Technology & AI

AI Is Making Hiring Harder, Not Easier | Ryan Hogan

In this episode of The Unfolding Thought Podcast, Eric talks with Ryan Hogan about a hiring market that artificial intelligence was supposed to improve. Instead, employers can receive hundreds or thousands of automatically submitted…

September 21, 2026Hosted by Eric Pratum

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In this episode of The Unfolding Thought Podcast, Eric talks with Ryan Hogan about a hiring market that artificial intelligence was supposed to improve. Instead, employers can receive hundreds or thousands of automatically submitted applications. Ryan says Talent Harbor’s clients may arrive with 500 to 2,000 applicants while only 1% to 2% appear worth a conversation. AI screens applications created and submitted by other AI systems, increasing volume while making qualified people harder to find.

Ryan argues that recruiting is not simply posting a job and selecting the best résumé that arrives. It is a sales process built around finding capable people, assessing their experience and fit, and persuading passive candidates to consider an opportunity. The same logic applies to job seekers. Clicking “Easy Apply” hundreds of times may feel productive, but relationships and a clear explanation of one’s distinctive value remain harder to automate.

The conversation then examines claims that AI will replace entire employees. Ryan describes AI as an exoskeleton that makes experienced people more productive. That creates another problem: If companies automate the work through which beginners once developed judgment, what will an entry-level job become, and where will the next generation of experienced leaders come from?

Eric and Ryan also discuss investor-subsidized AI pricing, why some technology promises were actually pitches to investors, and how administrative roles are moving toward higher-judgment chief-of-staff work.

Later, Ryan introduces KURD, a whipped cottage-cheese condiment that drew retailer, distributor, and investor interest before a commercial product existed.

Topics Discussed and Questions Answered

Why is AI making recruiting harder for some employers?
How do automated applications bury qualified candidates?
Why does Ryan consider recruiting a sales process?
Why are the strongest candidates often not actively applying?
How should job seekers compete with thousands of applications?
Is AI replacing workers or making experienced workers more capable?
What happens when AI eliminates traditional entry-level work?
Why might today’s inexpensive AI services become much more costly?
How do contingency recruiting fees affect incentives?
What can entrepreneurs learn from KURD’s validation before launch?

About Ryan Hogan

Ryan Hogan is a lifelong entrepreneur, Navy Reserve officer, and co-founder of Talent Harbor. He previously founded Run For Your Lives and co-founded Hunt A Killer, which grew from a live murder-mystery event into a subscription company generating more than $52 million in revenue.

Ryan also hosts Confessions of an Implementer and is helping launch KURD, a prelaunch whipped cottage-cheese condiment. Across those businesses, his work centers on entrepreneurship, recruiting, relationships, and finding better ways to test and build ideas.

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