Editorial
The transformation of corporate learning is imminent. One could argue this transformation has been coming for decades, given the shifts in how we access knowledge and skills. Some of the technology building blocks that fed into this transformation include the:
- First hand-held cellular device in 1973
- Rise in personal computers during the 1980s
- Proliferation of wireless networks in the 1990s
- Launch of Google in 1998 and YouTube in 2005
- Arrival of the iPhone in 2007
These technology advancements laid the groundwork for personalization, mobility, content creation/control and the independence of the learner. With the arrival of generative AI, we're all experiencing the proverbial Wild Wild West. Experimentation is accelerating, and the half-life of standard processes gets shorter every day. The transformation tsunami has made landfall — and I’d venture to say 99% of corporate learning organizations are not ready.
I could think of no better person to tackle this topic with than Kimo Kippen, former CLO of Hilton and the founder of Aloha Learning Advisors. One of the biggest drivers of my career satisfaction is collaborating with and learning from great talent. I've had the pleasure of working with Kimo at an industry level for years, and am forever grateful to Tony Bingham and the Association for Talent Development for introducing us when we were board directors.
How Will Gen AI Disrupt L&D? Ask the Source
When we asked ChatGPT how generative AI would disrupt learning and development, it produced a list of about a dozen ideas, centered mostly around speed, cost reduction and analysis of patterns. Some of the suggestions included:
- Personalized learning paths
- Predictive analytics
- Content curation
- Virtual training assistants
- Automation of administration
- Continuous assessments
- Accessibility and inclusivity
- Compliance and security
While none of these topics are new, the approach to doing the actual work is likely to change. Interestingly, ChatGPT made no reference to the required skills of learning professionals to support the transformation. In this particular response, the predominant role of the human was providing oversight of the output AI delivered.
Related Article: Here's Why Choosing Learning Tech Is so Hard, and What You Can Do
The New Required Roles for Workplace Learning Teams
As a former CLO, I began thinking about the type of talent I would want to shape the evolving learning function. Roles that focus on business requirements, organizational politics and financial management strike me as evergreen, even as new skill sets are added to the roles.
However, roles that are directly tied to design, development and delivery of learning content and services are clear targets for change (See Kimo’s perspective in the sidebar).
In addition to reimagining the longstanding roles associated with content creation and delivery, I believe generative AI will make the following four roles essential to a workplace learning team:
Behavioral Scientist
Start with the end in mind by understanding how humans learn, how motivation works, and what it takes to enable humans to change their behaviors. This could be a neuroscientist and/or a social scientist — they are the experts we need to integrate human motivation and cognition into our learning designs.
Data Scientist
Generative AI’s ability to recognize historical patterns and predict future patterns should be an amazing advancement for corporate learning functions. Decision making to meet organizational needs and manage investments has the potential to be totally transformed with real-time, robust data, not opinions or anecdotal examples.
Ecosystem Architect
The speed of innovation and technology changes requires dedicated focus and expertise, and assessing individual software platforms is not enough. We need experts in learning technology ecosystems, not just for IT cost and efficiency reasons, but to elevate the overall learner experience, change employee behaviors and enable organizational performance.
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Experience Designers
Most of us are familiar with User Experience (UX) Design, which focuses on how people interact with technology. However, Service Experience Design has a much broader view, focusing on a seamless experience across multiple touch-points. It factors in emotional appeal and the relevance of the interaction for the user/learner. The labor market data is clear that employees are seeking purpose, a sense of belonging and career development. Effective experience design will positively impact these desires, putting more development and career control in the hands of the individual learner.
Lastly, as a learning leader, your humanity and ability to see beyond the data to formulate insights and act with empathy and wisdom is not the domain of AI. Human intelligence does not have to compete with AI. Let’s not forget that AI exists only because of humans.
Related Article: Think Like a Designer: How an Employee Experience Mindset Benefits the Employee Experience
Additional Perspective
Kimo Kippen is the founder of Aloha Learning Advisors, former CLO at Hilton, and CLO's Chief Learning Officer of the Year in 2015.
Mary’s comments are spot on about the need for change of the four roles tied to design, development and delivery of learning content and services of the workplace learning team. Organizations wishing to embrace this evolution must have the right culture/mindset to get there. The necessary elements of such a mindset must, in my view, include:
- An Explorer Mindset: Being open to innovation. Embrace the transformative potential of generative AI and be open to exploring new training methodologies that leverage this technology.
- Curiosity and Learning Agility: Cultivate a mindset of continuous learning to stay updated on the latest advancements in generative AI, enabling you to adapt and incorporate new techniques into your training programs.
- Creativity and Experimentation: Encourage experimentation and creative thinking to discover novel ways of integrating generative AI into training materials and activities, fostering engaging and effective learning experiences.
- Adaptability and Flexibility: Remain adaptable to the evolving capabilities and limitations of generative AI tools. Adjust your strategies and approaches as necessary to optimize their use within your training curriculum.
- Ethical Awareness and Responsibility: Maintain a strong ethical compass and awareness of the potential implications of using generative AI in training, ensuring that it is applied responsibly and with consideration for privacy, bias and other ethical considerations.
In summary, having the right mindset, in combination with acceptance of the evolving nature of roles of the workplace learning team, are critical for success. Equally important is readiness to execute this change.
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