Scott & Mark Learn To...

In this episode, Scott Hanselman and Mark Russinovich dive into the security risks surrounding increasingly capable open-weight AI models and Mark’s latest research into a new defense called Fool’s Gold. Mark explains how safety guardrails can be removed from open models and explores an alternative approach: training models to provide convincing but deliberately flawed information when those protections are bypassed. They discuss how the technique works, whether it affects legitimate model behavior, and what it could mean for the future of AI safety as open models continue to advance.

Takeaways:

Why open-weight AI models can create new security risks

How Mark’s Fool’s Gold approach uses decoy responses as a defense decoy responses as a defense

Techniques that can protect against harmful use without degrading normal model performance

Who are they?

View Scott Hanselman on LinkedIn

View Mark Russinovich on LinkedIn



Watch Scott and Mark Learn on YouTube



Listen to other episodes at scottandmarklearn.to



Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts

In this episode, Scott Hanselman and Mark Russinovich explore when to let AI solve a problem and when figuring it out is half the fun. They celebrate 30 years of Sysinternals by looking back at how the tools have evolved and how AI is changing software engineering and troubleshooting. Along the way, they debate efficiency versus learning by doing and consider a future where tools may increasingly be built for AI rather than humans.



Takeaways:

How Sysinternals has evolved over the past 30 years

How AI is changing software engineering and troubleshooting

Why future developer tools may be designed for AI, not humans



Who are they?

View Scott Hanselman on LinkedIn

View Mark Russinovich on LinkedIn



Watch Scott and Mark Learn on YouTube



Listen to other episodes at scottandmarklearn.to



Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts

Produced by Hangar Studios

In this episode, Scott Hanselman and Mark Russinovich talk about gaming, from the countless hours they’ve spent playing over the years to why they gravitate toward very different types of games. Scott makes the case for immersive single-player experiences like Crimson Desert, while Mark explains why Battlefield is his go-to for switching his brain off. Along the way, the conversation turns to the future of AAA games, AI-generated content, and whether knowing something was created by AI changes how we value it.



Takeaways:

Different games serve different purposes for each player

Can AI-generated games deliver the same value as something created primarily by people

Does knowing the work and craftsmanship behind a game changes the experience

Who are they?

View Scott Hanselman on LinkedIn

View Mark Russinovich on LinkedIn



Watch Scott and Mark Learn on YouTube



Listen to other episodes at scottandmarklearn.to



Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts

Produced by Hangar Studios

In this episode, Scott Hanselman and Mark Russinovich explore how AI is rapidly changing the way software is built, from acting as a true research assistant to generating production-ready code and even helping write academic papers. They debate whether AI deserves credit for its work, discuss the future of developer tools like CLI vs. GUI and MCPs, and dive into creative AI projects like generating custom Doom levels from simple prompts. The conversation wraps with a thoughtful discussion about AI-generated art, creativity, and where human craftsmanship still matters most.



Takeaways:

Human judgment is still essential, even when AI does most of the implementation

AI is evolving from a coding assistant into a genuine research collaborator

The industry hasn't settled how AI contributions should be credited

Who are they?

View Scott Hanselman on LinkedIn

View Mark Russinovich on LinkedIn



Watch Scott and Mark Learn on YouTube



Listen to other episodes at scottandmarklearn.to



Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts

Produced by Hangar Studios

In this episode, Scott Hanselman and Mark Russinovich explore Mark's latest AI-assisted coding project: bringing the iconic Sysinternals Process Explorer to macOS. They discuss how AI dramatically accelerated development, where human expertise was still essential, and why building reliable software still requires careful iteration, debugging, and judgment. Along the way, they compare Windows and macOS internals and examine what these advances mean for the future of software development.



ZoomIt for Mac is now available here: Sysinternals ZoomIt for MacOS.



Takeaways:

What it took to bring Process Explorer to macOS

Key differences between Windows and macOS system tools.

Practical lessons for building with AI effectively



Who are they?

View Scott Hanselman on LinkedIn

View Mark Russinovich on LinkedIn



Watch Scott and Mark Learn on YouTube



Listen to other episodes at scottandmarklearn.to



Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts

Produced by Hangar Studios