AI Isn't Taking Jobs, It's Slowing Junior Hiring | UnHacked Ep. 106
Hosts:
Justin Shelley - https://www.phoenixitadvisors.com/
Mario Zaki - https://www.mazteck.com/
Bryan Lachapelle - https://www.b4networks.ca/
Is AI taking jobs? Three IT owners say they're seeing slower hiring, not layoffs, and early-career workers feel it most.
Justin Shelley - https://www.phoenixitadvisors.com/
Mario Zaki - https://www.mazteck.com/
Bryan Lachapelle - https://www.b4networks.ca/
Is AI taking jobs? Three IT owners say they're seeing slower hiring, not layoffs, and early-career workers feel it most.
Justin Shelley, Bryan Lachapelle, and Mario Zaki have been getting heated feedback on their AI clips, mostly distrust and fear. In this episode they start with whether hardware-level AI containment is realistic (Bryan's concern: hardware can't be changed once it's built, and a flaw makes it obsolete), then get into what they're actually seeing in their own businesses. Mario hasn't let anyone go, but he's hiring fewer technicians than the one or two he used to add each year. Bryan knows law firms that aren't hiring another law clerk. Data centers are pulling construction workers away from housing, and employers still can't fill the openings.
Bryan also warns about what happens in four to ten years if nobody is hiring and training junior people today. The hosts also cover why surrounding yourself with people who use AI matters, and why an IT provider telling clients not to use it is a red flag.
The second half is about building instead of renting. Justin built, in about a month, software that does ten times more than the tool he fought with for three years, and moved his business from five platforms to one. Mario is building his own ticketing system, and he explains why saving a couple thousand dollars a month is as good as landing a new customer. Bryan shares the one setting his vendor software won't let him change. They also cover what to lock down first if you vibe code anything, and what they won't touch yet.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
- Why hardware-level AI containment hits a catch-22 (built in and it goes obsolete, flashable and it can be bypassed), and why Mario doesn't expect wide deployment in the next two to three years
- What AI is doing to hiring right now: no mass layoffs, but fewer new hires, and a possible skilled-labor gap down the road
- Why cutting a software expense can be worth as much as winning a new customer, since the savings go straight to the bottom line
- What one owner gained by replacing five platforms with one he built himself, including drag-and-drop ticket dispatching and changing the "from" name on outbound email
- Why security has to be the first thing you set up before you vibe code, and which tools (antivirus, remote management) the hosts aren't replacing
"Quit outsourcing your destiny." - Justin Shelley
Creators and Guests
Host
Bryan Lachapelle
Hi, I’m Bryan, and I’m the President of B4 Networks. I started working with technology since early childhood, and routinely took apart computers as early as age 13. I received my education in Computer Engineering Technology from Niagara College. Starting B4 Networks was always a dream for me, and this dream became true in 2004. I originally started B4 Networks to service the residential market but found that my true passion was in the commercial and industrial sectors where I could truly utilize my experience as a Network Administrator for a large Toronto based Marine Shipping company. My passion today is to ensure that each and every client receives top of the line services. My first love is for my wonderful family. I also enjoy the outdoors, camping, and helping others. I’m an active Canadian Forces Officer working with the 613 Fonthill Army Cadets as a member of their training staff.
Host
Mario Zaki
During my career, I have advised clients on effective – and cost-effective – approaches to developing infrastructure that fosters productivity and profitability. My work has provided me with a broad-based knowledge of business from the inside, with an expertise in areas that go beyond IT alone, ranging from strategic planning to cloud computing to workflow automation solutions.
