Artificial intelligence (AI) is quickly gaining traction across industries and organizations and will soon power more learning and development (L&D) initiatives. Without AI-enhanced systems, adaptive learning and work inside the modern-day workplace would be impossible.
Source: PhonlamaiPhoto / iStock / Getty
If you’re an L&D professional, here are four things you’ll want to know about AI.
1. AI Will Run Most Sectors of Most Organizations
Ninety-two percent of businesses are increasing their pace of investments in AI, and they will use it not only for L&D but also to run digital strategies for many sectors across their organizations. Employees will need to be quickly upskilled in the AI systems and programs they’re going to be using if organizations aim to benefit from their implementation, as most employees in the current job economy don’t have the necessary skills to operate and manage AI implementations. Also, most roles and sectors will need new AI-related skills.
For more insight, read “What Not to Do When Using Artificial Intelligence for L&D.”
2. Having Patience with AI Is Important
AI is designed to expedite and automate a lot of tasks and processes for businesses, but it still takes time for it to work well when it’s first implemented. It can take a lot of AI products, with enhanced machine learning capabilities, 6 months to a year (sometimes longer) to learn and adapt to an organization’s specific needs and objectives.
During this time, your AI will need to be constantly monitored, audited, and reprogrammed so that it can continue to propel your organization’s objectives, goals, and learners forward; just as your learners can’t learn anything in depth overnight, AI products can’t adapt as soon as implemented.
3. AI Will Create New Jobs
While a lot of critics think automated robots and AI will eradicate a lot of jobs, new research shows the exact opposite. However, companies will need to be armed with a skilled workforce that is ready to take on these new jobs if they’re going to succeed.
So, as an L&D professional, you’ll need to invest a lot of time and effort into upskilling current employees and training new employees in how to handle new roles created by the AI used in your organization.
4. AI Adoption Is Still a Huge Challenge
Research indicates that many organizations are still discovering challenges with adopting and implementing new AI technology. It seems employees aren’t being properly prepared for such changes associated with new AI implementations, and businesses aren’t properly aligning their goals with the AI they want to use.
So, as you train your employees, especially managers and leaders, on how to use their AI, also train them how to accept and manage the changes that come with these new implementations.
To keep your organization’s AI implementations profitable, keep the information outlined above in mind.
For more insight, read “Best Practices: Training Your Employees to Accept/Manage Change” Part 1 and Part 2. And for even more insight, check out “How Does Adaptive Learning Work Inside an LMS?” and “6 Adaptive Learning Features You Need Your LMS to Have.”