AI for L&D—Help Amidst the Hype?

If you’re like me, your social media feed is filled with ChatGPT and AI chatter. 5 ways AI will replace your job” from the blog Posts that say anyone who isn’t an early adopter will be left behind, can be really scary. Although the technology is promising, don’t be fooled by bad actors or exaggerated claims. The ways in which AI can improve L&D promises to help us be more effective and serve a wider audience of learners—but we have to get past the halfway point first.

Four things AI can’t do (yet)

1. AI can’t think like an L&D professional.

I take issue with those who say AI will replace instructional designers and other L&D content creators. Although AI can replace people in L&D teams churning out content on demand and doesn’t need to measure content effectiveness, it can’t replace good instructional designers. AI cannot perform complete needs assessment and analysis. AI is not yet skilled enough to build the trust and relationships needed to successfully collaborate with subject matter experts and stakeholders. Problem solving and critical thinking skills are still best learned by professionals.

2. AI cannot replace Google.
Scrolling through LinkedIn, there are many examples where someone has used ChatGPT instead of searching for the same thing on Google. Not only does searching take a while, but it also comes with references—ChatGPT doesn’t work. Data accuracy is one of AI’s biggest hurdles. Just ask ChatGPT about learning styles, and he’ll answer a myth that was debunked decades ago! This is one reason why you shouldn’t use ChatGPT or other chat AI programs to create learning assets. If properties are published with incorrect information, customers won’t be mad at ChatGPT – they’ll be mad at the L&D team. Withhold verifiable information until these tools provide more context.

3. AI cannot avoid the unknown valley.
The unknown valley It is “the hypothesized relationship between an object’s degree of similarity to a human being and an emotional response to that object.” It describes a feeling of fear, nervousness, or annoyance at things that try to be human but are not quite human. Need an example? Check out the AI ​​Art Generator Hands and Eyes – which tries to create your likeness based on a specially uploaded photo. Many art generators, videos with human avatars and text-to-speech generators are stuck in the uncharted valley. Some products are getting closer to reality, but it will still take some time to believe. For now, avoid things that might accidentally push your audience away.

4. AI cannot protect proprietary information.
Privacy issues with AI tools They were in the news. Your customers or organization may already have a policy in place that warns employees against sharing proprietary information with AI tools. At the time of publication, chatgpt states in its privacy policy that the information you share in questions may be used to train the chatbot. An error with ChatGPT revealed some information that was recently shared with other users. Companies are moving quickly to enact policies to ensure that their intellectual property and trade secrets are protected. If you are considering using AI tools to create learning assets, do not share proprietary information.

Three things AI can do for L&D professionals

1. AI can make processes more efficient.

AI can make administrative tasks more efficient. For example, you can use AI tools to automate post-experience responses or set up pre- or post-training communications. Some learning management systems are using AI algorithms—like Netflix does—to make recommendations to students on what to use learning assets next. AI can be used to create prototypes. For example, for an educational video, teams can use text-to-speech generators to give stakeholders an idea of ​​what something will look like as the project progresses.

2. AI can generate new ideas.
Although you don’t have to rely on AI to create all of your content, you can use it for ideas. If you’re writing scripts or tutorials, you can use chatbots to generate ideas for stories or topics. If you’re creating graphics, AI art generators can provide inspiration on how to illustrate something. If you consider AI as a tool and an aid to your craft, like a stock photo or video website or an e-learning authoring tool, you can control the content and still make sure it’s accurate and high quality.

3. AI helps us reach a larger audience.
When considering reach, AI can help with solutions for your audience. AI can be used to create recordings from audio files. Although those transcripts often require cleaning and editing, it’s usually minimal, and you usually get it right, which saves time. Similarly, AI translation tools allow you to start translating learning assets before sending content to an expert. AI tools can be used to generate alt text for images. If we look at how AI can be used to help all employees access L&D content, the possibilities are endless.

AI is complex. There are many weaknesses and questions. There is still a lot of fear because we do not yet fully understand the possibilities of AI. But, if we’re cautious, we can use AI to streamline processes, generate ideas, and make our learning available to more people than ever before.