{"id":36205,"date":"2024-06-13T15:01:47","date_gmt":"2024-06-13T20:01:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/trainingmag.com\/?p=36205"},"modified":"2024-06-13T15:01:47","modified_gmt":"2024-06-13T20:01:47","slug":"diving-into-ai-enhanced-immersive-learning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/trainingmag.com\/diving-into-ai-enhanced-immersive-learning\/","title":{"rendered":"Diving Into AI-Enhanced Immersive Learning"},"content":{"rendered":"

One of the things I love most about summertime is the opportunity to plunge into a refreshing pool, ocean, or lake and feel the cool water wash over my skin as I become immersed in another world. The outside environment recedes, allowing me to hyper-focus on the sights, sounds, and sensations around me.<\/p>\n

In some ways, that\u2019s exactly how immersive learning feels. Keeping with the water theme, our June online-only issue offers a deep dive into training tools and delivery methods such as augmented and virtual reality (AR and VR) and gamification\u2014which have been around for years but now are being bolstered by artificial intelligence (AI). We\u2019re seeing more and more immersive, AI-enhanced training across all industries, from medical and construction to retail, manufacturing, and software coding.<\/p>\n

Technology in Action<\/h2>\n

As Katie Brenneman writes in \u201cVR Synergies in Job Market Training,\u201d<\/a> \u201cVirtual reality for job training is becoming more common for many industries, including retail companies such as Walmart. In Walmart\u2019s training facilities, which are called Walmart Academies, employees use Oculus Rift VR headsets to participate in simulated experiences that were otherwise difficult to train in person. The situations include Black Friday VR training, which helps employees prepare for the incredibly busy and often stressful holiday season.\u201d<\/p>\n

She notes that when combined with VR devices, AI software can track training progress and productivity statistics while assisting companies with identifying weak spots in training modules.<\/p>\n

AI\u2019s integration with VR and AR is particularly increasing in the medical field, says Jennifer Kolb, national director of Workforce Development at MedCerts. <\/a>\u201cArtificial intelligence is playing a larger role in diagnostic role-play by providing automated responses and helping instructors assess avatar sessions and provide feedback,\u201d she writes in \u201cVirtual Training Tools Are Transforming Medical Employee Development.\u201d<\/a> \u201cSubstituting controlled simulations with virtual avatars can create an immersive learning experience like we\u2019ve never seen before.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chris Kuntz, VP of Strategic Operations at Augmentir<\/a>,<\/u>\u00a0explains that responsive AI guides can analyze areas of struggle and automatically recommend additional practice content, subject matter experts who may have advice, a relevant section of the training manual, or simulations to optimize each employee\u2019s development. Check out \u201cThe Front Line of the Future: How AI Is Revolutionizing Worker Training\u201d<\/a> for more on that.<\/p>\n

In \u201cTraining Software Teams? Immersive Learning Is the Way to Go,\u201d<\/a> co-founder of Nerd\/Noir and Dojo Academy David Laribee offers some advice to keep in mind when designing immersive learning. \u201cTailor immersive learning exactly to a project or problem teams face\u2014they\u2019ll care since it\u2019s relevant now<\/em>. Another key ingredient is making experienced and emotionally intelligent practitioners available to teach by example.\u201d<\/p>\n

With many industries still in the early stages of incorporating VR into training and exploring its capabilities, Laura Martin, senior director of Product Management for Open LMS<\/a>,<\/u> recommends using an integrated approach and developing a realistic timeline for implementation, as well as comparing the cost-saving opportunities of VR vs. the upfront cost of the VR hardware and software. That equation will continue to change as more tools are developed. (See \u201cIncorporating Virtual Reality to Strengthen Training Programs.\u201d<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Of course, all the wonders and benefits of these and other technologies come with a caveat. As Israel Roldan, software engineering manager at GoodHabitz<\/a>, points out in \u201cUnleashing the Potential of AI in Learning and Development,\u201d<\/a> \u201cIn the whirlwind of tech innovations, human interaction prevails. While AI, for example, can serve as an invaluable tool, it cannot fully replace the nuanced, context-specific insights human collaboration brings.\u201d<\/p>\n

TechLearn 2024: Where Learning Empowers Technology<\/h2>\n

Talking about that human connection and \u201cI-opening\u201d experiences, I hope you\u2019ll join us in person in Austin, TX, for our TechLearn 2024 Conference<\/a> for some inspiration, innovation, implementation, interaction, and invigoration. Built for collaboration, networking, and learning, the conference offers:<\/p>\n