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In the 1960s, Professor Joseph Weizenbaum from MIT developed a program known as
Eliza
That mimicked a therapist through basic, reflective replies. For instance, if you said, “I feel sad today,” it would answer, “For how long have you been feeling sad today?” People interacted with the software as though it were conscious, even requesting Weizenbaum to step out of the room so they could speak confidentially. In contemporary times,
AI chatbots
is far ahead of Eliza, yet they remain merely programs, not individuals. ChatGPT isn’t your friend, and
Character.AI
is not your girlfriend
And still, out of every four Generation Z survey participants, three responded
think AI is sentient
, or will become so shortly.
To reinforce the idea that AI lacks life and consciousness, Ira Winkler, who authored several works and serves as the Chief Information Security Officer, emphasizes this fact.
CYE Security
, from a security consulting company, named his
RSAC 2025 Conference
Speak, “AI is Simply Mathematics: Accept It.” Winkler began his cybersecurity journey at the NSA and has authored multiple books, including
Security Awareness for Dummies
and
You Can Prevent Foolishness: Halting Mistakes Caused by Accidents and Intentional Acts
I went to his presentation at RSAC this year and am now here to extend a similar warning to you.
The So-Called Experts Know Nothing
Winkler led with a bit of nostalgia. “Who remembers
Cheers
?” he asked. “Who remembers Cliff Clavin, the know-it-all? Norm asked him, ‘Do you know anything about painting?’ And Cliff started explaining how painting was invented by ancient Phoenicians.” Of course, Norm just wanted some help painting his house. Cliff was all theory, no application.
“All these people talking about AI are like Cliff Clavin,” Winkler said. “AI this, AI that, AI is going to revolutionize everything. They don’t know what they’re talking about. They talk like it’s this magical entity.”
Winkler presented a fabricated ad for an ordinary pen with the claim, “‘But it’s AI-powered!’ He went on, ‘Ninety percent, no, make that ninety-eight percent of sellers promoting anything related to AI don’t understand what AI truly means. Challenge them to explain it. Inquire about the distinction between”
agentic AI
and
generative AI
.”
When everything utilizes AI, nothing seems like AI. — Ira Winkler, CISO, CYE Security
Even those who understand 10% still have limited knowledge,” stated Winkler, “and that’s perfectly fine. Consider medical specialties; you wouldn’t consult a heart doctor for brain issues. AI isn’t some mystical force but rather an essential collection of fields. Familiarize yourself with these areas and leverage their capabilities effectively.
Winkler provided this explanation of artificial intelligence: “AI is a branch of scientific study focused on developing computers and machinery capable of reasoning, learning, and performing tasks typically requiring human intellect, particularly when dealing with volumes of data too vast for human analysis.” He pointed out that this comprehensive description encompasses much more than our typical understanding of AI. For instance, even something like a spreadsheet might fall under this category. “Essentially,” he stated, “we’re discussing sophisticated software algorithms—algorithms that have existed for several decades now.”
“Using the term ‘AI’ in a vague way does everyone a disservice,” Winkler added. “It lacks specificity and undermines the true complexity of the concept. If everything qualifies as AI, then the label becomes meaningless.” He pointed out that technologies like Siri, Alexa, antimalware software, optical character recognition systems, and even CGI effects in films have incorporated aspects of artificial intelligence over many years.
What Makes Artificial Intelligence Such a Huge Topic Today?
Winkler pointed out that for AI to function effectively, extensive amounts of data along with substantial computational power are necessary. This combination has only recently become available. “This explains why Nvidia holds such immense value,” he stated. “Their contribution lies in offering the required velocity.” Furthermore, Winkler emphasized that attempting comprehensive regulation of AI would likely prove ineffective. He questioned whether a single piece of legislation could adequately govern areas as varied as computer vision, data mining, robotics, autonomous vehicles, deepfakes, and large language models.
It’s worth mentioning that during the presentation, Winkler frequently used what he called “Doctor Evil air quotes” when using the term AI. He also muttered, “AI, how I hate that term” more than once.
AI Really Is Just Math
Winkler offered several examples to illustrate his point that AI is really just complex mathematics. A few years ago, Target made the news because its AI-based algorithm started suggesting pregnancy-related products to a teenage girl. Several articles suggested
Target was aware that the girl was expecting.
before her dad did. But it didn’t know anything. It just matched the purchasing patterns of other users and found that a certain cluster of purchases at one time almost always connected with another cluster at a later time. “It saw bar codes, not pregnancy products,” he said.
“A lot of AI is really just data science, which we’ve had from the 60s, 70s, and before,” said Winkler. “The AI looks at content and does additional data mining, spinning up other AI agents, and chaining decisions together. Humans could do it, but it’s very time-consuming. Is it revolutionary? No, it’s just math, stringing AI math decisions together, much like subroutines.”
(Credit: Ira Winkler/RSAC)
To highlight the significance of mathematics, Winkler showcased several arcane formulas. In the picture shown, the central equation is responsible for enabling Netflix to recommend movies similar to those it knows you’ve enjoyed watching.
Seeking Job Security? Pursue an Advanced Mathematics Degree
It’s commonly believed that you don’t require a computer science degree to pursue a career in technology. However, according to Winkler, “If you aim to grasp your future, consider obtaining an advanced university degree to comprehend the mathematics involved.”
If your job can be boiled down to an algorithm, maybe AI will take your job. – Ira Winkler, CISO, CYE Security
As a data scientist, experimentation is essential,” he went on. “With your algorithm and data at hand, the key question becomes how best to utilize the information? Soon, you’ll observe AI systems programming themselves to automatically select algorithms, conduct tests, and fine-tune parameters.
Will AI take your job? Winkler noted that back in the day, we worried that computers would take our jobs. “If your job can be boiled down to an algorithm, maybe AI will take your job. If a robot can do the job, it will.” With an advanced math degree, you’re probably safe.
“He finished by saying, ‘Don’t simply call it AI. If you’re discussing autonomous agentic AI acting independently, use a more specific term.’”
that,
Specifically. Be wary of individuals discussing AI in broad terms rather than focusing on their particular area of expertise. Stop perpetuating the underlying hype and ignorance.”