Information has always shaped power and influence – but in the age of artificial intelligence, the speed, scale and sophistication with which narratives can be created and deployed has changed dramatically.

In this episode of the Contested Ground podcast, Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret'd) Dr Marcus Thompson explore how the tradecraft of information warfare is increasingly intersecting with the commercial world, and why influence, narrative and information advantages are becoming critical strategic capabilities for modern businesses.

They unpack the parallels – and important differences – between military information operations and commercial competition, from shaping perceptions and gaining decision superiority to defending against misinformation and responding to crises at speed.

With AI now enabling highly targeted content to be created in hours rather than weeks, Tarrant and Thompson examine what this means for business leaders, why communications can no longer be left solely to marketing teams, and why organisations need the people, systems and strategy to compete in an information environment moving faster than ever before.

Cyber Uncut returns to discuss AI giant conspiracies, data centre impacts, and the dead internet theory.

Are AI giants like OpenAI having their agents hack things on purpose? Senior journalist Daniel Croft and managing editor Liam Garman touch on the theory that these tech giants want their AI models hacking, as any publicity is good publicity.

The two start by discussing dead internet theory and bots causing division, starting with the 2016 election. They then discuss local hacks and the Commonwealth Bank of Australia's AI copyright changes.

Finally, the two talk about data centres and the impact they could have on markets. Are data centres set to cause a "mining boom" effect in small, regional towns? How are rental and housing markets going to be impacted? Should data centre developers be building housing right next to their projects? The answer might not be as clear as you might think.

That's this week in the Cyber Uncut podcast.

Enjoy,
The Cyber Uncut Team

From AI-driven bank job cuts and online radicalisation to critical PHP vulnerabilities and ransomware gangs using AI to analyse stolen data, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft unpack a week where artificial intelligence is reshaping both business and cyber crime.

AI is transforming banking, but the benefits come with a human cost. On this week's Cyber Uncut, David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft examine Commonwealth Bank's rise to become Asia-Pacific's leading AI bank, alongside mounting job cuts across the sector. With banks struggling to guarantee job security and AI operating costs climbing, could some businesses soon find it cheaper to hire people than run the technology?

The cyber threat landscape is getting uglier, too. Two critical remote code execution vulnerabilities in PHP have put potentially millions of websites at risk, with outdated systems particularly exposed and AI accelerating the development of working exploits. The pair also examine how ransomware gangs are using AI to analyse stolen files and build more targeted extortion campaigns, while warning that online networks and AI-generated propaganda are contributing to radicalisation and real-world harm.

There are signs of progress amid the gloom. Westpac New Zealand is seeing growing adoption of open banking, giving customers more control over secure data sharing and payments. The hosts also explore the growing backlash against data centre developments, why community consultation matters, and Gartner's predictions for 2027 – including the decidedly cyberpunk prospect of "wetware-as-a-service", using biological systems for computing.

Tune in for the stories shaping the intersection of AI, business, and cyber security.

Enjoy,
The Cyber Uncut team