The Role Generative AI Plays In Upskilling Employees

Nurturing a skilled and adaptable workforce for the future

Within the next decade, the World Economic Forum predicts that 1.1 billion jobs globally are going to fundamentally transform as technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), enable greater automation. Skill shortages are at an all-time high in a diverse range of sectors and occupations across all skill levels, and the decreasing working age population will likely drive up these labor shortages in the coming decades.

Faced with this reality, organizations worldwide are grappling with the challenge of nurturing a skilled and adaptable workforce that can navigate and thrive in today’s market realities. Organizations need learning landscapes that respond to the scale and speed in which re- and upskilling of leaders and employees must succeed in the upcoming decade. 

AI has emerged as a powerful tool to address this challenge. While using AI as a coaching tool is still in its infancy, initial results show promise. Integrating AI coaching into training development programs gives employees customized learning experiences and encourages an organizational foundation of ongoing advancement and learning.

Personalized Learning Paths

One of the most compelling applications of AI in re- and upskilling is the development and curation of personalized learning pathways. Traditional one-size-fits-all training programs often fall short in catering to diverse learning styles and skill levels. AI-driven assessment tools can analyze an employee's existing skill set and identify areas of improvement. By doing so, these tools can proactively encourage users to participate in individualized learning modules that target specific skill gaps. When integrated into a coaching program, personalized learning pathways can support learning between coaching sessions. A first-time manager, for instance, might take part in an initial coaching session and set a goal of improving their communication skills. In the upcoming weeks, they will receive targeted, personalized learning suggestions on the topic of communication directly integrated into their workflow. They can use their regular coaching sessions to reflect what they learned and how they were able to apply this learning on the job.

Scalability and 24/7 Accessibility

One of AI's remarkable benefits is its around-the-clock availability. AI-powered chatbots, assistants or co-pilots can offer instant responses to questions, provide insights and even simulate coaching conversations, enabling continuous learning and development at the learner's convenience. Groups who, in the past, would not have received targeted, personalized development offers could receive much-needed guidance in their re- and upskilling journeys. Ideally, this guidance would be in combination with real-life online video coaching that provides a human touch to the learning experience and supports the learning process and progression on a regular basis. Let’s continue the example of the first-time manager working towards improving their communication skills. Rather than participating in a forgettable two-hour online communication training about how to run effective team meetings, wouldn’t it be nice if they received real-time feedback and guidance as the meeting happened? With the power of AI, this nice-to-have becomes a reality.

Data-Driven Insights

AI excels at processing and analyzing large amounts of data. In a coaching program, this ability translates into data-driven insights that can inform learners, organizations and coaches. AI can analyze patterns in an individual's goals and progress, identify areas of improvement and suggest strategies for growth. These insights not only guide coaches in tailoring their approaches to individual needs but also empower learners with a clearer understanding of their strengths and areas for growth. Furthermore, data-driven analytics allow for the identification of trends and learning needs across the organization and facilitate the continuous enhancement of learning and coaching offerings.

Ethical Considerations and Human Touch

Even with its many benefits, AI-assisted coaching (and learning more broadly) is not without its challenges. Since generative AI relies on huge amounts of data, maintaining its privacy and security has become a concern. AI coaching uses advanced security measures like encryption and access controls to protect collected and stored data. AI coaching platforms are designed to comply with relevant privacy regulations while allowing coachees to manage their own data and privacy settings. 

Beyond data privacy lurks the perennial AI-related question: Will this technology replace humans? The answer for the coaching industry is no — coaching requires a uniquely human touch. Human coaches train for years to develop the levels of empathy and responsibility necessary to build trust and rapport with coachees and deliver a high-quality experience. Human coaches notice contextual nuances that algorithms still can’t parse. AI-powered coaches are merely tools to augment a human-to-human coaching session by offering supplementary support and resources.

By leveraging AI's capabilities, workplace learning can transcend its traditional boundaries, making it more effective and adaptable to the diverse needs of individuals and organizations. AI has the potential to assist, support and enhance the human learning experience, and make learning and coaching more available, accessible and effective across all levels of an organization. 

Jule Deges is Senior Behavioural Scientist at CoachHub. Jule is a behavioral scientist and consultant with a passion for understanding and shaping organizational behavior. With an academic background and ongoing Ph.D. studies in Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology, she has dedicated her career to consulting organizations on how to foster happier, healthier, and more engaged workforces.