ChatGPT has taken the world by storm, captivating the minds (and keyboards) of over 100 million users in just a matter of months. 

As the fastest-growing app of all time, it has sparked discussions about the role of AI in our work lives. 

For L&D teams, it poses both opportunity and risk – helping learning teams to achieve greater personalisation of learning content and pathways, meet learners where they’re at, enhancing curation and content creation, and more. 

But you need to weigh up the pros and cons of all technologies, and ChatGPT is no exception.

The lowdown on ChatGPT in learning

Generative AI, including ChatGPT, belongs to a class of algorithms that have the power to create various forms of content such as images, text, and sounds. 

This technology has the potential to significantly reduce the time and effort required to create instructional material for e-learning. 

On average, it takes anywhere from 18 to 155 hours to develop a piece of content for e-learning. 

By leveraging generative AI tools like ChatGPT, organisations can streamline the content creation process and save valuable time.

Yet, this may be a double-edged sword. 

The content you provide learners has to be detailed enough to upskill them to the level you need for the task or job at hand. Poor quality content won’t get your learners to the skill proficiency needed. 

And there’s a significant risk that making content creation easier, dilutes the overall efficacy of that content. 

Especially if there’s no human doing final proofing and editing. 

The content you provide learners has to be detailed enough to upskill them to the level you need for the task or job at hand. Poor quality content won’t get your learners to the skill proficiency needed

Exploring uses of AI for L&D

The potential of AI in L&D extends beyond content creation. 

It can automate, optimise and personalise the learning experience, as well as enhance instructional design and skill analysis. 

By leveraging AI, organisations can democratise learning, making it accessible and tailored to employees from all backgrounds. 

Feedback on work can be given in near real-time using generative AI tools. 

Adaptive learning is a goal all L&D teams are striving for and AI makes this a lot more possible. 

It won’t be long before AI is being used to guide individual’s learning journeys and career development. 

In fact, ChatGPT is already being touted by some as a personal career coach. 

The changing role of (human) L&D

Where does that leave human L&D teams? Like any automation tool, ChatGPT could potentially free up a lot more time and resources for human L&D practitioners to focus on ‘human’ tasks like relationship building. 

That’s vital in a world where employees are increasingly looking for connection and purpose from their employers. 

By deepening connections with other parts of the business, L&D can keep its finger on the pulse of the skills needed by each functional area and the aspirations of individual learners. 

Just the connection and knowledge gained through this will immediately make learning strategies feel more personal.

Speaking of skills, AI can help bridge the gap between skills and the wider business. 

It can help to gather, consolidate, and analyse skills data from HR and learning systems to help L&D and other teams make more informed decisions around upskilling, reskilling, learning opportunities and more. 

Like any automation tool, ChatGPT could potentially free up a lot more time and resources for human L&D practitioners to focus on ‘human’ tasks like relationship building

Be mindful of ChatGPT’s limitations 

Of course, there are some drawbacks to ChatGPT and other AI tools that L&D needs to be mindful of. 

To start, ChatGPT may have limitations in providing highly personalised learning recommendations or creating specialised, niche content. Some things, as they say, are best left to the experts.

Another challenge is the potential for bias in AI-driven L&D programs. 

AI systems heavily rely on data, and if that data contains biases, they can be amplified and propagated at scale.

Since large language models like GPT are trained on datasets from the internet, which inherently contain biases, caution must be exercised when relying solely on ChatGPT. 

ChatGPT may have limitations in providing highly personalised learning recommendations or creating specialised, niche content. Some things, as they say, are best left to the experts

Efforts should be made to eliminate biases as much as possible in the data used for training.

Data privacy is also a crucial consideration when utilising AI in L&D. 

Organisations must ensure data privacy and comply with AI regulations. 

The quality, accuracy, and timeliness of data used in AI models are critical factors in providing reliable recommendations and insights. 

Collecting skills data from diverse sources and anonymising it helps in minimising privacy concerns and enhances the accuracy and effectiveness of AI-powered learning recommendations.

Start by upskilling yourself

When used in a careful, thoughtful way, ChatGPT and other generative AI tools hold great promise for L&D teams. 

To start using these today, begin by learning more about the applications and pitfalls of different AI tools. 

Align any proposed use with your L&D and business goals, and ensure your L&D team has the necessary skills and knowledge to use AI with confidence and responsibility.

If you enjoyed this, read: Six standout skills in the age of artificial intelligence