eLearning’s AI tightrope: real stories of balance, risk and reward
3 mins
Many in the learning and development (L&D) community are wrestling with the same fear: will AI take our jobs? But the reality, as our recent Training Industry webinar revealed, is far more optimistic. Far from replacing learning professionals, AI is reshaping roles and unlocking new possibilities. Or as Dominique Biliato, SAI360, put it: “It’s about role evolution, not role replacement.”
That perspective set the tone for a lively conversation with Ryan Austin (Cognota), Damon Patterson Sr. (Align Technology), and Dominique Biliato. Each brought real-world stories from the front lines of corporate learning – stories about measurable impact, calculated risk and the practical steps needed to do it right.
AI is already reshaping learning
The panelists agreed: AI is already delivering results that matter. A full spectrum of training programs that are seeing improvements in speed, scalability and quality.
With this evolution, return on investment is no longer abstract. Teams are tracking reduced production costs, shorter time-to-launch and stronger learner engagement. “We’ve seen amazing reductions in how much we spend and how much time it takes, bringing real value to customers,” said Biliato, reflecting on AI’s role in video and audio production.
AI is also making adaptive learning journeys possible. Training that once treated everyone the same can now adjust in real time, tailoring content to role, experience and performance. It’s personalization at scale, and it’s changing learner expectations.
And this isn’t limited to a single stage in the process. Instructional designers move from blank page to draft more quickly, localization teams expand reach with fewer delays, and learning leaders finally have time to focus on what humans do best: context, creativity and connection.
Walking the line between innovation and responsibility
With opportunity comes responsibility. Every panelist emphasized that AI must be implemented with care, not blind adoption.
Human oversight remains essential. Austin described AI as an “intern” – helpful for drafts and suggestions, but not ready to own the outcome. Patterson highlighted the danger of AI “hallucinations,” reminding the audience that AI speaks with such confidence it’s tempting to trust it blindly. The lesson: curiosity and critical thinking are still required.
Governance and security can’t be an afterthought. Biliato urged organizations to vet vendors carefully, checking for robust data protection and compliance standards before diving in. Patterson reinforced the point: “AI can amplify both value and risk. Without governance, you can’t control which one wins.”
Preparing for the future: integration and workflows
Another strong theme was integration. Adding AI into a broken process doesn’t fix the process; it simply scales the dysfunction.
Patterson pressed learning leaders to think carefully about workflows. Does an AI tool connect with content repositories? Does it support existing authoring platforms and learning management systems? Or does it sit off to the side, creating yet another silo? Preparing for the future means embedding AI into the flow of work, not bolting it on.
Austin added a note of urgency, warning that too many teams underestimate the effort required to clean up and integrate workflows. He explained that if organizations don’t start addressing this now, they’ll face long delays before AI can deliver real value.
Focus on maturity, not hype
Perhaps the sharpest reality check came from Austin, citing recent research that more than half of L&D teams are still running their operations on spreadsheets.
The message was clear: don’t chase AI hype if your foundations aren’t ready. The panel shared the example of a large pharmaceutical company that spent three years re-tagging its content libraries to prepare for AI-driven personalization. Three years of foundational work before AI could even be effective.
As Patterson put it: “It’s about readiness. AI won’t fix your foundations – it will just expose them. If you haven’t invested in quality data, you’re going to scale problems instead of solving them.”
Practical advice for learning leaders
The panel’s guidance was pragmatic, not promotional, and focused on the foundations of using AI responsibly in eLearning.
The first priority is governance. Before experimenting with new tools, bring the right stakeholders into the room – legal, compliance, and IT leaders. Their early involvement helps set boundaries, avoid surprises and build trust in how AI will be deployed.
Next comes risk. The advice was not to shy away from experimentation, but to do it with intent. Test and learn, but define clear parameters and contingency plans. By taking measured risks, teams can explore AI’s potential without exposing the organization to unnecessary disruption.
Workflows are another critical area. AI is most effective when it fits into existing processes, not when it creates new silos. Integration is everything. Leaders should prioritize tools that connect smoothly with current platforms and make collaboration easier across teams.
Finally, invest in maturity. Strong foundations matter. That means auditing your content, cleaning up data and preparing teams for change. Without this groundwork, AI will only amplify existing weaknesses. With it, learning leaders can build scalable programs that are ready for future innovation.
The real takeaway
AI isn’t replacing learning professionals; it’s elevating them. It’s removing repetitive work and giving experts the space to focus on strategy, creativity and learner impact. But success requires more than enthusiastic AI adoption. It depends on maturity, governance and integration.
The organizations that thrive won’t be those chasing new tools. They’ll be the ones who prepare carefully, integrate intelligently, and bring the right stakeholders into the conversation. Governance and integration may not be the most glamorous topics in AI, but they are the most critical – and what ensures innovation delivers real value.
If you'd like learn more check out this webinar featuring learning leaders from Cognota, SAI360 and Align Technology who share their experiences in applying AI to their learning and development strategies.