The I Love CVille Show With Jerry Miller! - 100s Of 1,000s Of Jobs Cut From US Labor Market; Layoffs Tied To AI & Economic Headwinds

Episode Date: April 15, 2026

The I Love CVille Show headlines: 100s Of 1,000s Of Jobs Cut From US Labor Market Layoffs Tied To AI & Economic Headwinds What CVille Area Job Sectors Could Face Layoffs? How Do CVille Locals Protect Against Job Loss? Upside & Downside Of Universal Basic Income Why Do Local Politicians Not Prioritize Local Hiring? L3Harris Tech. Announces $1.27B Investment In Orange Need CVille Office & Commercial Space, Contact Jerry Read Viewer & Listener Comments Live On-Air The I Love CVille Show airs live Monday – Friday from 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm on The I Love CVille Network. Watch and listen to The I Love CVille Show on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, iTunes, Apple Podcast, YouTube, Spotify, Fountain, Amazon Music, Audible, Rumble and iLoveCVille.com.

Welcome to the I Love Seville Show, guys. My name is Jerry Miller, and thank you kindly for joining us on a Wednesday, a hump day here in downtown Charlottesville. A lot we're going to cover on the show. It's a Cliff Notes version of the I Love Seville Show, as yours truly has a very important meeting, a meeting of significant importance at 1.30 p.m. We're to spend about 30 to 35 minutes connecting with you, the viewer, and listener today. However, look, it's no secret that the labor market is. is fragile. It's no secret that the economy is showing signs of cracks. I'm not saying fractured yet,

but certainly vulnerable and fragile. I posted on the I Love Seville Network earlier this morning, publicly traded company Snap, most known for its communication and social media app, Snapchat, also Moonlights is a camera company Snapchat, announced earlier today, that that 16% of its workforce was getting fired, axed, pink slipped. Snapchat is leaning heavily or leaning even more into artificial intelligence, and the company is going to reduce $500 million a year and expenses tied to the 16% of its labor that it fired. This is bananas here.

Clearly, artificial intelligence and technology is more ubiquitous, affordable, easy to use than ever before. And because of that technology, we now have a word that's called redundancies. We now have human labor that is being replaced by AI, by technology. The technology is cheaper.

These are publicly traded companies that must prioritize stockholders. And as a result, the human capital, the most expensive line item is being pink-sliped and can to Snapchat's point of view, 16%. And this is not unique to Snapchat, ladies and gentlemen. In fact, in February 26 alone, this is a U.S. number, it's a macro number. Employers cut 92,000 American jobs in February, 26. And January, 2026, 108,435 job cuts, the highest,

for a January since 2009. The unemployment rate is upticking. This even applies to the federal government where 355,000 positions, 12% have been cut since October 24. Another 18,000 federal government jobs were cut in March of 2026. It's very clear what's happening. Jobs are being replaced with AI or technology. or employers are asking employees to do more with less.

I want to have a conversation on the water cooler of content. What's that? Surprise, surprise. I want to have a conversation on the water cooler. We got chirping from the peanut gallery over here. The peanut gallery. Wow. This is our good friend Judah Wickcaro over here.

Like and share the show. I want to have the conversation. with you, the viewer, and listener. What Charlottesville area job sectors could face layoffs? If gasoline stays where it's at, there's going to be layoffs locally. What Charlottesville area, if artificial intelligence becomes, continues to be approachable and ubiquitous, there's going to be layoffs, and it is. What Charlottesville area job sectors are going to face layoffs?

What is the upside and downside of a basic universal income? Sounds like Judah Wickhauer is pushing for that. I call that socialism. I call that socialism. A universal basic income is the opposite of what we should be doing. Judah and I are going to have a great conversation about that. What can locals in Charlottesville, Albaro, and Central Virginia do to protect themselves against job loss? And how about this question?

This is where I'm of this mindset. Why don't local politicians who campaign for things like Judah, local politicians campaign and platform for things like affordable housing, right? Why is it the number one thing that local politicians that run for office, they should be campaigning and platforming for hiring within the community, creating jobs for people that live here, not necessarily creating jobs for people that don't live here, that will move here and gentrify the community and make it more expensive?

I'm throwing no shade on AstraZeneca. $4, $5 billion investment in northern Almorough County, their global headquarters, 600 new jobs at a starting wage of $125,000 for AstraZeneca when it comes online in a couple of years here. No shade on that. It's a huge economic vitality driver. But I'm going to tell you, that project alone, that company alone, is going to massively gentrify Al-Marle in Central Virginia.

And we all know that because those are people that are going to be hired in very large part that don't live here right now. A lot we're going to cover on the program here. We'll give some attention to a partner of the show, Judah, and then we're going to weave you in. Stanley Martin Holmes. Stanley Martin Holmes is building condos and town homes and single-family detached homes at a rapid rate in central Virginia.

