Editor’s Note: This article is part of our “L&D Reflections” series, where learning leaders share what they’ve learned over the past year and how those insights are shaping their work.
My company started a project months ago to revamp our training program for new practice managers working in the dental field. In fact, I’m writing this on the second day of launching the pilot program, and I’m proud to say that all things are going well. However, they did not start out that way. The project started with panic and chaos. Artificial intelligence (AI) was what turned it all around and, in the process, was the biggest eye-opener for me this year.
A Chaotic Start With Real-World Constraints
With a very limited staff of two people, both of whom had very full schedules, we had to rely on bringing in subject matter experts (SMEs) from across our company to develop eight new topic-specific modules. The memo went out with our operations department supporting this division of labor. It did not take long before one of the eight SMEs called me frantically worried about building a presentation to give to newly hired practice managers.
I totally empathized with this person, knowing full well that their schedule was even more packed than mine. I had regularly helped this individual to develop content and put our combined efforts onto our learning management system (LMS), in order to help lighten their load. It has been a great partnership for the last four years, and saying “no” this time could have damaged that relationship.
Using AI as a Kick-Starter
Then it hit me! Like many learning and development (L&D) professionals this year, I had been experimenting with AI tools for content generation. I had recently learned that our LMS provider actually offers a sophisticated AI-powered course creator built right into their platform — a tool designed to take AI content generation even further than standalone programs. I was eager to test it out on a real challenge. While on a video call with the SME, I shared my screen and started typing into the AI program. I typed the prompt: “Create a presentation of 40 slides based on the subject of dental compliance for a dental office.” As I pushed enter, we both stared nervously at the screen.
We waited and waited and waited. Then a flurry of activity filled the screen. It generated one slide after another until it hit 40 slides. I was thrilled! But I was also very concerned that my colleague, the subject-matter expert, would tear apart my rather “lazy” solution to their problem. I waited for them to respond.
Silence.
More silence.
Embarrassing quiet for a good three minutes or more.
And then the one word I was waiting for: “Wow.”
They went on to say that the output from AI was a pretty good start. While there were, of course, some soft spots, they said that the outline was exactly what was going through their head in more disorganized, frantic and chaotic manner. We spoke for a few minutes more, both of us relieved to have the first step down on paper.
What We Learned
Months later, the SME sent me their presentation. It was a lot more polished, reorganized with great illustrative pictures that made it pop! You could see some of the AI-generated organization that we had first witnessed in the initial development of the outline. But my colleague had supplemented a lot with our business policies and processes that made it quite applicable to our way of running a dental practice compliance program.
That experience demonstrated to both of us the capabilities of AI and the value it can bring to L&D professionals. Since then, I’ve explored the AI tools within my LMS provider and improved my prompts since my earlier attempts, and I have been impressed by the outputs.
I’m almost 70 years old — in fact, I’m counting down the days until I retire (393 to be exact). AI has gotten me so excited that I may even stick around for a few more years!
As you reflect on your own learning journey, explore how the Certified Professional in Training Management (CPTM) program can help you grow the skills you need to lead training with confidence.
