Where Does AI-Generated Content Fit in Learning and Development?

Any time new technology is center stage, there is a rush to use it without fully understanding it – and ChatGPT is no different. It seems like everyone – business leaders, college students, customer service teams, web developers – are finding uses for AI-produced content. But some people who write for a living worry that AI bots will one day replace them.

While chatbots such as ChatGPT have steadily improved in recent years, they can never fully replace the creativity, emotion, and nuanced perspective that only a human writer can provide. In this blog, we'll delve into the strengths of each and highlight the unique value that a human touch can bring to any piece of writing. So join us as we explore the evolving landscape of writing in the digital age, and why we believe that human writers will always have a place in it.

If you can’t tell, this previous paragraph was written by ChatGPT, using the prompt, “Write an introduction for a blog about how ChatGPT won’t replace writers.” The language is stilted and outdated, making it pretty obvious that a bot wrote it. But AI is only going to get better; it can predict what might happen in a picture, so we already see it evolving at a remarkable rate.

At SkillPath, I don’t see AI-generated content replacing our team of instructional designers, marketing copywriters or content creators – and I don’t think it will happen anywhere else either. But there is some value in this tool. I’ve seen for myself how it can educate people. When I wanted to learn more about cryptocurrency, I used ChatGPT to sort of "test" its capabilities, and it actually explained it in a way that was more easily digestible than anywhere else I looked.

Customized Learning Solutions

Perhaps the biggest area for AI technology in learning and development is adaptive learning and predictive content.

AI is already being used to adapt self-paced training to the skill level of the learner and what they already know. When testing knowledge, it can adjust the difficulty of the next question based on the test-taker’s performance on previous questions. This is a crucial element to progressive learning. It can be used by the human resources department to make better hiring decisions, and it could help marketers tailor products to their customers.

From SkillPath’s perspective, our enterprise customers continually seek unique training materials for their learners. AI won’t replace subject-matter experts, but they can use adaptive learning to create quality, reliable information. AI can supplement training materials to ensure that everyone, regardless of skill level, comes away with new knowledge.

Using AI for Customer Support

Although chat bots aren’t new, they are becoming more advanced. As artificial intelligence and natural language processors improve, more businesses will be able to implement AI to support their customers around the clock. That 24/7 direct support can really boost customer satisfaction.

And what companies gain from this is more insights into the customers and the ability to analyze that data more quickly. When AI is effectively implemented, businesses can analyze every customer interaction, learn more about their interests, and use this information to drive new business. In learning and development, this is a huge benefit for our content team when developing new training programs and our marketing team to better understand current customers and reach new audiences.

AI Doesn't Solve Everything

ChatGPT, much like calculators, are only as smart as their users. A poor prompt will yield poor results, and incorrect information. Knowledge comes from experience and training, and a chat bot can’t solve a lot of the problems that are best learned first-hand or from someone who’s experienced them. If the prompt is multi-layered, then the output will lack the nuance required to properly explain whatever topic it was given.

My biggest worry is that people will become less invested in their own learning. Whether it’s something big like a master’s degree or something smaller like learning proofreading techniques, the prevalence of AI means that people can just rely on technology to complete their work. The job will get done, but people won’t absorb or retain the information.

And that’s where people need to be careful with AI bots like ChatGPT. Like any other technology, there’s potential for it to be misused. It may get your work done quicker, and maybe even more consistently, but it certainly can’t replace a person’s creativity and tap into their experiences.

Overall, there are so many interesting opportunities with this technology, and it should be embraced so we can all learn to use it properly. 

 

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