The Long View — Part Three with Ian Dunlap

Summary

The Breakfast Club – The Long View: Part Three with Ian Dunlap

Date: July 7, 2026
Host: Mimi Brown (for Black Effect Podcast Network & iHeartPodcasts)
Guest: Ian Dunlap (Founder, Red Panda)
Series: AI in Your Paycheck, Part Three

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Episode Overview

The final installment of a three-part series with Ian Dunlap, this episode—“The Long View”—dives into the future of work, education, and personal development as AI technologies reshape society and the job market. Focused on practical advice for parents, workers, and anyone concerned with staying relevant, Ian shares his thoughts on teaching kids for what's next, which careers are AI-proof (for now), and why the biggest misunderstandings about AI's impact may not be what we expect.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. What Should We Be Teaching Our Kids?

[03:23 - 05:01]

• Start Small, Be Consistent:
  • Ian recommends parents spend as little as 5–10 minutes a day working with their kids on technology, AI tools, and investing.

    “So start small, do a little bit every day. Do it together.” — Ian Dunlap [02:38]

    “Even when I started teaching [my son] investing at three, it was one lesson a day, and it may have been five minutes.” — Ian Dunlap [03:37]

• Focus Areas:
  • Basic technological fluency, learning to use large language models (e.g., Perplexity, Claude), and reading regularly.
  • Ian notes coding as useful, but emphasizes prompting skills and creative application of AI tools.
• Renaissance Approach:
  • Encourages teaching kids multiple skills, drawing a parallel to the Renaissance era where versatility was valued.

    “We've always been great at being great at a bunch of things. So I think we're back to that chimera Renaissance era.” — Ian Dunlap [04:30]

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2. Ranking Today’s AI Tools

[05:01 - 05:42]

• Ian’s Top Three AI/Large Language Models:
  1. Perplexity — “A wonderful piece of technology” Ian uses to start his day.
  2. Claude — “Claude probably would be 2.”
  3. OpenAI (ChatGPT) — Once the favorite, but Ian has concerns due to "missteps by Sam Altman" at OpenAI.

  “Perplexity ... it's just a wonderful piece of technology. ... I start my day with Perplexity, then I go to Claude, and then I end off with ChatGPT, even though I used to use that first.” — Ian Dunlap [05:09]

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3. “Don’t Run From AI—Embrace It”

[05:42 - 07:13]

• AI is inevitable due to massive corporate investment (Microsoft, Apple, Nvidia, Google, IBM).

  “...they have spent hundreds of billions of dollars into this technology. It’s not going to go away.” — Ian Dunlap [06:15]

• Historical Analogy:
  • Rejecting AI now is compared to refusing to use email in the 2000s.
• Pragmatic Adoption:
  • “If Nvidia, Microsoft, ... IBM are all partnering for AI, it is not going anywhere.”
• Societal Concerns:
  • Briefly acknowledges issues (e.g., data centers and drinking water), but insists technology adoption is vital for family security and social mobility.

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4. Which Careers Are “Safe” from AI?

[07:13 - 08:47]

• Human-Touch Jobs: (Still resistant to automation)
  • Doctors, nurses, construction workers, mechanics, electricians, chefs, and many healthcare roles.

    “Doctors won't be replaced by AI. Nurses won't be replaced by AI. … My dad’s been in construction 30 years…if they have AI to be able to put on a roof or hang drywall, I'll buy one. It's not available.” — Ian Dunlap [07:21]

  • Jobs requiring manual dexterity or direct human connection remain challenging for AI/robots.
• Investors & Craftspeople:
  • Those who bring unique creativity or expertise continue to thrive even as others try to “do the same thing” with AI.
  • Success comes from integrating new tools, not being replaced by them.

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5. Finding Optimism and Perspective in an AI World

[08:47 - 10:54]

• Historical Resilience:
  • Ian’s mother: “We’ve been through so much worse. ...AI is the least of our concerns and how creative we are.”
• The Value of Black Creativity:
  • Cites changes in the culture of investing and in industries (Nike’s loss of key creative figures).

