Technology is in a constant state of evolution. The systems we use today may be completely different from what we’ll use next month. Especially when it comes to artificial intelligence (AI), governance regarding learning data collection and use is still being created. That’s why it’s more important than ever for learning and development (L&D) leaders to be at the forefront of this evolution and defend learners’ rights in every interaction — even if it means having difficult conversations with other business units and stakeholders.
How prepared are you to take charge of AI governance and learning for your organization? Find out by considering the following three ways you can effectively define and uphold learners’ AI rights. In doing so, you can help team members feel more confident and comfortable in learning from mistakes during their training, developing valuable skills and improving performance for impactful business results.
1. Compare and Contrast the Benefits of AI vs. a Non-AI Learning Experience
Non-AI learning experiences may only capture simple information like completion data, which can be helpful in determining the effectiveness of voluntary training but may not provide the full breadth of data needed to analyze and course-correct individual learner paths for more personalized learning.
Meanwhile, an AI-driven experience can capture data at a granular level, with a targeted focus on:
- Accuracy
- Length of time needed to answer questions.
- How many attempts to get a question correct.
- Tailored remediation opportunities based on identified gaps.
- Amount of time certain resources were studied or referenced.
By focusing on this deeper level of data, L&D leaders can uncover opportunities to improve the learner experience for individuals based on what they actually need to succeed, not what a predetermined solution tells them is necessary.
For example, AllenComm has collaborated with L&D leaders to explore how predictive analysis can be achieved through AI. By leveraging machine learning algorithms and advanced analytics, AI can analyze large datasets from learner interactions, performance metrics and behavioral patterns to predict future learning outcomes and needs. This allows leaders and teams to proactively address gaps in knowledge, personalize learning paths and optimize training programs for better engagement and retention.
2. Consider the AI Experience from a Learner’s Perspective and Work Backward
Have you ever wondered how your own data is used? Whether you’re providing personal information to a website, browsing articles or social media, or shopping online, data about what you view and how long you view it may be collected to better customize your digital experience based on your own individual trends. For some people, that’s okay. For others, it feels invasive.
AI in the realm of elearning brings similar challenges. While it has incredible potential to support learners’ experience by customizing it and making it directly applicable to learners’ roles, it must be implemented thoughtfully without breaking anyone’s trust in the system.
Even if AI is only able to use information it gathers from interactions within a course, learners may not understand what the AI is actually doing or how it’s using that data to adapt the solution based on their needs. This can create hesitation, and sometimes even fear, when they begin to wonder, “What if my answers to a question are used against me later? What if it’s not okay for me to make mistakes?”
To overcome these hesitations, start by thinking about the use of AI from a learner’s perspective. If they’re unsure about how the data from their training is going to be used, they may be less open to being honest in their answers, or they may become stressed when certain questions or assessments take them longer than usual. They may also worry about the implicit bias often present in machine learning models. AI is trained by what it’s given, so if the AI learns from materials that carry a bias against learners based on their demographics or personal attributes, it may accidentally adopt those same biases.
These aren’t the only concerns learners may experience, so taking some time to make a list of what you think your learners may be worried about personally — and then working backward to come up with a plan for preventing or overcoming these challenges fairly — will help you reconcile your organization’s needs with learners’ rights so they can feel confident that learning technology is used only in their best interests.
3. Design for Transparent, Thoughtful and Secure Data Collection and Use
So, how can you design your AI experience to both account for learners’ preferences and communicate with business stakeholders and department leaders about the importance of AI governance in L&D initiatives? Let’s take a closer look at some strategies:
- Be transparent: Build trust with learners by helping them understand exactly what type of data is being collected, how it will be shared and used, and how it will affect them (if at all). Remember: It’s not just about personal information like their name but also data about how they’ve engaged with the learning experience (such as scores or time spent on activities). Be clear on expectations and have plans in place to back up your claims about data use and protection, which can solidify that trusted relationship and help them feel like you have their best interests at heart.
- Ask for consent: Learners who can consent to the way their information is used tend to feel more comfortable with the use of AI. By giving them a choice — even if it’s just a simple yes or no statement before an assessment — you’re opening up an avenue of communication and improving the transparency that’s vital to helping learners understand what’s being tracked, when it will be tracked and why.
- Make it anonymous: The words “test” or “assessment” often come with anxiety. Learners may behave differently or worry that their manager will find out their score, or they may overthink the potential consequences of making a mistake even in a practice environment. But there’s a solution to overcome these worries. By keeping test data anonymous (and making it clear to learners that their data won’t be tied to them personally), learners can feel free to make mistakes and learn more from the experience than if they focused only on the stress of getting a perfect score.
- Include human oversight: Assign trusted team members to oversee the AI’s use within the learning solution over time to ensure it treats every learner fairly and that any discrepancies, incorrect information or other reports are quickly researched, fixed and communicated to anyone affected.
AllenComm has worked with several large organizations to provide guidance on data curation and AI integration into existing learning ecosystems, as well as to explore AI’s potential in simulating crucial conversations for skills development. These AI-driven solutions can offer a dynamic, interactive and transparent way to develop soft skills, which enables learners to feel comfortable practicing difficult conversations in a controlled, risk-free environment where it’s okay to learn from a wrong answer.
There are also opportunities to use specialized knowledge bases to ensure that an AI is trained to reflect each organization’s unique communication culture and challenges, creating fairness and relevance for team members in every interaction — while also providing leaders with a foothold to be able to communicate the value of AI in L&D as an investment stakeholders and business departments should be making sooner rather than later.
Make a Difference for Learners’ AI Rights in Your Organization
As an L&D leader, you play a key role — maybe even the most important role — in creating a safe and comfortable environment for your learners to make mistakes and grow. Once you understand their concerns and hesitations, you can craft guidelines that defend their rights and ensure all learners are set up for success within their personalized learning journey.
But that’s why it’s important to act now. Leaders who wait may risk falling behind, and they may struggle to fit designing for learners’ AI rights into an already busy schedule if it gets passed to them by another department later. These challenges are already on the horizon, and leaders who can proactively embrace AI’s potential can make a positive difference in the lives of their learners and the goals of the business.
It may seem daunting, but you don’t have to do it on your own. Collaborate with your tech or HR departments, or partner with an external learning engineering specialist to bridge the gap and bring in the expertise you need to overcome disruptions, elevate solutions and foster an environment that allows learners to thrive.