Stanley Martin homes are dedicated to building homes that cater to each person's unique needs and lifestyles. High-quality homes, innovative homes, homes built honestly, with communication with the client and the builder. Stanley Martin Holmes, various programs, various model homes, various styled homes for you, the Admiral County, Central Virginian, Charlottesvillian, Green County, Fuluvana County, wherever you may live in this region.

Stanley Martin Holmes is an asset to our community. Judah, studio camera, two-shot, a conversation that I think is going to last about 20 minutes or so. That's going to be quite dynamic on this program. because I think you and I see things very differently, and I think it makes the program fantastic. Your opinion is valued. We had a meeting this morning with a family, and you saw that the family recognized you from the show, gave you props for your contributions to the show. I am also doing that, but boy, oh boy, I can't wait to banter back and forth with you on this one.

I'll set the stage, pass it along to you. Hundreds of thousands of jobs, Judah. cut from the American economy. Every month. Hundreds of thousands of jobs. This is going to be a storyline moving forward as technology and AI is more ubiquitous, approachable, usable, and affordable. My friend, when does the story start penetrating the Charlottesville, Almero County, and Central Virginia news cycles? A lot we want to cover.

Your model long to begin, where do you want to begin? Hmm, where do I want to begin? I think that I would say that eventually, and I'm not, despite what Jerry says, I'm not pushing for universal basic income, at least not now, not with this government, not where we are in the world today. But I think it's something that we have to consider. I think as we put more and more people out of jobs, either because of AI, because of progress, eventually we need to figure out what we're going to do.

Do we just have everybody working? Is the future everybody working in an Amazon factory? I mean, obviously there are still going to be manufacturing jobs. You're going to still need people to, you know, to build things. We've got, we've got 350 plus highly skilled jobs coming from this L3 Harris Technologies. And we've got the AstraZeneca job. But like Jerry said, not all of those jobs are suited for people that were brought up. The large majority of the jobs that are coming on market in the next 12 to 24 months,

months will be filled by folks that do not live within central Virginia. Cite the billion dollar plus investment in Orange County, give the who, what, when, where, why. Maybe put that lower third on screen because John Blair's got a comment about that and what we're going to discuss. You go the who, what, when, where, why, and what's happening in an orange, then I'll get to John Blair's comment. Then I'm going to ask you about the universal basic income. I'm going to ask you why politicians are not campaigning on creating jobs for locals, as

opposed to driving an economy that's tied to jobs for folks that don't live here, which drives gentrification. A lot we're going to cover. First, the who, what, when, where, why of Orange County's investment. Man, that was a lot to take in. But Governor Spanberger was recently at L3 Harris Technologies. The Defense Tech and Solid Rocket Motor Manufacturing Company is announcing a $1.27 billion investment. This investment will increase the facility's manufacturing capacity and create more than 350 highly skilled new jobs. And this builds on previously announced investment,

expanding tactical solid rocket motor production in Virginia. 350 jobs over five years. Most of us didn't know that Virginia is a place where we build rockets. 350 jobs over five years for a company that builds motors or engines for rockets. Unbelievable in Orange County, Virginia. I had no idea. Nor did I. I had no idea.

L3, the number three, Harris Technologies. 1.3 billion for a company that builds rocket engines, and it's in Orange County, 350 jobs over the next five years. Wild story. Positive story. Is it a positive story for locals if the hires are. are not from within the community, are instead transplants that move to the community.

Crazy question, some that must be considered. Is that the fault or the purview of politicians? I mean, should they push back on businesses that, like, should Spanberger, should Yonken before her, have tried to find businesses that more closely meshed with Central Virginia residents? Viewers and listeners, Judas asking really good questions. How do you do that? I mean, do you say, no, we don't want your business because nobody here knows a damn thing about rockets?

I mean, take the AstraZeneca news, 600 jobs, 600 AstraZeneca, starting salary, $125,000. We know those 600 in large majority will be filled by folks that do not live locally. This will be one of the most significant drivers of gentrification in Alburo County and Central Virginia that we've seen in the last two generations at least. On top of that, we know that there are thousands of additional jobs associated with biotechnology coming to Albor County, Charlestville, and Central Virginia, because you have the world headquarters of publicly traded AstraZeneca here, and you have one of the top biotechnology schools in the world here that's soon to open in Fontaine Research Park, the Paul Bannig Biotech Institute.

Yeah. Plus Eli Lilly just a few minutes out. Yeah. So this is a biotechnology beltway now. Okay. We've been talking about this since before COVID. Why we've been talking about this since before COVID? Because we had cocktails.

I was drinking a beer with the people signing the checks before. before the checks were signed. That's why. We were talking about this before COVID. I'm going to ask this question that's an uncomfortable one for viewers and listeners. Put the most uncomfortable headline on screen. Charlestville area sector's most susceptible to face layoffs, Judah.

