I recently had the pleasure and privilege of delivering a talk on “The Future of Learning and Development in an AI World” at the Mint and Learning Network event in Brighton. Big thanks to Mint and The Learning Network for hosting the event.

The turnout, conversations, and shared insights were both inspiring and energising — proof that our field is not only alive and well but rapidly evolving.

The key message?

AI isn’t coming — it’s already here, and it’s reshaping L&D faster than many realise.
By observing how early adopters are leveraging AI today, we can make informed predictions about how the learning profession will transform over the next 5 to 10 years. Below are a few highlights from the presentation.

🔁 1. From LMS to AI-Powered Learning Agents
The traditional LMS may soon be a thing of the past.
Private versions of tools like ChatGPT, combined with Agentic AI, will begin replacing large parts of L&D operations. These AI-driven systems can deliver bespoke, interactive, and contextual learning experiences instantly, tailored to the individual learner’s needs.

🎞️ 2. Generative AI as Your Production Studio
Platforms integrating Generative AI will offer L&D teams the ability to produce high-quality, immersive, scenario-based content — animation, simulations, and more — at a fraction of today’s cost and time.
This was once the preserve of elite teams with massive budgets. Soon, it will be widely accessible.

🎬 3. The L&D Role: From Designer to Director
The role of L&D professionals is evolving.
Instead of spending hours crafting content, we’ll become directors, setting the vision and guiding AI tools to execute it. Our focus will shift from content creation to strategy, design leadership, and learner insight.

💡 Human-Centred Learning Still Matters
AI can produce content, but it lacks context, empathy, and understanding of how humans actually learn. This is where our value lies.
L&D professionals will remain essential as the human-in-the-loop — shaping learning that is ethical, emotionally intelligent, and focused on solving real problems.

🚀 What Organisations Must Do Now
To prepare for this future, we must start by building AI awareness across leadership and staff.
This goes beyond simply “knowing” what AI is — it requires a mindset shift: from seeing AI as a threat to embracing it as a powerful enabler.
The organisations that succeed will be those that blend AI capability with deep human expertise.