    “Corporations are realizing they need our creativity...Since the start of the show, I’ve had conversations with BlackRock and Vanguard and they're like, you guys have changed the landscape for investing…” — Ian Dunlap [09:21]

• Faith vs. Fear:
  • Urges faith in oneself and in God rather than succumbing to “AI panic.”

    “Your faith has to outweigh your fear.” — Ian Dunlap [10:07]

• Market Skepticism:
  • Warns that “the math is not mathing” for the scale of AI spending versus realistic returns.

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6. Five Years from Now: What Will We Wish We Knew?

[15:01 - 17:10]

• Main Misconceptions About AI:
  1. Speed of Workforce Change:
     • Layoffs at scale cannot be instantly or seamlessly replaced by LLMs; transition is slower and messier than hyped.

       “How long it's going to take to reshape what the workforce looks like...If you lay off 30,000 people, do you think Claude and OpenAI has the resource and capacity...? No, I don't. Not at this time.” — Ian Dunlap [15:11]

  2. Missed Opportunities:
     • Many will regret not learning these tools/skills early.

       “I think we're going to have the technological 10th in our community, for those who adapt it really quickly and learn how to do these things.” — Ian Dunlap [15:35]

  3. Hype & Fear:
     • Both danger and promise of AI are overhyped.
  4. Overvalued Markets:
     • Stock markets and tech valuations have run ahead of reality; skepticism about “math” underpinning current trends and company valuations.
     • Hints some “truths” may be revealed by 2027.
• Final Words:

  “You don't have anything to fear. Use it. Have deep belief in God, have deep belief in your craft and working on your crafts every day and you be ok.” — Ian Dunlap [16:55]

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Notable Quotes

• On teaching kids:

  “Start small, do a little bit every day. Do it together.” — Ian Dunlap [02:38]

• On the necessity of AI:

  “If Nvidia, Microsoft, ... IBM are all partnering for AI, it is not going anywhere.” — Ian Dunlap [06:36]

• On creativity & resilience:

  “There’s a certain Genesee quoi, a certain spark that we have even just in the wave of investing being popular amongst our community.” — Ian Dunlap [09:21]

• On faith vs. fear:

  “Your faith has to outweigh your fear.” — Ian Dunlap [10:07]

• On what we’ll realize about AI:

  “How long it's going to take to reshape what the workforce looks like...If you lay off 30,000 people, do you think Claude and OpenAI has the resource and capacity...? No, I don't. Not at this time.” — Ian Dunlap [15:11] “The fear was overhyped. The spending was overhyped.” — Ian Dunlap [15:45]

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Important Timestamps

• [03:23] Teaching kids tech and financial literacy
• [05:09] AI model rankings
• [05:55] Why resisting AI is futile
• [07:21] “Safe” careers in an AI-driven world
• [08:47] Where optimism comes from
• [10:07] Faith over fear and market skepticism
• [15:01] What will we wish we’d realized about AI in five years?
• [16:55] Final motivating advice

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Episode Tone & Style

Ian Dunlap is candid, practical, and optimistic, blending actionable advice with deeper social commentary. The tone is empowering, especially for Black and historically marginalized communities, emphasizing not just survival but thriving in the AI era.

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Takeaway

AI is not waiting for anyone. The next wealth and opportunity gap will be about who knows how to use AI, not just who has money. Get started, stay curious, combine new tools with timeless skills, and fear less.

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If this resonated, share the episode and its message: the future belongs to the prepared, the creative, and the adaptable.

Transcript

[Ian Dunlap]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Interviewer]

Guaranteed Human pressure has a way of

[Stephanie Young]

revealing what remains steady. In the latest Nissan campaign, the Nissan Rogue was tested to the extreme to demonstrate that it's built to last through durability and reliability challenges inspired by real tests conducted by Nissan engineers. Brutal potholes, a steady force of water, even a jet powered sandstorm. Each challenge inviting a deeper look at how quality, durability and reliability hold hold their ground in real world conditions. Every test was 100% real. No CG, no AI. To see how the Rogue held up, visit nissan-duordability.com this is Michael Rapoport and

[Michael Rapaport]

my podcast the I Am Rappaport Stereo podcast is unlike anyone you've ever heard. If you're looking for strong opinions about sports, entertainment, politics, pop culture and whatever else catches my attention, this then subscribe now. This kid, Jafar Jackson should absolutely, positively get nominated for his portrayal as Michael Jackson. Listen to I Am rappaport on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.