Then I'm going to get to John Blair's comment. Tell me when that headline's on screen, J-dubs. It's an uncomfortable headline. There it is. on screen. John Blair's photo. Jerry, I think it's also worth noting that Rockingham County and Harrisonburg had big job announcements yesterday in addition to today's Orange County announcement with L3 Harris Technologies. John Blair further adds, I think the key jobs is the same as the key to the equities market. Halo, heavy assets, light opulent.

think industries like agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and manufacturing. Your wheels are turning over there, Judah. No, I'm trying to follow all of it. Should I go to? Halo, heavy assets, light obsolence, halo, HALO, industries like agriculture, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing. Well, the pharmaceuticals, the biotechnology is a perfect example. Right?

the manufacturing, you can make an argument for the L3 Harris, the rocket engines, right? Agriculture, John, you're more connected with this. Give me some examples of the agriculture here locally, please. I'm going to ask you, Judah, this question. I have some ideas. Seaville sectors, Seville, Central Virginia, Alamorrow job sectors, most susceptible to layoffs. Go. I mean, I'm inclined to say most of them.

I mean, look, you've got, they're all connected. You take fast food. You take any kind of food. There's more and more, more and more AI use, whether it's kiosks or, you know, go into a higher-end restaurant. I mean, they've got more and more. People are accepting, you know, takeout, whether it's DoorDash or Uber or Eats or whatever. You've got, I mean, you've got scan the QR code for our menu.

I mean, that's printing. Less printing. Nobody wants to print out their menu and they're going to change it every few weeks. Then you've got, I mean, everything else. I mean, you've got doctors. There are AI, they're developing AIs that can look at,

they can look at, what do you call it? Radiologists? X-rays. And find stuff faster and more reliably than a radiologist tech. And this is across so many different sectors for so many different things,

whether it's social media, getting, you know, clod or chat GPT, to write you, you know, an engaging, an engaging blog post or Facebook post or whatever. And if you're willing to pay a few bucks, it can also generate you a, you know, a photo that tugs on the heartstrings. I mean, it's getting harder and harder. Real estate photography?

Real estate photography. You don't even need, there you go, your photographers. Scott Morris on Real Talk a couple of Fridays ago said, there's no question my mortgage business. is going to be potentially eroded by artificial intelligence with basic, basic at this point, basic loan processing. He's spent many a time on a phone or in communication with someone on the other side of the line that clearly is artificial intelligence,

and he says it's almost impossible to know, and the level of intellect or the level of response time, the quality response time, what they're providing, is as good as anyone he has. Now, he also indicated for loans that have, urgency or question marks or uncertainties. The AI right now can't do it. Judah started at the hyper local level here,

and that's what we want to go. I'll start at the hyper local level as well, but go to the top of the food chain from a hyper local standpoint, and that top of the food chain is the University of Virginia. Conan Owen, I hope he's watching the program. Here's a great example of crowdsource content. He sent me a text message this morning at 7.39 in the morning.

Interestingly, at 739 in the morning, my son and I were working out, doing sit-ups, push-ups, and pull-ups, training squash. Today is day two of two a days for our eight-year-old son. We got to the club and to the gym at 535 this morning, where each day before school we're working from 5.30 in the morning to about 7 a.m., and it's his doing. He's pushing this, not me. Trust me, I would rather be sleeping. He's doing it, sending his own alarm, getting dressed by himself. He's eight years old and he's doing this. And if he wants to put in this kind of effort, I'm going to support him.

So for the last two days, we were at 5.30 in the morning. Saw Rob Neal this morning. Love seeing you there, Rob. Conan sends me a text message of a story from the New York Times. Syracuse University has dropped 84 majors. 84 of them, including classics, ceramics, and Italian. 84 majors have been cut. In all, 93 of the 460 academic programs at the university will be closed or paused.

Syracuse University is closing or halting 93 of its 460 academic programs. Do they give reasons? No students were majoring. in 55 of the programs that are ending. So in 55 of the 93, no students were pursuing a degree, yet Syracuse University was paying faculty and staff, buildings, classrooms, and utilities

to potentially house those students in a classroom setting. I mean, you don't think there was... Of course, there's some redundancies, of course. But you still have faculty, human capital, that you have to pay. You can't offer an Italian class every day and have kids sign up and not be any Italian professors. Right. Okay. So at bare minimum, you have labor overhead that's being shed. I think we're all in agreement here. The headwinds for colleges and universities are obvious, palpable, and tangible. Now, the difference with UVA is it's a new Ivy. It's the Crem de la Crem.

and people are going to want a degree from the creme de la creme. These small liberal arts private schools have huge headwinds. You're talking the Mary Baldwin's of the world? Right? The sweet briars of the world? Show me a future for the Mary Baldwin's and the sweet briars of the world. Ladies and gentlemen.

