AGI - Advance, Grow, and Innovate with AI - The Podcast - For Whoever Got Stuck Making AI Work Episode 51
Episode Summary:
An ad-hoc conversation exploring AI adoption in the Midwest workforce, from hackathons creating full apps in 8 hours to the shift from meat-grinder hiring to apprenticeship models in the age of AI.
Guest Kelly Friend, Senior Manager at TPMA | Former Vice Chancellor at Ivy Tech | Focused on workforce development and education
Guest Oliver Belanger, COO at CitizenAI | Building AI tools to help citizens access public benefit programs | Championing recovery capital through technology
Guest Links
Kelly on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-friend
TPMA LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tpmainc/
Website: https://www.tpma-inc.com/
Oliver on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliverbelanger/
CitizenAI LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mycitizenai/
Website: https://www.mycitizen.ai/
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Key Timestamps:[03:45] - Recovery capital and peer support networks as foundation for transformation[08:20] - Why tech welcomes newcomers while licensed professions protect their turf[12:30] - The credential chaos: How do you know which training actually matters?[18:15] - Military veterans translating skills to civilian tech careers[22:40] - AI replacing junior employees: Where do future senior professionals come from?[28:10] - The shift from meat-grinder hiring to apprenticeship models[32:45] - Hackathon revolution: First-timers building full apps in 8 hours with AI[38:20] - Tool tiers: Lovable vs Cursor vs raw foundational models[43:15] - Why Perplexity beats ChatGPT for research (it shows actual sources)[48:30] - The ikigai approach to learning AI: Start with what you love[52:10] - AI makes boring work enjoyable, not just faster[56:25] - Large language models vs small specialized models for business[01:00:15] - Sci-fi predictions: Best parts of Dune, Blade Runner economics, and flying cars
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