How AI In Learning And Development Is Raising The Bar
How AI In Learning And Development Is Raising The Bar
Publish Date: 2026-04-27 07:00:00
Source Domain: www.forbes.com
Here’s a summary of the article focusing on Alyn Kinney’s perspective on AI’s impact on Learning & Development (L&D):
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Complex Reality of AI Adoption in L&D: While AI aims to simplify training, Alyn Kinney, Sr. Manager of L&D at T-Mobile, believes it provides an opportunity to move towards deeper, higher-fidelity learning rather than reducing training to cheaper and shorter formats.
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Behind-the-Scenes Use of AI: Kinney views many successful AI applications as behind the scenes, noting that AI is easier in research, planning, and setup. However, he is cautious about using AI directly in employee-facing training to avoid turning off learners.
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Cognitive Offloading Risks: Kinney warns about “cognitive debt” – the risk of workers relying too heavily on AI for mental tasks. He argues that for significant learning areas, training should add friction to encourage mastery instead of simply being quick and easy.
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Shift Toward Contextual Learning: As people move from formal learning management systems (LMS) to using large language models (LLM), there’s an opportunity for more contextual and on-demand learning. This could shift focus areas in L&D toward coaching, context, and personalization.
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Raising the Bar for Quality: In the age of generative AI, learning programs must offer value beyond basic summaries. Training needs to provide higher clarity, contextual relevance, credibility, and usefulness compared to cheaper alternatives.
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Problem-Solving Approach: Kinney advocates for L&D to shift from just content creation to problem-solving, asking, “What problem am I solving?” for each training endeavor. He believes the future will favor those who use AI when speed is crucial but add effort where mastery is necessary.
This summary captures Kinney’s thoughtful reflections on AI’s potential and challenges in the field of L&D.
