Should I invest in AI or Automation
By Sarah Sedgman
October 14, 2024
As I reflect on the various events I attended over the past few months, one question that often came up was, “Should I invest in AI or automation?” As training leaders invest in their tech stack to effectively do more with less, understanding the difference between the two and when each technology shines is important.
AI vs automation
Automation has long been available for training departments. It basically helps perform repetitive and predefined tasks that require minimal human intelligence and/or decision making. Examples of automation are when learners automatically receive a welcome email when they enroll in a course or receive reminders before a webinar.
On the other hand, artificial intelligence supports more complex tasks that require decision making, problem solving, understanding language, and recognizing patterns or objects. Unlike automation, AI systems can learn from data and past decisions and adapt to new situations.
AI is used in learning today by creating training content, personalizing learning paths, scouring various knowledge sources to create personalized or curated content, and planning learning and development (L&D) strategies.
More about automation for training
As mentioned above, automation reduces the effort to perform repetitive and predefined tasks. Most LMSs leverage a fair amount of automation to onboard new users and engage learners. Examples include enrolling learners into courses based on their registration details, program requirements, and previous course completions, reminding learners to submit course feedback, notifying learners when a new or relevant course is available or alerting an instructor when a student submits a question or an assignment.
Automation is also used to create and deliver reports on courses' performance, such as completion rates, feedback scores, and time spent on each module, so training creators can regularly identify areas for improvement. Finally, automation makes certification easier by automatically generating certificates after learners have completed a module, course, or training program.
More about AI for training
I recently polled training creators to learn how they use AI in their training programs. In addition to using AI for training content creation, training creators use AI for videos, eLearning production, learning paths, content curation, and planning L&D strategies.
AI for video production
Anyone who has built videos knows that it can be time-intensive work. Daniel Bunn, Managing Director at Innovate, uses Synthesia to simplify the video creation process. He simply inputs his script, chooses an avatar, and generates a video in which the avatar speaks the text. One of the benefits of this system is that it allows quick updates to training materials as the content changes.
Abhi Bavishi, a growth marketer, also uses Synthesia, and he experienced a 40% time savings compared to traditional video production. Miki Ishikawa of OpenText saw a 57% decrease in content development time when he used AI to convert pre-recorded instructor-led training into SCORM files for upload to their LMS.
There are many AI-enabled video tools; the best depends on your needs. Zapier reviewed several tools and recommended Descript for video editing based on the transcription, Wondershare Filmora for polishing videos, Runway for experimenting with generative AI, Synthesia for using digital avatars, Visla for turning a script into a video, and Opus Clip for repurposing long-form to short-form video.
AI for eLearning production
AI algorithms can suggest relevant assets (e.g., images, videos, characters, and icons) and interactive elements (e.g., quizzes and drag-and-drop activities) for eLearning courses. AI can also translate training content and make that same content more accessible to learners with disabilities by voicing the text in minutes. Many tools, including Articulate 360, Adobe Captivate, and Lectora Online, offer AI functionality for eLearning production.
Roman Shauk, Founder and CEO at EducateMe, shared that he liked Articulate 360 primarily for its user interface and the pre-built templates that could be changed per their requirements. Laviet Joaquin, Marketing Head at tp-link, found that Coursera’s AI functionality saved a lot of time by automatically suggesting content and interactive features based on the course subject matter.
AI for content curation
AI can reduce the effort to find and analyze large volumes of content and select the most valuable pieces to share with an audience! Many Learning Experience Platforms (LXP), like Edcast, Degreed, and 360Learning, offer content curation capabilities.
Alari Aho, CEO and Founder of toggl.com, uses EdCast’s AI content curation and management capabilities to search external and internal knowledge repositories to help employees quickly find the most relevant learning materials.
Is AI or automation better?
The examples above show that choosing between AI and automation depends on the tasks' objectives and the program's strategic goals. Automation is best for repetitive and simple tasks that do not require adaptation or decision making. It’s also typically easier and faster to implement and modify. AI is better suited for tasks that require pattern recognition, analytics, and decision making.
Implementing an AI-based system used to take longer, but that has changed significantly with the introduction of tools like the ones listed in this article. AI implementation has also become much easier with many training leaders, such as @Debbie Smith and @Kristine Kukich, sharing their experiences and best practices.
If you’re looking to add either automation or AI to your tech stack, I recommend that you reach out to the above sources or myself to learn which technology will help you meet your business needs.
About the Author
Sarah Sedgman, CEO of LearnExperts.ai, has owned some of the largest and most profitable learning businesses in the technology industry during her career at Cognos, IBM, PTC, and Kinaxis. As founder of LearnExperts, Sarah’s vision is to help customers build learning programs in days, not months, through AI-enabled technology, making it easier and faster to create learning.