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Building skills at scale with generative AI
Embracing a new era of learning and development
5-MINUTE READ
October 16, 2024
Emerging technologies, including both traditional and generative AI (gen AI), are transforming business and the public sector at a remarkable pace and scale. Success requires organizations to set and guide a vision for reinventing work, reshaping the workforce and preparing workers for a gen AI world. But how do you make sure you have the workforce skills and capabilities needed to thrive now and in the future?
94%
of people say they are ready to learn new skills to work with gen AI, yet only 5% of organizations are actively reskilling their workforce at scale
The good news is that CEOs are realizing they need new skills, and 91% of those we surveyed plan to increase their investments on data and AI training in the next year. However, we won’t meet the accelerating demands for new workforce skills and capabilities using traditional education models alone. The “one size fits most” approach that we have relied on for decades, including classroom training and online training catalogs, are helpful, but do not deliver the new skills we need at the scale and speed required.
The power of personalized, contextualized learning
Educators and researchers agree that the best learning is tailored to the learner's needs and the environment where the learning will be used. This is true for learners of all ages, in both academic and professional settings. Personalized learning recognizes that each learner is unique, with different needs and different motivations. By tailoring the learning experience to the individual, learners are more engaged and can more effectively absorb new information.
Contextualized learning takes this a step further by embedding the learning in relevant, real-world scenarios. When learners see the direct connection between what they are learning and how it applies to their lives, they are more likely to understand, retain and apply the knowledge effectively. Whether it's an experienced finance professional learning project management skills by simulating a real-world finance transformation project, or an entry-level technologist learning agile methodology by simulating a mid-stage systems development project, personalized and contextualized learning accelerates skill development.
Personalized Learning
Personalized learning focuses on the individual learner. It aims to make the learning experience fit each person's needs and preferences.
Contextualized Learning
Contextualized learning focuses on the learning environment with a goal of aligning learning content with the real-world context in which it will be applied.
The power of gen AI to scale role-based learning
Personalized, contextualized, role-based learning has traditionally been difficult to implement at scale in large organizations due to several factors: limited access to expert instructors, high costs associated with creating immersive learning environments and the complexities introduced by diverse roles and contexts where the learned skills will be applied. However, gen AI is becoming a powerful solution to these problems. It's already having an amazing effect on the reach, depth and speed of knowledge and skill building. This is because it can provide scalable solutions, on-demand and at affordable costs, like personalized tutoring and role-based simulations.
Imagine a sales professional needing to improve their negotiation skills. Instead of a generic online course, a gen AI platform can simulate realistic negotiation scenarios, tailored to the individual's industry, experience level and the products they are selling. The AI can provide real-time feedback, adapting to the learner's strengths and weaknesses, simulating different client personalities and even mimicking specific deal complexities unique to the learner's role. This personalized approach makes sure the skills learned are directly applicable to the learner's work environment, making them more confident and effective in real-world negotiations.
This isn’t a pipe dream. Both learning and development leaders and learners already have a range of gen AI-powered tools to choose from to support their learning. And because programming experience isn’t required, highly accessible tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude are democratizing the ability to create learning experiences. You can even test it out for yourself, Gemini’s Learning Coach is a great place to start.
Corporate educators also have thousands of pre-built tools to choose from, including pre-made GPTs on the platforms above and higher-fidelity experiences on standalone platforms such as TouchCast Mentor, Praxis Labs and Talespin by Cornerstone. These tools span all aspects of education, including instructional design, content creation, learning experience delivery and performance support.
Gen AI learning simulation in action
Accenture created a Learning Simulation Creator tool on ChatGPT to support one-to-one practice in the subject area and context of the learner’s choosing. The GPT has been trained to offer three different contexts for the simulation, and to accept additional inputs for the learner to further extend the context of the situation. Additional inputs may include product manuals, sales models, leadership frameworks, policy documents and more.
It's one example of how gen AI is changing the game for learning in accessible, "here today" ways. The tool was created with zero programming experience, leveraging base prompts from Ethan Mollick's "More Useful Things" prompt library. It has been tested on dozens of scenarios including delivering difficult feedback to a team member, negotiating changes to contract terms, and convincing a senior stakeholder to invest in gen AI learning capabilities.
Why this works
Simulation tools allow learners to practice in safe environments, at their own pace, within a meaningful context. The richer and more realistic the context, the smaller the gap between learning, application and skill development. In the past, simulations were expensive and time-consuming to develop and deliver. Gen AI tools allow for the creation of personalized learning experiences in rich, meaningful contexts at speed and with a minimal cost.
Generative AI empowers organizations to deliver personalized, contextualized and role-based experiential training at scale. By tailoring learning experiences to each individual's specific needs, real-world contexts and roles, AI accelerates skill development, transforming workforce training into a highly relevant, actionable and outcomes-driven process.
Prof. Majd Sakr / Chief Learning & Research Officer, Accenture
The future of learning is here
The global skills gap is widening at an alarming rate, and traditional reskilling / upskilling methods need enhancement and reconsideration to keep pace. While gen AI isn't a magic bullet for this complex issue, it provides a powerful tool to revolutionize how we learn and develop throughout our lifetime.
The technology is ready, and its potential is huge. It's time to embrace gen AI to unlock a new era of skill-building. Let's use it to empower our workforce, bridge the skills gap and build a future where continuous learning and development are not just possible, but the norm. The future of learning is here. Let's seize it.