2 tech CEOs talk cyber threats, space flights and ‘Dark AI’ | Entrepreneur

When I sat down with Lane Bess, CEO of Deep Instinct, and Dinakar Munagala, CEO of Blaize, I did not expect that the conversation would vary from AI-driven cyber security to the challenges of Edge Computing and Space Travel. But that is what I like about these interviews – they are never just about business strategies or prediction. They are about how leaders think, what drives them and I gain a little insight into their experiences as business leaders.

Lane runs deep instinct, a cyber security company that uses deep leather AI to prevent attacks before they occur. He spoke about how “Dark Ai” makes prevention critical because cyber threats evolve with frightening speed. The company of Dinakar, Blaize, builds semiconductor chips for Edge AI applications – essentially brings the brain power of AI directly to where data is recorded. At least that is what my non-technological brain understood when he told me about it.

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What remained with me was their opinion about AI and both savior and threat. Both CEOs see AI as a net positive for society, but they are realistic about its risks. Lane pointed out how AI makes cyber attacks exponentially faster and more dangerous. Dinakar noted that wars evolved from people to machines, and now we are going into an era To warfare. It was sobering but necessary to hear leaders that leaders the dark side of the tools they recognize champion.

We have also touched their personal journeys. Lane shared how he grew up and the financial security wanted after a childhood in a broken house, while Dinakar told the entrepreneurial roots of his family in India – of his grandfather who transported rice to his father’s business leadership through Waterwegen. Both had stable business paths for riskier companies, and both admitted fear played a role. At the time, Dinakar called Intel “crazy”, while Lane described his almost signing with Oceangate’s fatal titan mission as a moment of break that grateful to him for a good judgment.

Then there was room. Lane has been to space twice with blue origin and is an investor in zero G flights. When asked why rich people spend millions on the earth while there are problems, he said it is about groundbreaking technology that should ultimately become practical for everyone. He knows the criticism, but his belief in the future limits of humanity drives him forward. This interview took place shortly after the notorious Katy Perry flight, where that Blue Origin crew received quite a bit of public recoil for their space flight.

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When I ran away from this conversation, I noticed that I think less about the technical details of CyberSecurity of AI and more about the mindset needed to build companies in these spaces. Both Lane and Dinakar wear an urgency in their work – they understand the risks, the commitment and the speed with which it all evolves. But otherwise there is a sense of responsibility in how they lead. It reminded me that leadership in the industries that move so fast, not only is a vision for what the next step has. It is about having the conviction to act accordingly before someone else does and does this with integrity, so we make a better world.