Artificial Intelligence: Bringing Humanity to L&D Professionals

Generative AI technology is revolutionizing the field of learning and development (L&D), much like it is transforming various aspects of our work. How can professionals in L&D make optimal use of this rapidly evolving AI technology?

In a recent research report titled "Artificial Intelligence in Learning and Development: Five Astonishing Insights You Should Be Aware Of," it was discovered that a significant majority of surveyed employees (59%) express a preference for human instructors over artificial intelligence when it comes to guiding their workforce development learning. Moreover, an overwhelming majority (87%) indicated a desire for their Learning and Development (L&D) content to be crafted by subject matter experts—individuals—rather than relying on AI technology.

Undoubtedly, employees prefer human involvement in crafting, strategizing, and overseeing their L&D endeavors. However, this doesn't imply that AI has no role to play in aiding L&D. The aforementioned survey also indicated that employees are open to the idea of L&D professionals leveraging AI to streamline their tasks.

Artificial Intelligence has the capacity to simplify numerous job roles. Within the realm of L&D professionals, AI has the capability to enhance productivity and potentially handle administrative duties that usually consume significant time, thereby allowing them to redirect their attention towards more strategic endeavors like content creation, program assessment, and engaging with learners.

Below are several fundamental tasks that AI can execute, effectively reducing the workload and time expenditure for L&D professionals:

Enrollment: Artificial Intelligence has the capability to streamline the learner enrollment procedure by handling tasks such as gathering and verifying their details, dispatching confirmation emails, and generating user profiles.

Appointment Planning: Artificial intelligence has the capability to streamline the scheduling of training sessions by considering variables like learner availability, instructor availability, and room availability.

Monitoring performance and assessing progress: Utilizing AI allows for the monitoring of learner performance and progression, furnishing Learning and Development (L&D) experts with valuable insights into the manner in which learners are interacting with the material and whether they are achieving the designated learning goals.

AI has the capability to undertake complex responsibilities, streamlining the roles of L&D professionals. This includes tasks like scrutinizing employee skills and preferences to propose customized learning routes, deploying chatbots for addressing common inquiries, and pinpointing areas where learners face challenges, thereby enabling the adjustment of training content to offer extra assistance.

While employees prefer human involvement in the creation, planning, and guidance of their Learning and Development (L&D) endeavors, it should be noted that AI can still play a supportive role in the realm of L&D.

While it is a fact that not every employee will readily adopt AI as a tool for saving time, The Wall Street Journal recently highlighted that companies deploying AI algorithms to streamline tasks sometimes encounter resistance from their workforce, who may not be enthusiastic about the support it offers.

As reported by ABC News a few months back, numerous employees express apprehension over AI potentially displacing their jobs, instead of enhancing their work experiences. Undoubtedly, the prospect of AI technology substituting frontline workers and various other job roles is a real concern.

However, L&D professionals tend to hold an optimistic outlook regarding the advantages of utilizing AI. According to Wiley's report, nearly 66% of the surveyed professionals concurred that the application of AI in administrative tasks will enhance efficiency.

Numerous companies have embarked on leveraging AI to enhance their Learning and Development (L&D) procedures. For instance, IBM's Watson Assistant, driven by AI, has been employed to develop chatbots that assist employees in navigating training materials and addressing their questions. Deloitte has also implemented AI in its adaptive learning platform to customize learning experiences for its workforce, leading to heightened engagement and improved knowledge retention.

The significance of L&D professionals in fostering talent and facilitating individual and career development cannot be emphasized enough. Its perhaps why employees seek a human touch in their interactions with L&D initiatives.

Through the adoption of AI-powered automation, L&D professionals can alleviate the burden of administrative duties, allowing them to dedicate additional time to strategic endeavors that infuse a human touch into employee interactions. This, in turn, elevates the overall learning experience for staff members and ultimately plays a pivotal role in enhancing business outcomes.