Work, Faith, and AI: Building a Life That Holds | Matt LeBaron | Ep. 17 (Part 1)

What does it mean to build a life that actually holds—especially in a world being reshaped by AI, convenience, and pressure?In Part 1 of this conversation, Matt LeBaron shares his journey from pipeline work and early success into real estate, entrepreneurship, and fatherhood—and how faith, discipline, and responsibility were forged through hardship, market collapse, and long seasons of work.We talk deeply about money, investing, parenting in an age of entitlement, and the growing role of AI in work, learning, and society.👤 Guest: Matt LeBaron• Trust Realty – About Matt: https://trustidaho.com/about/matthew-le-baron/• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064298590491This episode explores:• Leaving pipeline work and finding a calling in real estate• Starting a business just before the 2007–2008 market crash• Work ethic learned from family and passed to children• Teaching kids responsibility, investing, and delayed gratification• Gold, silver, scarcity, and long-term thinking• Artificial intelligence: fear, opportunity, and moral risk• AI as a tool vs a replacement for human thinking• Faith drift, prodigal return, anxiety, and reordered priorities• Why environment, mentorship, and focus shape who we become🎙️ The Brenton Peck Podcast — stories that shape people 🔔 Subscribe for full conversations and daily clips 🌐 Explore episodes, reflections, transcripts, and resources: https://www.brentonpeckpodcast.com#ArtificialIntelligence#FaithAndWork#Fatherhood#WorkEthic#Entrepreneurship00:00:38 – Introduction: Matt LeBaron, real estate, faith, fatherhood00:01:03 – From Micron to pipeline work at 2500:02:30 – Six-figure pay, road life, and the cost of chasing money00:03:46 – Laid off, helping family, and discovering real estate00:04:25 – Starting a brokerage just before the 2007–2008 crash00:05:54 – Surviving the crash through grit and foreclosure work00:06:59 – Growing up in an entrepreneurial family00:08:02 – Work ethic learned from his father00:09:29 – Early faith, rebellion, and the prodigal pattern00:11:22 – Learning responsibility by earning, not entitlement00:14:22 – Raising kids in an age of entitlement00:15:17 – Teaching kids work, reading, and investing00:16:52 – Gold, silver, and learning investment risk00:19:12 – Scarcity, inflation, and hard assets00:21:29 – AI, energy, and the future of work00:22:17 – Fear of AI replacing human jobs00:23:14 – AI as a tool vs replacing thinking00:26:04 – AI, profit incentives, and moral risk00:29:15 – AI and concern for the next generation00:35:05 – Walking back through his faith journey00:37:05 – A praying mother and the road back to God00:39:55 – Fatherhood as the turning point00:41:18 – Anxiety, surrender, and reordered priorities00:42:55 – The prodigal return and gratitude00:45:48 – Changing environment to sustain faith00:47:22 – Jordan Peterson: perception shapes action00:49:55 – Formation, influence, and broken mentorship00:52:32 – Homeschooling, martial arts, and generational wisdom00:54:54 – You can’t change the world — only yourself