laurie Mercer, Senior Director of Solutions Engineering of HackerOne

    The Rise of the Bionic Hacker and AI-Driven Vulnerability Discovery | A Brand Highlight Conversation with Laurie Mercer, Senior Director of Solutions Engineering of HackerOne
    Feb 4 2026

    What happens when artificial intelligence enters the arena of ethical hacking? Laurie Mercer, Senior Director of Solutions Engineering at HackerOne, joins Sean Martin for a look inside the ninth annual Hacker-Powered Security Report, where the headline is clear: the bionic hacker has arrived. HackerOne connects the global security research community with enterprises, open source projects, and major organizations, all working toward a shared mission of building a safer internet by finding, fixing, and rewarding the discovery of vulnerabilities.

    How is AI reshaping the bug bounty landscape? Mercer describes a dramatic shift unfolding on the HackerOne platform. For the first time, autonomous AI agents are operating alongside human researchers, growing from a single agent to more than ten competing on the leaderboard. At the same time, customers are driving change from the other side, with a 270% increase in organizations placing AI models within the scope of their bug bounty programs. The platform has paid out a record $81 million in bounty rewards over the past 12 months, with an average payout of roughly $1,000 per vulnerability, underscoring the sheer volume of valid findings flowing through the system.

    What makes these findings so significant? Of the reports submitted, 23,700 are rated critical or high severity, representing vulnerabilities capable of causing serious data breaches. HackerOne estimates these remediations have helped organizations avoid up to $3 billion in potential breach costs. The collectives participating on the platform range from venture-capital-backed startups building AI-powered offensive tools to informal groups of researchers pooling resources for greater efficiency. Mercer highlights three vulnerability categories that have surged over the past year: prompt injection, sensitive information exposure through large language models, and insecure plugin design. For any organization deploying AI-powered tools, these represent the most urgent areas to assess and secure.

    This is a Brand Highlight. A Brand Highlight is a ~5 minute introductory conversation designed to put a spotlight on the guest and their company. Learn more: https://www.studioc60.com/creation#highlight

    GUEST

    Laurie Mercer, Senior Director of Solutions Engineering at HackerOne
    On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriemercer/

    RESOURCES

    Learn more about HackerOne: https://www.hackerone.com

    Are you interested in telling your story?
    ▶︎ Full Length Brand Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#full
    ▶︎ Brand Spotlight Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#spotlight
    ▶︎ Brand Highlight Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#highlight

    KEYWORDS

    Laurie Mercer, HackerOne, Sean Martin, brand story, brand marketing, marketing podcast, brand highlight, bug bounty, ethical hacking, bionic hacker, AI agents, autonomous hacking, vulnerability discovery, hacker-powered security, offensive security, prompt injection, insecure plugin design, LLM security, AI vulnerability, cybersecurity, breach avoidance, bug bounty platform, responsible disclosure


    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
    Voir plus Voir moins
    6 min