Since the release of ChatGPT in Nov. 2022, the craze around artificial intelligence (AI) hasn’t let up. AI is playing an increasingly important role in learning and development (L&D) programs, too. Last year, 50% of companies implemented AI in their learning and training processes, with technology (23.2%), finance (19.5%) and retail (8.5%) sectors leading the way.

Yet despite all the buzz, many L&D teams are still using the technology in a limited capacity. For instance, a recent study revealed that AI in learning is being used mainly for content production.

While AI can enhance productivity in this area and lead to more uniform quality of learning content, L&D shouldn’t stop there. The technology’s true potential lies in creating personalized and relevant learning experiences, which makes it aptly suited for leadership training.

Below, explore how L&D professionals can go beyond content creation and use AI strategically to drive behavior change and elevate leadership upskilling strategies.

L&D Should Start Using AI Strategically

While AI is dramatically expanding capabilities to create and curate learning experiences, what makes learners learn — and what makes upskilling successful — at its core, hasn’t changed. The number one requirement remains a clear impact framework that outlines the behavior changes needed to reach business goals.

It sounds simple, yet the reality is: upskilling often does not happen with a clear idea of the business goals to which it will contribute in mind.

Only when L&D professionals can connect AI to strategic goals can they avoid the trap of simply jumping on the latest trends, or conversely, getting so overwhelmed by all the options that they stick to those that seem easiest to apply.

With a clear understanding of impact, L&D professionals can ensure that they are integrating the right tools in the right places so that their employees have the necessary skills to drive the overall success of the organization.

Developing such an impact framework revolves around three key steps:

1. Define business goals: What do you want to improve? Talk to your stakeholders to clearly understand where you are and what you want to achieve.
2. Pinpoint behaviors: After business goals are defined, it’s time to translate them into training goals. Clarify the skills that need to be learned and spell them out as observable behaviors that will impact your business goals.
3. Curate learning programs: Based on this information (ideally supported by skills assessments and other learning data), you can start to develop programs and identify technologies that will target the exact skills that employees need to change their behavior.

By focusing on impact as defined here, L&D departments can elevate themselves to a much more strategic role in the business and guide AI adoption in a way that drives faster and more focused learning transfer.

The True Power of AI: Fostering Behavior Change

While half the battle is identifying the behaviors that need to be changed, the other half is actually changing them.

And there’s no way around it: behavior change is hard. It requires motivation, sustained engagement, practice, repetition, and reflection. It needs to be embedded in the organization and tailored to the skills, needs, goals and context of each individual learner. In other words, it requires deep personalization.

This is where AI shines: in creating tailored and realistic learning experiences at many different stages of the learning journey. While examples abound, compelling use cases for AI use currently fall into three main buckets:

1. Active realistic practice

Learners can engage in interactive skill practice with AI, tailored to their specific real-world challenges. Picture AI-driven scenarios where users actively practice skills in situations personalized to their unique needs.

2. Feedback.

AI can provide personalized feedback not only on learner’s practice but also on their real-world behaviors. Imagine having an AI coach offering real-time, tailored feedback, identifying areas for improvement and suggesting additional exercises to strengthen weaker areas.

3. Personalization and adaptive learning.

AI can be leveraged to deliver customized content to each learner, ensuring they receive content based on their specific needs. Moving beyond static content, AI algorithms enable dynamic personalization, adapting the learning journey in real-time.

Leveraging AI for Leadership Training

When looking at upskilling for top-level leaders, AI’s potential becomes particularly interesting. Because if there’s one thing that’s clear it’s that leaders are not short on content — they’re short on time and in need of effective solutions.

So how can AI enhance their learning experience? Here are the key examples, based on the three areas identified above:

• Leadership coaching.

Giving feedback and coaching employees are critical interpersonal skills that are part of being a good leader. These skills typically play out in a conversation and simulating these kinds of conversations is exactly what AI is good at. Whether it’s an AI avatar, a text chatbot, or an AI coach that analyzes audio or video recordings, the technology can create a safe and realistic learning experience where leaders can receive specific, tailored feedback on skills. This is particularly helpful for leaders who have reached a high level of seniority and don’t want their status or authority questioned. AI offers a safe space in which they can try out new things and fail freely without “losing face.”

• Real-time feedback through role-plays.

The same AI-powered tools can provide real-time feedback on behavior and emotions and identify areas that may require ongoing development. For instance, when leaders use an AI coach to practice giving feedback on employee performance, they can promptly receive feedback that identifies areas where they excel, such as conveying the message clearly, and highlights areas that need improvement, such as the need to articulate specific steps for the employee to take to enhance performance.

• The right skills at the right time.

Leaders in any organization are often short on time. This means they need upskilling solutions that ensure they receive the right skills and practices at the right time. By analyzing leaders’ performance and preferences, AI algorithms can dynamically adjust the learning path and content, aligning with the leader’s individual learning style. This not only optimizes the use of the time leaders dedicate to learning but also ensures they acquire skills in the most effective way possible.

The bottom line: When it comes to AI-enabled tools for L&D, it’s about going from content production to providing relevant experiences aligned with business impact. The essential thing for leaders is active realistic practice — not just acquiring knowledge, but forcing the learner to act out scenarios in an environment that simulates the real-world as closely as possible. Only when impact and personalization align can L&D truly unlock the potential of AI for their organizations and leadership.