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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