AI and The Future of Learning & Development

AI is having a dramatic impact on various industries, and L&D is no exception. From personalised learning experiences to data-driven decision-making, AI has the potential to transform how organisations train and develop their employees, enabling learning that is more targeted, relevant and accessible.

However, using AI for L&D also comes with challenges and ethical considerations. We’ve scanned the use of AI in L&D today to:

• Discover the most common L&D activities where AI is currently being used
• Determine how some of the most-used AI tools measure up
• Highlight results from recent research comparing human L&D experts with varying degrees of AI support

How is AI currently being used in L&D?

At present, we know that AI is being adopted for L&D practices through:

• Personalised Learning: AI algorithms analyse learners’ behaviours, preferences, and performance data to create tailored learning paths. This ensures that learners receive content that is highly relevant to their needs, thereby enhancing engagement and retention.
• Automated Content Creation: AI tools can generate educational content, assessments, and quizzes automatically. This reduces the time and effort required by instructional designers to produce these and allows for rapid content development.
• Data-Driven Insights: AI-powered analytics provide detailed insights into learners’ progress, performance, and engagement. These insights help L&D professionals make evidence-based decisions about curriculum design, training effectiveness, and areas for improvement.
• Intelligent Tutoring Systems: AI-driven tutoring systems can provide real-time feedback and support to learners, simulating the guidance they would receive from a human tutor. This is making individual tutoring more accessible and affordable for individuals and organisations.
• Employee Skill Development: AI tools can assess current employee skills and use machine learning to predict future skill requirements based on industry trends. This enables organisations to proactively design training programs that prepare their employees for upcoming challenges.
• Executive Coaching: AI Chatbot technology is being used to develop apps that guide and mentor employees through a variety of challenges. More sophisticated AI models are also now being deployed as virtual coaches who can take a manager-level employee through a realistic, evidence-informed coaching journey.

How do some of the most frequently used AI tools measure up?

Since ChatGPT opened the doors for everyone to engage with AI, a multitude of different AI tools have entered the market, too many to review in fact! Our list below highlights just some of the most popular AI tools that are used for different types of application in L&D.

1. Coursera’s SkillSets

Coursera’s SkillSets product uses AI to recommend learning paths and provide access to learning which is tailored to the specific roles within an organisation.

• Pros: Aligns training with business goals; offers a vast array of courses from top-tier providers.
• Cons: Limited flexibility for niche or highly specialised learning needs; quality of AI recommendations is heavily dependent on the data fed into the system.

2. Claude

Claude is an AI language model known for its ethical design and human-like conversational abilities.

• Pros: Claude excels in producing engaging, human-like conversations, making it an effective tool for creating interactive learning content; its ethical foundation is less likely to produce harmful or biassed outputs
• Cons: As it’s designed with safety and ethical considerations in mind, this sometimes limits the creativity or flexibility needed for certain L&D scenarios. It’s also less adaptable when trying to tailor content to very specific needs or contexts

3. Synthesia

Synthesia turns text content into engaging video presentations, which have become a foundation of corporate learning programs.

• Pros: Creates professional-quality AI-generated videos with realistic avatars; easy to use with no video production skills required; available in 140+ languages.
• Cons: Limited customisation of avatars; can result in less personalised or repetitive outputs if overused.

4. Docebo

Docebo uses AI to automate learning administration tasks, recommend content, and generate insights.

• Pros: The platform is robust, offering a wide range of features that streamline the learning management process; AI helps to personalise the learner’s journey and offers valuable insights through predictive analytics.
• Cons: The complexity of the platform might be overwhelming for smaller organisations or those new to AI in L&D; its AI functionalities, while powerful, require substantial initial setup and ongoing data management to be fully effective.

How good is AI in L&D? Insights from recent research

Recent research by Dr Philippa Hardman (read the final instalment here) has provided valuable insights into the effectiveness of AI when used alone, in conjunction with novice users, and with expert users in learning design tasks.

Over the course of three different learning design tasks, the research found:

• AI Alone: Is efficient in completing routine tasks, but lacks creativity and contextual understanding
• AI + Novice Users: AI guides the novice and aids decision-making; however, there’s a risk of over-reliance, hindering skill development in the novice
• AI + Expert Users: Combines the data processing capabilities of AI with the expert’s judgement to produce innovative solutions; however, requires the expert to have a strong understanding of AI to maximise benefits.

The research underscored the importance of understanding the strengths and limitations of AI in L&D. It suggests that the most effective use of AI comes when it is used as a complementary tool rather than a replacement for human expertise.

Conclusion

AI offers the potential to transform L&D, from personalising learning experiences to speeding up the creation of innovative content by providing deep insights with analytics. However, it’s crucial to recognise that AI is not a silver bullet. Effective use of AI in L&D requires a thoughtful approach that balances the capabilities of AI with the expertise of human professionals.

As L&D professionals, we need to stay informed about the latest developments in AI and continuously assess the effectiveness of AI tools in their specific contexts. In this way, we’ll be able to harness the full potential of AI while mitigating its limitations, ultimately leading to more effective and engaging learning experiences.

Let’s enjoy the AI journey, driving it forward ourselves rather than being unwilling passengers!

If you – like us at TNM – are passionate about harnessing technology to enable learning, we’d love to have a conversation with you. Simply book a discovery call for a no-obligation conversation with one of our team.