Heather Barbour Fenty

If you thought HR tech was already weird, buckle up. A startup called Juicebox just landed $30 million, and Google’s quietly turning Chrome into your next boss.

I cracked open the latest Chad & Cheese episode expecting the usual chaos, and they delivered. From a Marvin Gaye-infused rant on the state of the world to a legit analysis of what Juicebox’s AI funding means for recruiters, this one had it all. Here’s your recap.

Juicebox Squirts $30M Into the Talent Space

First up, Juicebox. An AI-powered search engine for recruiters just raised $30 million in a Series A led by Sequoia. They’re already claiming 2,500 customers and $10 million in ARR. That’s some serious growth juice.

But Chad and Joel? Not totally sold.

Chad sees potential, especially if Juicebox leans into agents and embeds them into core recruiting systems (ATS, CRM, etc.). Joel’s got grumpy vet energy: he’s been around long enough to see too many “next big sourcing tools” crash and burn. He compares Juicebox to Intello circa 2012 and predicts a 2-4 year sprint before they sell (or die).

Google’s Chrome Gets Geminified

Google’s playing a different long game. Gemini is now embedded in Chrome, and it’s got agentic capabilities coming soon, meaning Chrome could book your appointments, order groceries, or (cue recruiter alert) apply to jobs for you.

Chad’s take? If it’s free, you’re the product. Google’s betting you’ll use AI inside Chrome because it’s already embedded in your habits. And they’re right. Recruiters are already using ChatGPT and Claude on the side. Chrome just makes it easier. Think sourcing, outreach, and even screening candidates, all without leaving your browser.

The big fear? Google might make your ATS obsolete. Joel says vendors should be terrified, and I can’t disagree.

Waymo: Lawless Self-Driving Tech?

Then came the Waymo story. One of their self-driving cars made an illegal U-turn, and when cops pulled it over…there was no one to ticket. Welcome to the future, where the robot breaks the law and nobody pays.

Chad joked that we need RoboCop. Joel warned that cities will just start fining tech giants and call it an “innovation tax.” Either way, enforcement has no playbook for driverless cars. It’s a mess, and it’s only going to get weirder.

ADP Job Report & The Government Shutdown Blues

Job numbers are sliding, especially in leisure and hospitality. ADP says 32,000 jobs dropped, and the guys expect more layoffs. Between a government shutdown, unreliable BLS data, and a politicized labor report, Chad calls it

“shitty times in a shithole led by shitheads.”

Healthcare is the only sector holding up, thanks to the “sick boomers” still spending. But as Joel notes, if rich retirees stop eating out or buying cruises, even that might collapse.

Bonus Banter: Golf, Marvin Gaye, and Chicken Cock Whiskey

Chad’s back from Greece. Yes, he’s salty. And yes, the Ryder Cup got a mention—mostly to call out beer-throwing Americans acting like jerks.

As always, there’s free stuff for listeners, shoutouts to vendors (VanHack, Aspen Tech Labs, FactoryFix), and a healthy dose of bourbon-fueled wisdom. My favorite side tangent? Chad’s story about getting a speeding ticket in Spain by mail. Robo-cops are already real…just not here.

Why I Wrote This

This podcast episode dives into topics TA leaders care about: sourcing tools, automation, AI in browsers, and the shaky job market. Juicebox’s funding isn’t just a headline, it’s a signal that sourcing is shifting. Google embedding AI in Chrome? That’s not a maybe. That’s your new competitor.

If this makes you wonder whether your job descriptions, sourcing methods, or tech stack are ready for what’s coming…that’s where Ongig comes in. Want to see how AI can make your JD strategy smarter and faster? Request a demo here.

FAQs

  • What does Juicebox do? – It’s an AI search engine that helps recruiters find candidates using NLP and agentic automation.
  • Why does Google’s AI in Chrome matter to recruiters? – It embeds AI where you already work, threatening traditional HR tech tools.
  • Can self-driving cars be ticketed? – Not really. That’s the problem. Waymo’s case proves law enforcement isn’t ready.
  • Is the job market improving or declining? – ADP data shows declines, and government shutdowns are making things worse.
  • What’s the risk to recruiters from AI? – Sourcing, screening, and engagement tasks may be automated right out from under them.

by in HR Content