[Chuck from Stuff You Should Know]

Hey, this is Chuck from Stuff youf Should Know and we're submitting our most sciency episodes for your peer review with our new Stuff you Should know. Doing Science playlist at out now you want to know about Occam's Razor? The simplest explanation is usually the right one. We got you covered. Wondered what chaos theory is ever since the first time you saw Jurassic Park. Well come on down so distill a nice pot of tea everybody. Turn down the gas on your bunsen burner and slip into your most comfortable lab coat and listen to the stuff you should know. Doing Science Playlist on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Host of Therapy for Black Girls]

Can superstars even exist the way they used to?

[Stephanie Young]

2016 was sort of that last era of monoculture where we still consume things in community.

[Mimi Brown]

Everybody wanted to be Beyonce at that point.

[Stephanie Young]

Ugh, I don't think we'll ever see another Rihanna.

[Host of Therapy for Black Girls]

What does it mean to be black

[Ian Dunlap]

and eat in America?

[Host of Therapy for Black Girls]

You will never make me feel bad for being a black girl for being a Black American girl ever. From music to food to the conversations shaping black culture right now, therapy for Black girls is bringing it all to the mic. Listen to therapy for Black Girls on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Chuck from Stuff You Should Know]

Foreign.

[Mimi Brown]

Page Part three, the final installment with Ian Dunlap what to teach your kids, which careers are safe and the math on AI that no one is doing out loud.

[Ian Dunlap]

So start small, do a little bit every Day. Do it together.

[Mimi Brown]

It's Tuesday, July 7th. From the black Effect Podcast Network, I'm Mimi Brown. This is is prompt page. Stay with me. This is the close of our three part series with Ian Dunlap, founder of Red Panda. Part one, we talked about the AI shift, who's getting hit and why. Part two, the playbook, the tools, the prompts. Today, Part three, the Long view. What you should be teaching your kids right now. Which careers are safe from AI and what Ian believes we are all going to look back on in five years and realize we got wrong. Here is part three.

[Interviewer]

And then we talked about kids, you know, college age kids. But what, what should parents be teaching their kids right now? What skills should they be teaching their kids right now so as they get older they're not left out of this moving AI trend?

[Ian Dunlap]

It's a great question. I think one of the best things a parent can do is take 10 minutes every day and go through these tools with their children. I think a lot of times as parents we want to have these deep dives because they weren't given to us. But I've learned even with my son, less is more. So even when I started teaching him investing at three, it was one lesson a day and it may have been five minutes. Now at 11, I may go up to five or 10 minutes. But if I try and inundate him for 45 minutes, he doesn't want to hear it. So start small, do a little bit every day, do it together. But you have to teach them technology. You have to teach them the importance of being able to read five to ten pages a day. They ha. And I know some people think coding is really important, but with the prompting you're able to do in Codex and Perplexity, you have to teach them how to use these large language models to their benefit. And doing it together makes it a lot more fun. So doing that every day and then of course, learning how to invest every day. Once again, going back the Renaissance era was just a combination of careers being put together. And then as industrialization came in, they made it specialized. We've always been great at being great at a bunch of things. So I think we're back to that chimera Renaissance era. Teach them how to do a bunch of things at one time and they'll be okay in the job market when it's time for them to be placed.

[Interviewer]

I love that. And how would you rank these language models right now? What's your favorite to use least to put greatest or greatest to least.

