In a recent webinar with Brandon Hall Group’s Senior Vice President and Senior Analyst, Claude Werder, leaders from Litmos discussed the impact of generative AI (GenAI) on Learning and Development (L&D). The webinar, titled “Urgent: Close Your GenAI Knowledge Gap Before It’s Too Late,” explored the potential of GenAI, how to mitigate AI-related risks, and the path to success for L&D teams as they adapt to this new era.
Tommy Richardson, Litmos’ Chief Product and Technology Officer, focused on the importance of establishing and following clear organizational AI policies, and using AI to improve personal workflows. Dr. Jill Stefaniak, Litmos’ Chief Learning Officer, discussed how L&D professionals can continue to center learners while leveraging AI tools, and the importance of incorporating feedback from all stakeholders when implementing AI in L&D programs.
To watch the full webinar, view the recording here. Read on for key takeways…
Takeaway #1: AI is here to stay – L&D professionals need to adapt to its presence.
Generative AI is making a significant impact on Learning and Development (L&D) strategies, with 89% of organizations expecting significant impact on L&D from AI. Despite the concerns about cost, complexity, ethics, and data security, most learning professionals are comfortable with the idea of AI-generated content. Dr. Stefaniak and Richardson both emphasized that this technology is “here whether we like it or not” and that L&D professionals should explore the potential of AI.
Dr. Stefaniak highlighted the importance of keeping learners at the focal point of instructional design while exploring AI. She said, “Our learners are not going to care if the content was generated by AI. They’re going to care. Is it relevant? Is it useful? Is it helping them?”
On the other hand, Richardson suggested that the best way to integrate AI into one’s L&D strategy is to rely on existing vendors who are likely already using AI. He said, “Pick a vendor that’s in that space that’s already solved those problems. I think what you’ll notice is that they’ve handled all that for you.”
Takeaway #2: AI can address L&D pain points and personalize learning.
AI has the potential to address several L&D pain points, from content creation to learner engagement. It can help create more efficient training, expedite instructional design processes, and offer more personalized content. Specifically, generative AI can be used for content creation, personalized learning recommendations, and even quality checks for accessibility and plagiarism.
“I think that my key takeaway,” Richardson stated, “is definitely use it on your personal side. AI seems like it was sort of made for L&D. And literally, whether you’re a learner or a manager or an admin or a content creator, regardless of what your role is, you’re likely going to have some positive uses [for AI tools] in the future.”
Dr. Stefaniak added that “We’re still relatively in the infancy phase of using generative AI to support L&D,” but agreed about the increasing popularity of AI tools for learning. “We see more and more organizations and companies relying on generative AI for content creation.”
Takeaway #3: Adopting AI in L&D requires careful planning, collaboration, and the right policies.
Successfully integrating AI into an organization’s L&D strategy requires proper planning, intra-organization collaboration, and the right policies. Addressing issues such as cost, complexity, data privacy, and ethical considerations upfront can prevent potential problems down the line. Moreover, getting feedback from different stakeholders can lead to a stronger infrastructure to support AI initiatives.
Richardson advised, “It’s important to define what those policies are, define what those workflows are, and collaborate across departments to make sure everybody knows what those policies are.” Likewise, Dr Stefaniak suggested scaling efforts and doing pilot testing to figure out what works and what doesn’t. She said, “Don’t be afraid to get feedback. [Get] feedback from different stakeholders as you’re experimenting with different ways you might be able to adopt AI into your organizational strategy.”
Want more insights from this conversation? Watch the full recording of “Urgent: Close Your GenAI Knowledge Gap Before It’s Too Late“.