The problem is I don't think you understand the scope of your question. Oh, please offer some insight to the scope of my question. And we get about eight minutes before we have to get off area, but one-thirty meeting that it cannot be late for. And this could be a conversation we carry over into tomorrow show as well. So you're asking, what's the, you know, what's the future of places like Mary Baldwin and Sweetwater, other calls? Sweetbriar. Sweetbriar. We're not eating taffy here.

It's a sweetwater beer, isn't it? I think you're talking about sweetwater taffy. Go ahead. Anyways, the problem is I think you need to ask that question in a, much larger scope because it's yes colleges are less and less what not affordable but uh i mean they are less and less affordable but the the degrees that you get are less and less needed less and less useful the value proposition of the college is becoming more marginalized and that's not just at sweetbriar and mary baldwin that's that's at uva as well we just don't want to admit it and more and more

people are, you know, crowding the doors to get into UVA, but where are they all going to end up? Where are the students going to end up? Yeah. They go to those schools? I mean, obviously, they're not going to pursue higher education. Some of them are going to be doctors and lawyers. Yeah. Some of those doctors aren't going to have jobs when the, when the AI takes over, you know, assessing problems and whatnot. Some of the lawyers are going to start off somewhere, but eventually there's going to be a gap between starting and getting up high enough

because they're not going to be hiring, they're not going to be using those lawyers to write briefs, to do study work, to do all the stuff that teaches them what they need to get to the higher level, because AI takes care of all that middleman stuff. So essentially the issue becomes, you know, is UVA just going to be an output factory for AstraZeneca and Eli Lilly? How do you do colleges keep majors, like you said, that are worthless?

Basket weaving. What was one of them? Ceramics. Seramics. Italian. I mean, but see, the thing is. Shade on Italian right there. The thing is, at what point do we say, at what point do we say you can no longer,

you can no longer chase your dreams because you have to. When you can't afford them, dreams that you're chasing that put you in significant debt are not dreams, they're nightmares. If you go to a university and you're like, I am an art history enthusiast and you pursue an art history degree or a classic. degree and you go a quarter of a million dollars in debt for a job that's going to pay you, if you can find a job, 40K, that is a nightmare. That's not a dream.

But you're choosing the extreme example of, you know, underwater basket weaving. That's a common example. Right. But the problem is what happens when people who are going to school to become doctors start coming out and find that their degrees are worthless? What happens when people go in to become lawyers? I think there's a lot of people, I don't mean to me in a, in a row. up you here that don't see the upside of being a doctor as we once did a generation ago.

I mean, oftentimes being a lawyer, oftentimes being a doctor, right, I know it's the point you're making, but oftentimes being a lawyer or a doctor a generation ago when we were growing up, you're like, oh, you're going to go to college, you're going to be a lawyer, you're going to be a doctor. Now there's a lot of people that are like, I'm not going to get into medicine. Right. I'm not doing that. that's the point you're making. The problem is we need those people.

We need humans who want to study medicine, who want to push the field. We need people to study law. If no more than to understand what some LLM, large language model, is perpetrating on us because we've, gotten rid of everyone that actually understands the law and are just typing into a chat GPT prompt. What's the answer to this, you know, to this, whatever? I have a client.

I have a client that we're helping with a piece of real estate that he owns, substantial piece of real estate. And he was working on some contracts, reviewing contracts, vetting, auditing contract sent to him by an attorney. He took that contract, pumped it into chat GBT, prompted chat GBT. What are the errors of the red flags or what's wrong with this contract? Came back with 12 glaring errors that the attorney had missed. 12 of them set it back to the attorney with the 12 glaring errors to chat GBT and all the attorney could do was Mayacopa, I should have done better.

Do we want a world where you're getting 12 glaring errors at 5.95 an hour, as opposed to a world where you're getting no 12 glaring errors for a licensing fee of $19 a month? Right? Do we want a world of 595 an hour hired guns that are to air as human as to air? or a world of 1995 licensing technology.

That's only improving and getting better. And how does the Charlottesville local insulate himself or herself from job loss? At the 102 marker with a 28 minute, with a meeting 28 minutes from now, I will wet your whistle with that topic, which will be the lead of tomorrow's I Love Seville Show. We'll also talk Abigail Spamberger, who is, from my standpoint, radicalizing voting in Virginia? Watering it down?

I mean, it's a, again, it's a, I think that is a discussion that needs to be had but isn't so easily, isn't so easily right or wrong. That story on tomorrow's show as well. Judah Wickhauer, Jerry Miller, the I Love Seville show,

the Cliff Notes version, back on the saddle for the full hour tomorrow at 1230.