[Theo Henderson]

Should I Say I, I really like

[Ian Dunlap]

flawed probably would be 2. Perplexity would be 1. OpenAI used to be my favorite, but it's been a lot of missteps and by Sam Altman, a CEO and I think it's affected the product. So I will put them as third. Perplexity my friend Ty put me on to. It's just a wonderful piece of technology. Um, so I start my day with Perplexity, then I go to Claude and then I end off with ChatGPT, even though I used to use that first.

[Interviewer]

Okay, okay. And so the message I think you're sending or saying right here, Ian, is, is don't be afraid of AI. Get in it, let it work for you. Use it in your everyday business or it, it will leave you behind.

[Ian Dunlap]

Basically you, you have to. It would be the same if in 2003 you said, well, I'm never going to use email. So you're going to go to the post office every day and write correspondence to send out the clients like they've made this thing. And the other part is you don't want to go against the wave of investment they have spent. Now we can say whether it's good or bad, but they have spent hundreds of billions of dollars into this technology. It's not going to go away between Microsoft, Apple, Nvidia, Google, like even it was announced when Jensen was in Taipei. They put a. They want laptops to be the new agentic AI. And if Microsoft is able to pull off this partnership, it may be there. Apple misstepped and it was supposed to be on the phone, but now Microsoft went up as a result of the partnership with Nvidia. So if Nvidia, Microsoft, army, amd, IBM are all partnering for AI is not going anywhere. We can talk about the ills of the data centers and how it's going to affect our drinking water supply and the ill effects of that. But the technology is not going anywhere. You need to be able to use it in order to be able to have freedom for your family.

[Interviewer]

And as we we, we wrap up, I wanted to know what careers would you encourage people to look into right now?

[Ian Dunlap]

I think the careers are the safest. Doctors won't be replaced by AI. Nurses won't be replaced by AI construction. So my dad's been in construction 30 years. We talk all the time about this. He was like, if they have AI to be able to put on a roof or hang drywall, I'll buy one. It's not available. And when we was at Nvidia, they have the robots for home use, they're a little bit clumsy, so they're not there yet. So all this fear mongering about it, taking every job on Earth, that's not true. Mechanics, electricians, of course, investors. But if you're able to put your human touch on something, I think the cream always rises to the top. So just find ways to get better at your craft every single day. And even with me, when the influx of AI came in, it was a bunch of people who thought, well, I can just do the same thing that you do with the AI and the results have not been the same. But chefs and there's a lot in healthcare that will not be disrupted by AI, but if you can learn how to use it for the back end stuff and be great at what you do, you'll be safe.

[Interviewer]

You'll be safe. I love those answers and I wanted to know because we need some solutions, we need some optimism. So. But what gives you optimism at this moment? We're in right now.

[Ian Dunlap]

I was talking to my mom about this thing before we came on and she was like, we've been through so much worse. Like, if you think of all the things that we've been through for the last two to 300 years, AI is the least of our concerns and how creative we are. And I think for the first time in history, corporations are realizing they need our creativity, even though there's some forces that may be fighting against it. I look at Nike, for example. You lost Jaylen Brown, you lost Kyrie, you lost Kanye, you lost Don C. Then you lost the company. The stock was devastated right now. So there's a certain Genesee quoi, a certain spark that we have even just in the wave of investing being popular amongst our community. Since the start of the show, I've had conversations with BlackRock and Vanguard and they're like, you guys have changed the landscape of what it looks like to invest in, to be black. And there's a bunch of, a bunch of other industries I think we're going to have the same effect in. So just having that spark. And then if you have belief in God, how are you upset over machines when they told you an Irobot and Matrix and the Terminator this was coming? Yeah, like your faith has to outweigh your fear. And I, I hate to see Christians be bogged down by fear if you truly believe. Because I'm like, you're not truly a believer if you think that's the case. And the other part is they've overspent on AI just hypothetically, if you're spending $2 trillion on AI, okay, how are you going to get a $9 trillion return?

[Interviewer]

Great.

[Ian Dunlap]

The math is not math right at all. You could put up all the data centers you want to. And now we're seeing some companies start to say, maybe we need to ease up on our token budget for the year. So I. I think it'll correct and we'll get back to. We'll revert to the mean. But if you believe in God and believe in your skill set and your work ethic, you don't have anything to fear.

