Rec Tech: the Recruiting Technology Podcast · Chris Russell

WorkTech Predictions from George LaRocque

December 10, 2025·59 min·3 clips

George predicts verification and validation layers will spread because AI-driven applications are forcing employers to respond.

1. Rec Tech: the Recruiting Technology Podcast centers on JobSync’s WorkTech Predictions 2026 roundtable about what is next for HR technology. 2. Chris Russell moderates, George LaRocque joins as a leading work tech analyst and advisor, Leah Daigle helps drive questions, and Alex Murphy appears as CEO. 3. The episode asks whether AI is still the main force in recruiting tech, or whether 2026 will reward different products and behaviors. 4. George says the 2025 call he made about consolidation proved right when a “big frontline hiring” acquisition arrived over the summer. 5. He links that consolidation to high-volume hiring, where transaction volume, ad spend, and waste create a clear line of sight to ROI. 6. George also says the market is shifting toward knowledge workers, gray-collar roles, and candidate discoverability if the job market normalizes. 7. In talent acquisition, he says existing incumbent SaaS platforms still have a future if they add AI intelligently and appropriately. 8. He says new startups now need to be AI-native, because he is not seeing fresh non-AI-native entrants get funded. 9. George points to payroll as a different area, saying innovation there continues through pay models, PEOs, and EORs. 10. He says AI interview tools have seen funding but not the adoption he expected, so that category may see tuck-in consolidation. 11. George says HCM has captured about 90% of VC flowing into the space, while TA has been dormant for the last two years. 12. He names LOXO, Mercore, MetaView, and Ashby as examples of larger funding rounds in 2026-related discussion. 13. He says investors want startups to rethink the apply path, sourcing, matching, and assessments rather than build “the next ATS.” 14. George argues that governance, ethics, and explainability will matter more because hiring AI often looks like a black box. 15. He says the Mobley case and similar discrimination issues make it important to explain how decisions were made and why candidates were ordered. 16. George and Kevin discuss AI candidate fraud, mass applies, and the rising need for verification and validation layers across the hiring process. 17. The style is a fast-moving roundtable with interruptions, audience questions, and several off-script pivots. 18. The tone stays conversational and analytical, with jokes about blockchain, hallucinations, and AI confidence. 19. Listeners in TA, HR tech, VC, and recruiting operations will get the most from it. 20. Listeners seeking a polished product demo or a narrow tutorial may skip it.

As heard by us

A grounded look at where recruiting tech is headed, and what AI is already changing in the hiring process.

George LaRock maps the hiring-tech moment with a practical eye. He traces the move toward more AI at the application stage, the rise of candidate fraud, and the pressure on recruiters to process more volume without turning decision making into a black box.

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Want a practical read on what AI is changing in recruiting right now, centered on WorkTech Predictions 2026?

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