AI in Skill Development: Balancing Tech and Human Touch
AI is changing the way we live and work, you can’t avoid it.? It is featured on the news almost daily, it is everywhere on social media and I think many people are mulling over this latest industrial revolution which is likely to move at a pace none of us have ever witnessed previously.?
I am curious and I am experimenting more & more on a daily basis and encouraging my team to do the same.?? Could AI make us quicker or more efficient in our existing roles?? Is AI a powerful tool in skills development? What limitations or traps could exist for those of us who work in the field of learning and behaviour change?
A few things I have been mulling over:
?? Human vs. AI Coaching: While AI can provide coaching questions, I still think that the nuanced art of teaching and practicing coaching skills is best done by humans. For example, a manager coaching an employee through a tough project might use empathy and personal experience in ways AI can't fully replicate.?
?? Develop Critical Thinking: Linked In have cited that number 2 and number 3 in the fastest growing jobs in London in 2025 are Head of AI and AI Consultant.?? Developing critical thinking skills are essential for everyone, not just specific ‘AI’ related jobs .?? The ability to analyse and question the data, look broadly for more diverse perspectives and know how best to use that data for decision making is something we all need to hone.?
?? Content Creation Overload: I think there is a paradox that AI can create a flood of content for those working in Learning & Development but actually there wasn’t ever a shortage of content in our world – think of all the LMSs that have content untouched!? I wonder if that could drive a stronger desire for live, human interactions which have been bouncing back over the past year post Covid? We often crave serendipitous and spontaneous conversations that only human interactions can provide.
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?? Driving Engagement Through Experience: Static content isn’t enough anymore. It's the experiences—events, tools, simulations—that truly drive skill development and engagement - and provide that necessary boost of dopamine. For instance, a virtual reality experience that allows individuals to attempt solving challenges - immersed in a different world, whilst observed by a coach who can provide feedback to them in relation to their micro-behaviours and get them to think about those in the context of their role.?
?? Safe Spaces for Practice: Learners need opportunities to practice new skills and behaviours in a safe space. AI can aid in creating these environments, such as an AI-driven role-play exercise where employees can practice more prescriptive conversations and skills without real-world consequences.? AI can also assess their capability and provide feedback although for deeper learning human feedback still is irreplaceable – for how much longer??
?? Integrated Learning: AI enables us to address up to 90% of skill development needs as it can be seamlessly integrated into the workflow (it enables us to tackle 70 and 20 of 70:20:10 in a way we hadn’t ever considered previously). For example, AI tools can provide real-time feedback on coding practices as a developer writes code, helping them improve their skills on the spot. By the end of 2025, it's predicted that 30% of companies will have “digital employees” contributing meaningfully to their operations.
?? Learning as Culture: Skill development isn’t just an intervention; it’s a culture. AI is an incredible tool, but the real power lies in knowing when to lean on technology and when human connection is irreplaceable. For example, a team-building event can build camaraderie and skills in ways that an AI-driven task manager simply can't. Above all, skill development should be fun, memorable, and experiential.
?? What’s your take? How do you see the balance between AI and human interaction in skill development? Share your thoughts and let's drive the future of skill development together!
#SkillDevelopment #AI #HumanTouch #FutureOfWork #ExperientialLearning
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Founder | Chief Talent Officer | Board Member | Keynote Speaker | Advisor | Leadership Development | Coach | Consultant |Transformational Leader | Strategic Partner @Talent Strategy Consulting
1 个月Stephanie Hopper This is great. Learning is a culture which i believe is harnessed though a community, understanding experiences and how lessons learnt impacts people should not be attempted to be replaced by AI. Thanks for sharing!
Artist ??,Designer??, Maker??
1 个月Hey Stephanie, what we don’t know as of yet is how much of humanity is AI going to be able to replicate. If it can replicate and exceed all parts of humanity then what is it for and where do we fit in? Your dog once roamed the land hunting for its food, living amongst its own and creating a community, now it relies on you to feed it and looks to you to pet it. Who knows where this is all going to end up. ??????????
Coaching. Personal development. Professional growth. Relationship building. Change leadership
1 个月Thanks Stephanie Hopper great reflections and key questions. My current concern: AI promises ease and speed, but there is an unseen cost. For example, I saw an ad a few days ago that promoted a L&D AI system that could cut down the development of a skills framework from months to hours. Great - the L&D team end up at the end point really quickly. But what gets lost? Yes, it cuts out the time but it also cuts out the challenge, the friction, and the engagement that the L&D team would need to go through to get to the end. And all of those are key to their effectiveness. We get better when, and only when we engage with difficulty and discomfort. Those months spent on the challenge actually mean you will end up with a team that is better engaged with the organisation, who understand the organisation, will be able to defend and sell their proposal. We tell ourselves we want a life without friction and inconvenience but we don't think what the benefits are of passing through the challenge, or the satisfaction we feel at the end. Used in the wrong way, to take shortcuts, we will end up with faster and (maybe) better solutions, but a workforce profoundly de-skilled and disconnected from their work
Chief Skills Officer
1 个月Love this Stephanie Hopper - some great reflections and many more to come I’m sure!
Coaching | Virtual Reality | Facilitator | Learning Designer | Accredited ICF Coach ACC | Behavioural and Learning Science | Talent Development | Community Builder | Assoc CIPD
1 个月Loved reading all your points on this Stephanie Hopper and when talking about limitations or traps, I think the content example is a good one. Of course it depends what we mean by AI, chatGPT or other AI tools that can certainly be helpful in content creation for L&D professionals when we're stuck for example but I've also seen it can limit our thinking, resourcefulness and most importantly curiosity when developing content because chatgpt will regurgitate largely the same stuff unless there is already a lot of expertise from the user who is also skilled in prompting... The key is balance as you say and I think using it where it can genuinely help, as a tool, but not replacing all the things that work well already because of the human touch!??