[MC Gin]

You said to me, yo, you know, keep at it. Cause you let me rap for you. It was magical for all of us. They go, ah, we made it.

[Ian Dunlap]

We made it.

[Michael Rapaport]

Yeah.

[MC Gin]

I'm like, we. You know, I'm like, I know these guys, but who are you? I'm MC Gin. And this is last but not least, I'll be chatting with guests from all walks of life about the power of humor when it comes to facing difficult times. Like the co founder of Rough Riders, Darren D. Dean. Talking about as a kid. Do you remember that we met even way before that?

[Host of Therapy for Black Girls]

Let me think.

[Ian Dunlap]

Did you walk up to the gate?

[MC Gin]

That was me.

[Host of Therapy for Black Girls]

That was you.

[MC Gin]

That was me. The day we found out that you and the whole crew was at Hit Factory. The mission was to get me to go to the gate, start freestyling, and see if I could get in the studio. I'm rapping and then suddenly I hear a voice. Hey, open the gate. Let. Let him in the gate. Slowly went, gum, gum, gum, gum, gum, gum. They all there watching this, and they watch me walk into there, and they. That is a moment that I will remember for the rest of my life. Listen. And last but not least, with McGen, on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Narrator of Drilled Carbon Cowboys]

A decade ago, the ethanol kingpin of Iowa became the king of corn in Brazil.

[Chuck from Stuff You Should Know]

So we met with a lot of

[Ian Dunlap]

larger farmers, went from Bahia to. To Matagoso, and he brought a team of executives.

[Narrator of Drilled Carbon Cowboys]

They were going to help the country get in on a gold rush.

[Ian Dunlap]

Carbon and its derivatives are going to be really the next great commodity that the globe's going to trade.

[Narrator of Drilled Carbon Cowboys]

But back home in Iowa, trouble was brewing.

[Stephanie Young]

If you live in Iowa, your land,

[Ian Dunlap]

your water, and your voice could all be at risk.

[Mimi Brown]

Thanks to a man named Bruce Rastetter.

[Narrator of Drilled Carbon Cowboys]

Now people are questioning if his climate solutions have anything to do with climate at all.

[Ian Dunlap]

Got to give Bruce and the guys credit. They're Republicans. They don't Give a thousand on this

[Narrator of Drilled Carbon Cowboys]

season of Drilled Carbon Cowboys, the story of how the ethanol kingpin of Iowa became the king of corn in Brazil and what it tells us about the limits of technology and markets to solve the climate crisis. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Theo Henderson]

Mainstream media is full of crude depictions of the unhoused stories that shame and blame and paint the unhoused as a monolith. We the Unhoused is the podcast that's changing that. I'm Theo Henderson, creator and host and for years I've created a space where the unhoused and their advocates can tell their own stories. In the last few months alone, I've interviewed unhoused parents, immigrants, mutual aid organizers, veterans, the LGBQTIA community, and the policymakers who make the laws that impact the unhoused existence. We Unhouse is a two time Webby and Signal award winning show with many exciting guests on the horizon. Tune in this week for my interview with Dr. Gio Wicheric, a street doctor turned influencer whose work with the unhoused community has made a huge impact online and in her community. Listen to we the unhoused on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.

[Michael Rapaport]

This is Michael Rapoport and my podcast, the I Am Rappaport Stereo podcast is unlike anyone you've ever heard. We're a variety show and if you're looking for strong opinions, funny opinions about sports, entertainment, politics, pop culture and whatever else catches my attention, then subscribe now. This kid Jafar Jackson is as good as Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury. And it's as good as Timothee Shamalay as Bob Dylan. And I say that with love and respect for both of those actors. And I don't know how many Oscar nominations they give out. I don't know if it's 5, 6 for best actor 150%. This kid Jafar Jackson should absolutely, positively get nominated for his portrayal as Michael Jackson. Listen to I Am rapoport on the iHeartRadio app at Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcast.

