DR. MATTHEW CANHAM
AI Manipulation of Humans & Cognitive Defense | 3x Black Hat USA Speaker
Expert Witness | Former FBI | PhD | Executive Director, CSI
AI can now be employed to persuade, pressure, and deceive people at scale, through voice clones, deepfakes, and chatbots. I help organizations, attorneys, and audiences understand how this manipulation works and how to defend against it.
My Background
I’ve spent my career where human thinking meets security. I earned a PhD in cognitive neuroscience from UC Santa Barbara, served eight years as a Special Agent with the FBI, and taught courses in behavioral cybersecurity as a research professor at the University of Central Florida.
Speaking Engagements
Black Hat USA: 2021, 2023, 2025
RSAC: 2025
Keynote Speaker, Conference of Commandants,
NATO Defense College: 2026
NASA, FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit, DARPA, U.S. Army
Bsides Orlando: 2020
Work with Me
Human Risk Management & Insider Risk Consulting
I help security teams prepare their people for AI-driven social engineering, from cloned voices to fake video calls.
Expert Witness
I explain how social engineering and AI manipulation work, in plain terms, for attorneys and courts. I offer opinions only within my research and experience.
Speaking & Training
Keynotes, talks, and workshops on AI manipulation and cognitive defense for security, legal, and professional audiences.
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