Learning in the Age of AI: Empowering Organizations to Succeed

sinaltik November 6, 2024

0 0 4 minutes read

Learning in the Age of AI: Empowering Organizations to Succeed

AI-Powered Learning Shaping the Future

AI adoption is growing across industries, with the use of generative AI (GenAI) doubling from 33% in 2023 to 65% in 2024. [1] Companies are embracing AI, but what if I told you that AI adoption is not just a trend but a survival strategy?

There are major forces at play, including demographic changes, labor shortages, rising employee expectations, and organizational change, all of which are set to have a major impact on how people learn.

So it’s no surprise that 72% of businesses are using AI in various areas of business. [1] Incorporating AI into learning has the potential to improve Learning and Development (L&D), too.

With personalized experiences coupled with workflows, analytics, and seamless automation, AI-driven learning platforms are set to empower companies to address skills gaps and productivity challenges. But AI is not without risks.

Choosing AI-driven learning technologies to engage employees and equip them for the future of work has become essential for organizations today.

Challenges Facing Today’s Businesses

Businesses are facing a brave new world—where birth rates around the world are slowly falling as the aging population approaches retirement. [2]

In other words, we are losing more knowledge workers than we can replace, leaving companies without the “secret knowledge” that has been built up over the years.

The annual growth rate of the world’s population is gradually decreasing. Source: UN Population Division

This tacit knowledge—the understanding and knowledge only in one’s mind—is what separates the seasoned worker from the newbie. Now, as an entire generation leaves the workforce, businesses are facing a brain drain. It’s like losing the recipe for your favorite family meal right before the holidays.

Therefore, there are few workers to do the work, and now they have to rush to learn and interact with AI. According to the World Economic Forum, 23% of jobs will be affected by AI by 2027. [3] But the truth is that we are already affected.

Companies lose valuable expertise and institutional knowledge

We are losing experienced employees faster than new employees can fill their roles. This significantly widens the skills gap as companies lose valuable expertise and institutional knowledge. Source: US Bureau of Labor

Sixty-one percent of workers have tried AI at work at least once, yet most are likely learning on their own. [4] Research by Docebo revealed that 70% of learning at work happens off the clock.

It’s almost like expecting an athlete to train and prepare, and then when the big game comes, they perform well. And if they don’t? However, they may start looking for a coach who will meet them where they are—during work.

Without on-the-job learning opportunities, 67% of workers are likely to switch to a new employer. [4] Upskilling has never been more important, and employees see it as alienating.

Today’s workforce also has increased expectations for meaningful work experiences, including learning and personal development.

The business learning environment is also growing. Businesses invest in educating not only employees but also customers and partners—expanding their learning audience beyond traditional boundaries.

Data from Docebo shows that companies have doubled their external training efforts. A recent study by the Brandon Hall Group shows that more than half of organizations now provide learning to external, non-employee groups such as customers, channel partners, distributors, vendors, and billers. [5]

Businesses are also increasing the use cases for learning

According to Docebo’s customer data, businesses are also expanding their learning use cases. In a decade, many organizations have doubled their external training by educating customers and empowering partners. Source: Docebo

So, how can organizations adapt to these challenges?

The Role of AI in Transforming Learning at Work

This is where AI-powered learning platforms can shine.

Imagine a world where a virtual assistant on your computer not only guides you through content but personalizes everything you do. Advanced AI tools catalog, organize, and recommend the most in-demand content, just like Netflix offers the next series to binge on.

With AI-driven deep search and automatic tagging, learning materials are no longer buried; they just click.

Consider the grind behind content creation: it can take over 100 hours to produce one hour of training material. But with AI, this process is much faster. [6]

AI-driven analytics can identify gaps in knowledge, allowing training to target real needs while also turning that hidden expertise into organized, searchable information that encourages collaboration.

However, the AI is not flawless. Its decisions can be opaque, sometimes even “opinions” or mirrors.

That’s why a solution like Docebo’s, which takes an education-first approach, insists on transparent, explainable, and reliable AI. Demonstrating this commitment, Docebo has partnered with TEDAI Vienna to explore the transformative impact of AI on society and global thought leaders.

Let’s explore how one company used AI to redefine its approach to research.

Real-World Success with AI: The Booking.com Case Study

Before switching to Docebo’s AI-powered learning platform, Booking.com, one of the world’s leading digital travel companies, faced a lot of manual work, from sending emails to managing the calendars of more than 15,000 employees.

However, with Docebo, Booking.com has integrated its technology stack, with integrations such as Google Calendar and Workday, automatic notifications and learning efforts for personalization.

The results? They increased learning programs by 30% and increased the training of Subject Specialists by 40%, without causing difficulties in their management. In fact, management time is reduced by 80%, saving more than 800 hours per year.

Conclusion: An AI-Powered Future of Learning

So, can AI really fill the gaps it sets out to fill? Yes – but there is a difference. Like many innovations, AI has great potential for clarity, understanding and transformation. But it can also introduce bias. That’s why it’s important to prioritize building AI systems that are invisible, explainable, and open to human oversight.

One thing is certain: in the workplace of the future, AI is not just a tool. My partner. It will also be critical in supporting workforce development and addressing skills gaps, labor shortages, and the growing needs of today’s businesses. By providing personalized, data-driven learning methods, AI will allow employees to learn within the workplace, improving both productivity and flexibility.