Thinking Like a Hacker in the Age of AI
Richard 'neuralcowboy' Thieme
DEF CON 33 (backfill) · Day 1 · Main Stage
In his captivating DEF CON talk, "Thinking Like a Hacker in the Age of AI," Richard 'neuralcowboy' Thieme, a revered figure who has spoken at 27 DEF CONs over three decades, delivered a profound call to action. Thieme argues that the rapid, pervasive evolution of artificial intelligence has ushered humanity into an unprecedented era, a **meta system** – an independent, constantly shifting, opaque structure of algorithms, sensors, networks, and automated reasoning processes. This meta system is not merely a tool but an emergent reality that is fundamentally reshaping our understanding of the world and ourselves, often faster than we can comprehend.
AI review
A beloved elder statesman delivers a philosophical meditation on AI and consciousness that reads more like a TED Talk for mystics than a DEF CON session. Thieme's longevity at the con earns him the room, but not a pass on substance — and this talk is long on vibes, short on anything a practitioner can use.