Reinventing Workplace Learning and Development: Envisaging the Role of AI

Purpose: In the contemporary knowledge economy, organisations mainly derive a competitive advantage by leveraging their intangible assets. Competent and motivated employees are the primary strategic resources to attain innovation and business continuity. Consequently, workplace learning and development (L&D) is at the forefront of the human resource management (HRM) discipline. At the same time, with the changing technology landscape, organisations are transforming their L&D function to be sustainable. Against this backdrop, the main objective of this chapter is to illustrate how artificial intelligence (AI) contributes to a specific HRM sub-function, that is, workplace L&D.Design/Methodology/Approach: Grounded on intense scrutiny of literature, this chapter construes AI as intelligent machines that think and work like humans and have the potential for enhancing learning processes. Different themes have been presented, which suggest the capabilities of AI systems to fuel employee learning at the workplace.Findings: Findings demonstrate that AI-enabled workplace learning is rooted in improved knowledge management (KM) capabilities, developmental feedback, personalised education, learning for a diverse pool of learners, virtual mentoring, and chatbot-based learning.Research Limitations/Implications: This conceptual study suffers from a lack of empirical support.Practical Implications: This chapter contributes to expanding scholarship on integrating AI and the HRM domain, particularly L&D. Further, it highlights how L&D professionals should integrate AI into employee learning journeys to evoke effective learning outcomes.Originality/Value: This chapter provides a gestalt approach to integrating AI with employee L&D