"Where do I start?" Seven questions learning leaders should consider before implementing AI

Welcome to this special edition of Involve Inform Inspire - the first written by Jon Fletcher , our Chief AI Strategist.

"Where do I start?"

Seven questions learning leaders should consider before implementing AI

It feels like every day there is a new AI advancement. The pace at which AI - particuarly Generative AI - evolves is not just rapid, it's revolutionary. As such, this fast-paced evolution presents a unique challenge for L&D leaders. How do you keep up with the latest advancements while keeping sight of the primary goal: supporting your organisation effectively?

In my view, the key lies in a balanced approach. Integrating the excitement of innovation with the practical needs of an organisation that's built upon a robust infrastructure. But easier said than done!

A word of caution

I just want to touch on one point. The AI advancements that we are seeing now must come with responsible usage and management. The hyperbole surrounding AI's capabilities, often amplified on the internet and social media platforms like LinkedIn, should be tempered with a pragmatic approach.

To effectively integrate AI into L&D departments, careful preparation and strategic planning are essential. This involves understanding AI's potential and limitations, ensuring responsible and ethical usage, and equipping teams with the necessary skills and knowledge for successful implementation.

If this sounds like hard work – it is.

So far, I have identified over 150 elements to consider. But, in the interests of simplification, I will list seven questions you should ask yourself before going any further with AI.

The seven questions

1.?????? Are your strategies well-documented and do you have solid AI use cases?

A robust strategy and carefully designed use-cases are the cornerstones of a successful AI implementation. They ensure that AI solutions are aligned with business objectives and can effectively address real, organisational problems. By identifying key areas where AI can add value, you can prioritise projects with the highest return on investment and greatest impact, paving the way for sustainable growth and innovation.

2.?????? Do you have your employee experience mapped out? ?

The integration of AI into the workplace significantly affects employee experience. AI tools can streamline workflows, automate mundane tasks, and provide insights that enable your employees to focus on more creative and strategic activities. We all know that a positive employee experience can lead to increased productivity, job satisfaction, and retention, as employees feel their skills are being utilised effectively alongside advanced technologies. Conversely, they could simply see AI as a big threat to their jobs and livelihoods. ?So, mapping out what your current employee experience is, enables you to see where AI will impact the experiences.

3.?????? How good is your data?

AI is built upon data, but L&D is often poor at data. L&D using AI solutions requires rigorous data governance and management to ensure that organisational training data is accurate, relevant, and unbiased*. Effective data governance frameworks protect data integrity, privacy, and compliance with regulations, which is crucial for using AI solutions ethically and reliably. What does your current data governance and management look like?

*how does one make internal data unbiased? I'll cover this in a future article.

4.?????? How are you set up for Ethics, Legal, Environmental and Compliance?

These are relatively new areas in the L&D professional, and they are frankly overdue. Navigating the ethical implications and legal obligations of AI is essential to maintaining trust and accountability among your employees. Ethical AI fosters employee confidence and supports sustainable practices, while compliance with legal and environmental regulations avoids penalties and fosters corporate responsibility. Identifying what you have in place, or more importantly what you don’t, is vital as you go through the implementation of AI solutions. Please reach out if you want to understand more.

5.?????? How clued up are your L&D teams on AI?

This goes beyond simply reading a few posts on LinkedIn. Having individuals within your team with robust AI skills will be vital to driving future innovation across the L&D landscape. By investing in upskilling and reskilling now, you can build a team capable of confidently managing AI solutions ahead. This might not seem like an important element at the moment, but it's becoming a massive requirement.

6.?????? Do you have AI skills training for your employees?

Providing AI training for your employees gives them the knowledge to work effectively with AI solutions in the future. This is becoming even more important as the days go by. Remember, it's about AI augmenting your employees' work, not fully replacing them (human + AI = good). Training employees empowers them to contribute and be a part of any AI solutions you and your organisation launch. I would advise collaborating with AI experts, both internally and externally; I am more than happy to chat on how to do this.

7.?????? Do you have your technology ecosystem mapped out?

Integrating AI into your current technology framework is crucial. Presently, AI solutions serve to augment your existing systems. However, it's anticipated that soon we will transition to a comprehensive organisational AI ecosystem. It's important to recognise that traditional learning technology systems are likely to become a part of this broader organisational AI network in the future. For the time being, it's essential to outline your technology ecosystem's architecture. This will help you understand how AI solutions can effectively integrate your existing infrastructure.

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In conclusion

The AI industry is moving at an unprecedented pace. But that doesn’t mean that you should. Move at the pace of your organisation. Don’t let technology dictate the speed at which you work.

Instead, make sure that you and your teams have solid foundations from which the AI solutions can be piloted and deployed in your organisation.

That's all for now.

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