AI Layoffs, Bug Bounty Fails & Cyber Workforce Crisis

Forecast = Expect scattered AI layoffs, a flurry of bogus bug bounties, and a persistent workforce drought-so keep your firewalls up and your résumés handy!

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On this episode of GreyNoise Storm⚡️Watch, we kick things off with our usual round of introductions before diving into the latest cyber weather and threat landscape. If you're new here, Storm⚡️Watch is where we break down what's moving the needle in cybersecurity, spotlighting the people, tools, and trends shaping the field.

For today's poll, we're feeling nostalgic and asking: What do you miss most from the Slow Internet days? Whether it's the wild west of Myspace, the quirky chaos of Fark, the creative playground of Wattpad, or the endless flash animations on Albino Blacksheep, we want to know what old-school internet experience you'd revive if you could.

We're also talking about the pitfalls of AI in bug bounty programs. The open-source project curl has had enough of users flooding them with AI-generated "slop" vulnerabilities that waste maintainers' time and don't actually move security forward. It's a reminder that, despite the hype, AI isn't a silver bullet for finding real bugs and can actually create more noise than signal.

Speaking of AI, the conversation shifts to how major companies are reshaping their workforce in the name of artificial intelligence. CrowdStrike just announced it's cutting 5% of its jobs, citing AI-driven restructuring and the need for efficiency. It's not just CrowdStrike-Duolingo is pushing AI into every corner of its product and workflow, with leadership urging engineers to "start with AI for every task," even as they admit the tech is still error-prone and often less effective than human effort. The end result? Workers are being asked to manage and troubleshoot clumsy AI tools instead of using their expertise, and users are left with content that's sometimes flat-out wrong or just less engaging than before.

But while AI is shaking up tech jobs, the cybersecurity workforce shortage isn't going away. The PIVOTT Act has been revived in Congress to address the growing gap, offering full scholarships for two-year degrees in cyber fields in exchange for government service. It's aimed at making it easier for people to pivot into cyber careers, especially as professionals in other sectors worry about AI-driven job cuts. The Act is being administered by CISA and is designed to streamline the path into government cyber roles, including those requiring security clearances.

As always, we spotlight some of the latest developments from Censys, VulnCheck, runZero, and GreyNoise; then wrap up with some quick goodbyes and reminders to check out the latest from all our partners and contributors. Thanks for tuning in to Storm⚡️Watch-where the only thing moving faster than the threats is the conversation.

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