[MC Gin]

I Am Podcast.

[Interviewer]

All right, and last question. Five years from now, what do you think people will realize they misunderstood about AI?

[Ian Dunlap]

I think they misunderstood. That's a great question. How long it's going to take to reshape what the workforce looks like? Because you can't lay off. If you lay off 30,000 people, do you think Claude and OpenAI has the resource and capacity to do the work of 30,000 people? No, I don't. Not at this time. Number two, I think people will have missed the opportunity to get in on the ground floor to learn these technologies and not be left behind. Like we have the talented 10th. I think we're going to have the technological 10th in our community for those who adapt it really quickly and learn how to do these things and deploy those assets to other companies. Number three, the fear was overhyped. Number four, the spending was overhyped. Will there be a lot of great companies that emerge from this? Yes. At the same time, debt to GDP is the highest that it's ever been and the valuation of the stock market is the highest that it's ever been. Some of these companies are going to fall apart and also going back to Elon. If SpaceX is so valuable and 400100 millionaires are made, why do you have to change the rules to make 401ks pick it up if it's that valuable? The math to me is the math, because for me, if I'm going to go public, I wouldn't need to tell them to put it in a 401ks. I would just let the retail investors pick it up. So that tells me there's some weakness in the market that is not being revealed yet. And I think in 2027 some things start to unravel and the truth will be there. But I don't think you have anything to fear. Use it. Have deep belief in God, have deep belief in your craft and working on your crafts every day and you be ok.

[Mimi Brown]

That's part three and the close of our AI in youn Paycheck series with Ian Dunlap. Three episodes. One message AI is not waiting for you. The next wealth gap may not be about who has money. It may be about who knows how to use AI. If this series helped you share it with someone who needs to hear it. That's your front page. I'm Mimi Brown. This podcast was brought to you by the Black Effect Podcast Network.

[Michael Rapaport]

This is Michael Rapaport and my podcast, the I Am Rapoport Stereo podcast, is unlike anyone you've ever heard. If you're looking for strong opinions about sports, entertainment, politics, pop culture, and whatever else catches my attention, then subscribe now. This kid, Jafar Jackson, should absolutely, positively get nominated for his portrayal as Michael Jackson. Listen to I Am rappaport on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Chuck from Stuff You Should Know]

Hey, this is Chuck from Stuff youf Should Know, and we're submitting our most science y episodes for your peer review with our new Stuff youf Should Know Doing Science Playlist out Now you want to know about Occam's Razor? The simplest explanation is usually the right one. We got you covered. Wondered what chaos theory is ever since the first time you saw Jurassic Park. Well, come on down. So distill a nice pot of tea, everybody. Turn down the gas on your Bunsen burner and and slip into your most comfortable lab coat and listen to the stuff you should know. Doing Science Playlist on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Host of Therapy for Black Girls]

Can superstars even exist the way they used to?

[Stephanie Young]

2016 was sort of that last era of monoculture where we still consumed things in community.

[Mimi Brown]

Everybody wanted to be Beyonce at that point.

[Stephanie Young]

I don't think we'll ever see another Rihanna.

[Host of Therapy for Black Girls]

What does it mean to be black

[Ian Dunlap]

and eat in America?

[Host of Therapy for Black Girls]

You will never make me feel bad for being a black girl for being a black American girl ever. From music to food to the conversations shaping black culture, right now, therapy for Black girls is bringing it all to the mic. Listen to therapy for black Girls on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcast.

[Stephanie Young]

I'm Stephanie Young. The hit podcast Love Trapped is back with new updates in the case of Laura owens.

[Ian Dunlap]

This is CR 2025 state versus Laura Owens. I think she really believes that she still has an out. I'm quite confident that they're up to something.

[Stephanie Young]

We're following the case live as the criminal charges finally come to a conclusion.

[Ian Dunlap]

Trust us when we tell you as the victims of Laura Owens, she will not stop.

[Stephanie Young]

Listen to Love trapped on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Ian Dunlap]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Interviewer]

Guaranteed Human.