TLD 060 - AI in the Land Business: Policies, Agents, and What's Next

Every landman is asking the same question right now: what do you actually do with AI? You've watched conference rooms argue about it, you've watched coworkers paste client emails into ChatGPT, and you still don't have a policy that tells anyone where the line is.

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In this freestyle episode, Brent and Khalil unpack what's actually working in their daily AI use, why most MSAs leave the policy gap to you, and the licensing conversation that's quietly coming for the profession.

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If you're trying to figure out where AI fits inside your team without losing your reputation or your bench of future landmen, this is the conversation to listen to.

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Key Topics & Timestamps

• 01:04 Freestyle AI Reality Check
• 02:45 Midland Takeaways and AI Questions
• 04:29 AI Policies and Email Pitfalls
• 12:32 Agentic AI and the Landman Future
• 24:58 Campus Pulse at Texas Tech
• 30:33 Dudley AI Roadmap Q2-Q4
• 35:11 Focus Discipline, and Wrap

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Memorable Quotes

• "If you're not actively giving guidance and training and tools and resources and policies, it is the Wild West." — Brent

• "It is a tool 100%, but the way that you treat it is not like you treat a tool. It's more of an employee." — Khalil

• "You have to be deliberate about your development of your talent." — Brent

• "When AI starts executing for you, you're not hitting keystrokes as much. You have to start focusing on your judgment. That's gonna be the most important thing." — Khalil

• "Start with a little snowball. Make a snowman." — Brent

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Key Takeaways

• AI policies aren't optional. Without a red, yellow, and green framework (plus a gray zone for the in-between), teams default to the Wild West and confidential data ends up in tools no one's tracking.

• Treat AI like an employee, more than a tool. You wouldn't hand a new hire client emails on day one. The same caution applies before you paste client work into ChatGPT.

• The next two years force a hard call on agentic work. Companies have to decide what an agent can do, what a licensed landman signs off on, and how to verify the work behind the disclaimer.

• Entry-level work is what builds 10 and 20 year landmen. If agents take that work, the bench disappears, so companies need deliberate paths to get juniors real field experience.

• Pick one problem and ship it. Half-baked tools across six departments is how teams end up with a mess. Focus on one workflow, finish it, then expand.

• Quarterly cadence works for AI rollout. Start with education and discovery, identify your early adopters, give them room to build on real workflows, then push the polished tool company-wide.

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Resources

• PBLA (Permian Basin Landmen's Association)
• Texas Tech University Energy Commerce Program
• Need Help With A Project? Meet With Dudley
• Need Help with Staffing? Connect with Dudley Staffing
• Streamline Your Title Process with Dudley Select Title
• Watch On YouTube
• Follow Dudley Land Co. On LinkedIn
• Have Questions? Email us

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More from Our Hosts

• Connect with Brent on LinkedIn
• Connect with Khalil on LinkedIn

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Connect With Us

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