What Was the Creative Guy Doing at RSAC?

Last week I was in San Francisco for the RSAC Conference, the world’s premier cybersecurity conference. Which begs the question, what was "the creative guy" doing at the epicenter of global cyber?

I was directing a photoshoot for a major player in the industry. It was a long, high-pressure day with shifting schedules and tight windows. We pushed hard and walked away with powerful images. Mission accomplished!

It’s been at least 10 years since I’ve been to San Francisco, and it's still one of my favorite American cities. Yes, it’s rough around the edges. The economic disparities are visible, and gross. But the charm is undeniable.

Coming from Boston, where it’s so flat you forget you’re on the ocean, San Francisco feels cinematic. Towering hills. Ocean views. Unique architecture. Warm air scented with blooming flowers. Incredible food. And people who blend a "California chill" vibe with just a touch of "East Coast edge". (Must be the fog.)

And oh the food! In less than 48 hours I devoured an In-N-Out Double-Double animal style, fries and lemonade. Followed by the best Japanese Wagyu in the world washed down with a French Bordeaux, at Alexander’s Steakhouse. (Thanks to a generous friend, that one goes down as THE most expensive meal I have EVER experienced. Worth it.)

As the tech capital of the world, San Fran is the perfect home for RSAC- with neighbors like Google, Apple, Meta, Adobe, Salesforce, Dropbox, NVIDIA, to name a few. Generations of innovation layered into the streets. Where else can you ride a cable car from the 1890s and then step into a fully autonomous Waymo? (I did both.)

The Waymo exceeded expectations. Bonkers. It navigated steep hills, construction, lane closures, bike lanes, scooters, pedestrians, and heavy traffic without hesitation. Technically flawless. But man that silent, empty driver’s seat. The steering wheel turning on its own, like a haunted ghost ship.

Impressive, yet slightly unsettling.

Then came my final airport ride. My (very human) Uber driver was a brash old Russian guy who was absolutely HILARIOUS, and cutting through the city like a pro. When terminal departure traffic was gridlocked, he made a split-second swerve down to arrivals and saved me at least 30 minutes. A perfect call in an imperfect moment. (Your move, Waymo!)

And that stuck with me.

RSAC is about protecting the future. Cybersecurity is resilience and intelligence at scale.

But even in the most advanced tech ecosystem on the planet, what stands out are still the people. The instincts. The judgment. The creativity behind the code.

Maybe that’s why a creative director belongs at a cybersecurity conference.

Technology may drive the future, but humans MUST give direction.

(For example - see Wetware AI [Powered by KingFish])

And yes, I’ll still take the Double-Double, fries and lemonade any day of the week.