SANS 2026: Featured Keynote - Chopping AI Down to Size: Paul Bunyan’s Guide to Thriving in Cyber Careers

There is an old American legend about a larger-than-life lumberjack, Paul Bunyan, whose mighty axe carved forests and shaped the frontier. As the story goes, Paul faced off against a steam-powered saw that threatened to outpace his manual brute force effort. With his trusty ox, Babe, by his side, he tackled the challenge head-on. He challenged the innovators to a contest, swinging his axe with all his might. Despite his heroic effort, the machine edged him out by a quarter-inch, and Paul walked away, humbled but not broken.

Paul taught us that it’s about facing change head-on and finding your place in a new era.

In 2026, as information security professionals, you’re facing your own steam-powered saw: Artificial Intelligence. AI is reshaping cybersecurity faster than Paul could clear a forest, and some of you might feel like you’re swinging your axe against an unstoppable machine. But here’s the truth: you’re not Paul Bunyan, trying to out chop a device. You’re here to outsmart AI, to wield it like a finely honed tool, and to secure our digital frontier.