Corporate coaching, once reserved for senior executives, is now an on-demand, virtual opportunity available to everyone. But while artificial intelligence allows companies to provide this type of job assistance to thousands of employees, training experts see humans as still a key component of professional development.
Alex Alonso, chief data and analytics officer at the US-based Institute for Human Resource Management, said that so far, the use of AI in training has lagged behind its use in recruitment. “This is a neglected area in the AI conversation,” he says. “But the best applications exist in the world of learning and development.”
Mike Mather, chief learning officer at business advisor KPMG, says that even for routine training, AI-based sessions can be more engaging than traditional formats. He sees many of his clients using AI tools to create podcasts and avatars for this type of workplace learning.
He cited compliance training. “It’s always a challenge for people to consume,” he says. “Being able to turn it into a podcast makes the experience and efficiency much better than a 12-page PDF.”
AI is also changing the nature of training. Professional development used to take place during scheduled sessions, but it is increasingly becoming part of the work day. By providing information and advice on demand on their mobile devices, employees can access training whenever they encounter an issue they need help with.
Of course, bite-sized training has been used in eLearning for many years. However, generative AI makes the experience much more interactive and conversational.
It also allows training to be designed in real time to fit workplace-specific scenarios, said Matt Rosenbaum, human capital principal scientist at the Conference Board think tank. “There is an accelerating shift towards microlearning modules and targeted interactions within work streams,” he says.
But this raises a question. Should companies allow generative AI to learn from employee interactions and adapt to corporate training, or should they maintain some standardization in professional learning?
“It certainly has the ability to learn and change based on the queries that are asked,” Rosenbaum says. “But as we push further and further into personalization, there is always a tension in terms of making sure everyone hears the same message.”
But perhaps the most innovative application of AI is the ability to provide coaching and other forms of training to everyone, not just managers and senior executives.
For example, at Bank of America, interactive and immersive simulations in which employees role-play various scenarios are available worldwide in contact centers that manage the bank’s customer communications.
“Last year, our teams used these tools more than 1.8 million times,” said Bernard Hampton, director of Academy at Bank of America, the company’s onboarding and professional development organization.
AI shift
Sign up for The AI Shift Newsletter, a weekly deep dive into how AI is reshaping the world of work, from John Byrne Murdoch and Sarah O’Connor.
The training, he explains, can be accessed via virtual reality goggles or on-screen video and offers unlimited role-playing options with simulations that mimic real-world scenarios, such as unexpected client requests or difficult conversations.
In some situations, AI coaches appear to be just as effective as human coaches. In one study, participants were unable to tell whether they were talking to a human or a machine, but found no significant difference in their ability to interact with an AI coach.
Additionally, Rosenbaum argues that AI-generated coaches make it easier for employees to try things out. “AI doesn’t make decisions like humans do,” he says. “So people go to the AI to ask stupid questions first, and then they go to their colleagues for more substantive discussions.”
Nevertheless, as AI coaches begin to become more prevalent in corporate environments, companies will need to ensure that humans can intervene when discussions move into sensitive areas, especially when conversations are being recorded.
Sensitive areas include mental health topics and conversations that could put the company in legal jeopardy or risk invasion of privacy or loss of intellectual property, Alonso said.
Technology itself can help. The system recognizes specific words and phrases and can stop recording if necessary or send an alert suggesting an in-person discussion. “But these are considerations that need to be determined before releasing this type of technology to the public,” Alonso says.
Meanwhile, Hampton argues that humans will continue to be essential in developing complex interpersonal skills. He points to leadership, conflict resolution, and decision-making that requires nuanced judgment and ethical reasoning. “It’s the ability to react to someone in real time,” he says.
Mather agrees that not all AI experience can build specialized skills. “But if humans are professors, then teaching assistants and tutors will be AIs,” he says.