Webinar Recap: AI Dominates L&D Global Sentiment Survey

Hello there! 

If you joined us for our recent webinar with Donald H. Taylor, you know just how much AI is shaping the future of Learning & Development (L&D). The insights from his latest 2025 Learning and Development Global Sentiment Survey make one thing clear: AI isn’t just a passing trend – it’s fundamentally transforming workplace learning.

With the World Economic Forum forecasting that 39% of skills will change and 78 million new jobs will be created by 2030, L&D professionals face an urgent challenge. The demand for upskilling and reskilling has never been higher, and AI is at the center of this shift.

AI tops the L&D Global Sentiment Survey – again

For the second consecutive year, AI has dominated the L&D Global Sentiment Survey, with an even greater share of votes than before. 

This unprecedented enthusiasm reflects not only the increasing relevance of AI but also the deeper understanding among L&D professionals about its transformative potential. 

As Donald Taylor, the survey's author, admitted, "The immense, unprecedented interest in AI is, rightly, the headline story of the survey. But what lies beyond that headline?"

Since AI's meteoric rise in 2023 following the release of ChatGPT, its grip on L&D sentiment has only strengthened. This year, AI received 22.6% of the votes, setting a new record in the survey’s 12-year history. Learning professionals across all sectors – from workplace L&D teams to vendors and educators – ranked AI as their top priority. The survey results suggest that AI is no longer just a trend but a fundamental tool shaping the future of learning.

Showing value: A resurgence in priorities

Another key takeaway from the survey is the renewed focus on value. After a decline in previous years, 2025 marks a resurgence in the importance of:

• Showing value
• Consulting more deeply with the business
• Performance support

These categories saw some of the biggest increases in votes, signaling a shift in L&D’s priorities from content creation to demonstrating tangible business impact.

The good news? Building a business case for AI in L&D doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Here’s a helpful guide to articulating how AI can help L&D deliver on a bigger vision while optimizing already stretched IT budgets.

Meanwhile, IT leaders face similar challenges. 

According to Gartner’s 2025 CIO Agenda, only 48% of digital initiatives meet or exceed business expectations. 

This highlights the urgent need for L&D leaders to work closely with IT teams, ensuring that AI-driven initiatives align with corporate strategy and drive measurable results.

AI as a general purpose technology

The survey also highlights a shift in how AI is perceived in workplace learning. It’s no longer just about efficiency gains – AI is driving fundamental changes in learning design, delivery, and experience.

AI’s growing role in reskilling, upskilling, and learning analytics reflects its ability to:

• Personalize learning at scale
• Automate content creation to improve speed and consistency
• Enhance knowledge-sharing across global teams

A key insight from the report is that L&D leaders have an opportunity to go beyond AI as a content-generation tool – embedding it into broader workforce development strategies.

Why does this matter for L&D professionals?

The implications of AI’s continued rise in workplace learning cannot be avoided. To stay ahead, L&D leaders should focus on:

• Aligning AI initiatives with business strategy: Ensure AI-powered learning solutions support broader corporate objectives and key performance indicators.
• Building strong partnerships with IT and business leaders: Collaboration is essential to securing buy-in and ensuring AI investments deliver measurable value.
• Scaling AI-driven personalization: AI’s ability to create adaptive learning paths and intelligent recommendations can significantly enhance learner engagement and retention.

Takeaway

The 2025 Global Sentiment Survey confirms what many in L&D already suspect – AI is not a passing trend. It is an enduring force reshaping workplace learning. 

As AI continues to evolve, L&D professionals must harness its power strategically, ensuring that their digital learning initiatives drive both skill development and business impact. See our conversation with Global Learning Director Avinash Chandarana to learn how to successfully launch AI for L&D. 

What’s your take on AI’s growing role in L&D? Join the conversation and share your thoughts on how AI is transforming workplace learning.