You never know what you’ve got until it’s gone…especially when it’s an employee who holds all the niche knowledge needed to work the outdated technology that keeps your organization afloat.

The software industry has a big generational turnover problem on its hands, according to Billy Hollis, partner at Nashville, Tennessee-based consulting firm Next Version Systems. During a Nov. 19 panel at Live! 360 Tech Con in Orlando, Hollis said many executives don’t realize the importance of employees with institutional knowledge.

“You can hire and acquire other people in but, man, they’re going to make mistakes,” Hollis said. “There’s stuff that they don’t know, and if you have enough of that, you will make enough customers mad that it seriously risks your business.”

Un-risk your business.—BM

Holiday shopping is here and everyone’s looking for help—and with some people turning to AI, there’s a new security concern under the tree.

AI shoppers are growing in usage and importance as consumers try to automate the boring and relentless work of finding just the right product. AI personal assistant technology isn’t expected to reach mass market level until 2026, according to a new analysis from IEEE, but it’s already becoming an important element of the online retail experience.

The way it works. IEEE Senior Member Kayne McGladrey told IT Brew that, in theory, an AI shopping agent would be able to handle purchasing if given enough information. But that hints at the underlying security concern: If an agent has your payment information, personal details, and access to email, it opens the door to greater threats. And attackers are taking notice.

Notice me, AI.—EH

At some point in an IT professional’s career, they may face an important decision: to stay in standard IT roles, or make the leap to consulting.

According to industry market research company IBISWorld, 2.4 million people worked in IT consulting in the US as of 2025. Billy Hollis, a partner at consulting firm Next Version Systems, told IT Brew on the sidelines of Live! 360 Tech Con in Orlando that he went into IT consulting in the mid-90s because he was someone who was easily bored and liked to be challenged.

“It’s not just a job,” Hollis said. “If you’re really interested in solving problems, you get to solve more.”

If there’s a problem, solve it.—BM

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• Manager - IT/Cyber Risk at Ally
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