7MS #718: Fun Professional and Personal AI Project Ideas

In this episode of the 7-Minute Security Podcast, host Brian Johnson shares a series of practical and impactful AI-driven projects he's implemented in both professional IT/security work and personal life. He begins with a deeply personal story from last week’s episode, recounting how he used AI to navigate a medical crisis during a family vacation in Punta Cana—translating Spanish medical documents, understanding diagnoses and prescriptions, and coordinating with U.S.-based healthcare providers. This experience reinforced his belief in AI’s life-saving potential, even at the cost of privacy. He then transitions into lighter, more technical applications: using AI to streamline a firewall migration from a legacy WatchGuard T15W to a modern T25W by automating configuration documentation and transfer; building an automated lab environment for his GOAD training class using Apache Guacamole and Proxmox, with AI-generated scripts to synchronize student credentials across systems; and creating a unified external penetration testing workflow that aggregates data from Nmap, Nessus, Shodan, and other tools to detect subdomain hijacking, metadata leaks, and configuration discrepancies. He also highlights how AI helped him integrate findings directly into reports via Sysreptor’s API, drastically reducing reporting time. Brian concludes by inviting listeners to share their own AI project ideas and reflects on the growing efficiency and joy AI brings to his workflow.