If you’re working in L&D – whether as a practitioner or a supplier to this vast market – brace yourself for dramatic change. Why? Because everything is about to shift, including the very model of learning many have built their careers on.
At the heart of this transformation is a move away from the traditional “publishing” model of learning. After 30 years of relative stability, we’re entering a new era: one defined by dynamic, real-time content. And that changes everything.
For major players like Harvard Publishing, LinkedIn Learning, Coursera, and Skillsoft – whose businesses rely on licensing static content – this is a warning sign. Their models are on borrowed time.
The catalyst? AI, which can now generate tailored learning content on demand, now puts entire libraries and course catalogues at risk.
A new world of instructional design
Workplace L&D has long mirrored traditional education, with subject matter experts and instructional designers crafting structured learning. But AI is now replicating – and improving – this process. Unlike students, business professionals need fast, on-the-job learning, not slow, structured paths. At work, we learn from experts, and AI lets them spin up and access materials directly, bypassing the translation needed for formal design.
Exercises, discussions, and simulations can now be automated too. For example, vendors are using AI to build content, create tutor bots, track progress, and offer real-time support. Early e-learning failed by copying classrooms, but AI lets us design smarter, faster learning systems.
Persistent challenges (and how AI is solving them)
Over the past decade, the chief learning officer (CLO) embraced innovations like microlearning, video, mobile messaging, and even VR. Platforms like YouTube, podcasts, and TikTok showed that informal, on-demand learning can be more effective than traditional methods.
Still, challenges persisted:
- Content Overload: Learners faced too many options with little guidance.
- Outdated Materials: Content often became obsolete before it could be updated.
- Inefficient LMS: Systems built for compliance struggled to deliver personalised, adaptive learning.
Adaptive learning once promised a breakthrough – training tailored to each individual’s needs. But in reality, most content wasn’t flexible enough, and the systems weren’t intelligent enough to deliver on that promise. As a result, it never scaled: our data shows that only 13% of companies use it today.
Now, AI is transforming corporate training by:
- Consolidating and Organising Content: Scanning and surfacing the most relevant materials.
- Personalising Learning: Dynamically creating custom learning paths for each employee.
- Making Knowledge Accessible: Delivering real-time answers and integrating learning into daily workflows, turning training into an ongoing, interactive experience.
The world of work has shifted permanently, which means AI is finally delivering the L&D breakthroughs we’ve been waiting for.
A rolling wave of digital change
You might say we’ve been here before – and survived it. In the early 2000s, the internet disrupted the learning market with a wave of innovation: hundreds of companies launched online courseware, LMS platforms, and digital hubs like LinkedIn Learning, Coursera, Khan Academy, and Blackboard.
Many traditional educators were pushed aside as the shift to online learning gained momentum. Companies invested heavily in LMSs, expansive content libraries, and Learning Experience Platforms (LXPs). These technologies moved classroom-based training to digital, collaborative learning – fueled by iPhones, YouTube, Twitter, and other emerging platforms.
Today, AI is disrupting everything again. Instructional design teams are shrinking as systems begin generating content dynamically. Roles are shifting toward content curation, AI training, and performance consulting.
But according to the CLOs we’re speaking with, this isn’t just a faster or more efficient version of what came before – it’s something far more radical and transformative. If corporate learning becomes as personalised as your Instagram feed, we’ll be living in an entirely new world of L&D. So, what’s our response?
It’s a shift happening now
AI is not only transforming training delivery, it’s also profoundly reshaping the business model of content providers. Companies like Skillsoft and Coursera, once built around static, months-long course development, are being upended by dynamic, on-demand AI learning. Traditional content quickly becomes outdated; today’s needs demand real-time, personalized updates. Organisations are rapidly moving to AI-powered platforms that deliver constantly refreshed, tailored learning.
While not yet universal, change is accelerating rapidly. Just two years ago, large language models were unfamiliar to most; today, AI tools like Microsoft Copilot are embedded in Fortune 100 workflows. White-collar professionals are already turning to AI for real-time learning and mentorship. Formal training is giving way to fluid, in-the-flow learning experiences.
As AI scales and personalises content with increasing precision, CLOs will find it hard to ignore. Imagine Copilot not just as a productivity tool, but as an always-on workplace tutor – signaling an AI-powered L&D revolution that’s already underway.
A chance to reinvent L&D
L&D professionals must see that AI isn’t just another step like microlearning, but is a complete overhaul of how companies create, deliver, and assess knowledge.
For senior HR and L&D leaders, AI presents significant challenges – but also unprecedented opportunities. In the early 2000s, CLOs were at the forefront of the digital learning revolution. Today, AI offers a new moment to lead again. Why continue investing in static, third-party content when AI can generate and continuously update personalised training at scale? And how do we prepare for a future workforce already shaped by AI-enhanced education?
Now is the moment for you and your L&D colleagues to pause, take stock, and get ready to lead into L&D 2.0. The hard truth: those who embrace AI will thrive in a fast-moving, knowledge-driven world – those who don’t risk becoming irrelevant. If you’re in L&D, 2025 is your year to act.
