Sal Khan was in the house—so you know Inspire Day 3 was visionary. Here are the key takeaways and show-stopping moments:1: AI can do much of the work of training. But it can't replace humans.
Day 3 brought us into real-world applications of AI and how the world’s best practitioners are using it. It’s not just text and image generation: These superstars are using AI to build knowledge engines, upskill talent, and develop entire curriculums. But that doesn’t mean humans are obsolete.In his keynote, Sal Khan shared his story, which began when he tutored a younger cousin in math. She was struggling but made it into advanced placements with his help. Soon he was tutoring over a dozen members of his extended family. That was time consuming, so he turned to YouTube to make his lessons more accessible. Then other people started watching and learning from those videos, and the nascent form of Khan Academy was born.Years later, Khan Academy is one of the best and most influential educational resources on the planet.But, Sal says, the presence of his YouTube videos didn’t replace his role as an educator. His cousins didn’t need him less because they had his videos, just like Khan Academy users today don’t need their teachers less. Khan Academy is a tool; not a replacement. And it’s a tool that can help people on a massive scale.The parallels to AI are obvious. And after demoing some incredibly impressive AI instructional technology that can tailor instruction to individual learners, Sal tackled the AI question head-on. To him, the question isn’t if AI will be in our classrooms and boardrooms, but whether the AI that is there was built with the right intentions. And that’s a question we all have a say in.
“Technology amplifies human intent.” -Sal Khan
2: Personalization and hybrid learning are driving learning effectiveness
Day 3 emphasized the need for adaptable learning models that cater to diverse audiences. There’s no ‘one-size fits all’ for simple things like burrito orders. It’s silly to think there could be one for learning programs. Organizations are creating more tailored, impactful learning experiences that resonate across different demographics and regions.3: Right now, L&D is out there impacting revenue and business performance! 💸💰
Sessions like "Don't Just Deliver Learning—Deliver Performance" and "ROI for L&D" highlighted the increasing focus on linking learning directly to business outcomes. Here’s a quote that hit hard:“Make sure your team knows how to make money and how their role connects to that.”L&D pros aren’t always locked in on revenue generation. But they should be—because their bosses are.These talks emphasized designing learning experiences that are not just educational but are also strategically aligned to enhance performance and drive measurable ROI.One talk on measurement strategy was so popular it was down to standing-room only:
How do you fill a room with L&D professionals? Tell them you’ll teach them how to build a measurement strategy.4: There are innovations coming that most people haven't yet heard of
Of course, AI has the spotlight. But innovations in simulation, computer science, and knowledge mapping will revolutionize industries like L&D, medicine, genetics, and AI itself.
“Humans are starting to feel excluded. We’ve built a universe of data that we’re not suited for. In that universe of data, AI rules.” -Manolis Kellis, Professor of Computer Science at MIT and member of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard
5: This is a beautiful and inspiring industry
When you’re talking about AI and data and engagement strategies, you can sometimes lose sight of it: Learning is about helping people become better. It’s about helping them grow skills, perform better, and achieve more.Several presentations touched on this and had us feeling inspired. David Filar’s presentation on loneliness got us emotional and reinforced that leadership is about empathy and service. And Luke Goetting reminded us that younger generations deserve our empathy and made a case for doing the work required to engage Gen Zers at work.
A disengaged employee costs about $3400 a year for every $10,000 in salary. So working to engage younger generations isn’t just the right thing to do. It’s good for business.Best session title
Our CIO, Claudio Erba delivered this incredible talk. Not only did his talk make us think about the future of L&D—his title sent us to the dictionary.Best out-of-context slide
What does heartbreak have to do with learning? If you were at Inspire, you’d get it. #IYKYKThat's a wrap!
We can’t believe Inspire 2024 in Dallas is over. It was a truly incredible (and inspiring!) event. But if you’re feeling the FOMO (or simply want more!), you can still register for Inspire Rome, happening November 19-21st.We hope to see you there.
Inspire Dallas was an incredible time. Don't miss out on Rome!