Lately I've been seeing a lot of VCs talk about LAF - Labor as a Service.
The thesis is elegant: AI agents can code, research, sell, and strategize. Most jobs will disappear. Software will do the work. Scale wins.
I get why this is attractive. Entrepreneurs love leverage. VCs love returns that compound without adding headcount.
But here's my unpopular take:
If you want to stand out in the next five years, you'll probably have to do something unscalable.
The Automation Paradox
Yes, automate repetitive tasks. Yes, use AI where it actually helps. That part is table stakes now.
What's not obvious is this:
The more everything gets automated, the more valuable the human parts of business become.
Think about it.
When everyone has access to the same AI agents, what's your edge?
It's not the tool. It's how you show up when the tool can't.
What AI Still Can't Replace
Selling to a skeptical buyer who doesn't trust your category yet.
Negotiating a partnership where both sides have competing interests.
Convincing someone to take a risk on you when the data is ambiguous.
Reading the room when a deal is about to fall apart.
These aren't edge cases. These are the moments that actually matter.
And they require something AI doesn't have: judgment shaped by experience, empathy informed by context, and the ability to build trust in real time.
The Skills That Compound
It's hard for me to imagine a future where negotiation isn't a core business skill.
Deals don't close themselves. Partnerships don't magically align. Humans still need to agree on things.
The agents can draft the email, but they can't feel the room. They can suggest the counteroffer, but they can't gauge when to push and when to pull back. They can automate outreach, but they can't build the relationship that makes someone pick up the phone.
VCs are betting on agents replacing people.
My bet is different.
I think the edge will come from people who:
- Get better at conversations
- Sharpen their judgment under uncertainty
- Sound real, not scripted
- And do the work that doesn't scale
Because when everything is automated, authentic human skill is the differentiator.
Why This Matters Now
We're in a weird moment.
Everyone's rushing to automate everything, assuming that's the only path to leverage.
But leverage isn't just about doing more with less.
Sometimes it's about doing the right thing that can't be copied.
The founder who takes sales calls themselves in year one. The executive who actually listens in customer conversations. The negotiator who knows when silence is more powerful than talking.
These aren't inefficiencies. They're advantages.
What I'm Building (And Why)
This is why I'm building Daryn Lab.
We're not trying to replace human skills with AI. We're using AI to help people get better at the skills that matter most.
Practice high-stakes conversations. Rehearse negotiations. Get objective feedback on how you handle objections. Build judgment without risking real deals.
AI is an incredible training partner. It's a terrible replacement for the moment that actually counts.
The Bottom Line
Scale the product if you want. Automate the boring stuff. Use every AI tool that makes sense.
But don't outsource the part where trust is built. Don't automate the conversations that define your reputation. Don't assume the agents will figure out what only you can learn.
Because in a world where everyone has the same tools, the people who win are the ones who show up differently.
Not because they have better software.
Because they've done the work that doesn't scale.