Episodes

  • Scott & Mark Learn To...100 Duck-Sized Horses

    Scott & Mark Learn To...100 Duck-Sized Horses
    Nov 4 2026
    In this episode, Scott Hanselman and Mark Russinovich explore new AI security research revealing how smaller, unrestricted models can leverage more powerful AI systems to complete tasks those systems would normally refuse. Mark breaks down the research, its surprising results, and the potential security risks of AI models working together without understanding the bigger picture. Plus, Scott shares his approach to managing multiple AI agents, and the two discuss the challenges of keeping AI-powered development secure and efficient. Takeaways: Why breaking complex tasks into smaller pieces creates new AI security risks How Scott uses AI agents to manage development tasks and reduce workload What Mark’s latest research reveals about vulnerabilities in AI systems 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
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    23 mins
  • Scott & Mark Learn To... Scroll TikTok

    Scott & Mark Learn To... Scroll TikTok
    Oct 21 2026
    In this episode, Scott Hanselman and Mark Russinovich try something new as Mark reacts to TikTok videos exploring the decline of reading, shrinking attention spans, and the impact of AI on critical thinking. What starts as a lighthearted experiment turns into a deeper debate about technology, education, and what it means to be human in an AI-driven world. Takeaways: How social media is changing our attention spans and reading habits Why critical thinking matters in an AI-driven world The risks of relying too heavily on AI to think for us 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
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    29 mins
  • Scott & Mark Learn To... SemanticStart

    Scott & Mark Learn To... SemanticStart
    Oct 7 2026
    In this episode, Scott Hanselman and Mark Russinovich dive into Mark’s new SemanticStart project, exploring how semantic search can make finding Windows apps, tools, and settings more intuitive. Along the way, they experiment with AI-assisted coding, discuss how agents could interact with local tools, and debate a bigger question: does prompting an AI actually count as programming? Takeaways: How semantic search combines keywords, embeddings, and enriched data Why AI is changing the way developers build and prototype software Whether prompting an AI should actually be considered programming. 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
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    43 mins
  • Scott & Mark Learn To... Fool's Gold

    Scott & Mark Learn To... Fool's Gold
    Sep 23 2026
    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
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    36 mins
  • Scott & Mark Learn To...Enjoy the Journey

    Scott & Mark Learn To...Enjoy the Journey
    Sep 9 2026
    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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    20 mins
  • Scott & Mark Learn To...Game

    Scott & Mark Learn To...Game
    Aug 26 2026
    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
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    33 mins
  • Scott & Mark Learn To...Rethink Authorship

    Scott & Mark Learn To...Rethink Authorship
    Aug 12 2026
    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
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    38 mins
  • Scott & Mark Learn To...Process Explorer for Mac

    Scott & Mark Learn To...Process Explorer for Mac
    Jul 29 2026
    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
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    30 mins