As we have been racing to keep pace with the technological advancements in the Generative AI space, one thing is certain—opinions around the potential impact of AI vary widely. Some believe GenAI will bring a wave of prosperity and the opportunity for humans to focus on the things we love while automating mundane tasks. Others, point out the significant challenges we face to avoid a dystopian future. While we remain cautiously optimistic about the long-term implications of GenAI, in the immediate future, we have embraced its various forms and have been striving to view these technologies for what they really are: new tools.
Once we cut through the buzzwords and hyperbole, each new breakthrough is merely another arrow in our quiver. The better we understand the pros and cons of each platform, system or service, the greater our ability to implement them to augment our workflows, creating meaningful learning moments with more speed, precision and engagement than ever before. In that spirit, let’s take a closer look at some of the best AI tools and services currently available.
Disclaimer: By the time our team publishes this blog, it is highly likely that at least ONE of the technologies or services we discuss will be outdated. The speed at which these tools are evolving is break-neck. With that in mind, the fundamental utility should still apply. Let’s venture on!
How to pick the best AI tools
Each GenAI tool varies, and so do your needs. To pick the best AI tools, you’ll need to do a bit of hands-on trial and error. But to narrow the list and get started, I thought I’d share some of the things I look for.
When selecting a GenAI tool for learning and development, these criteria will help to ensure you are choosing a reliable and effective platform.
- Pedigree and reliability: Look for platforms developed by organizations with a strong pedigree in AI research and development. AI has been around for decades, and tools created by reputable companies often have a solid foundation and are more likely to deliver consistent performance.
- Academic insight: You can stay informed about emerging AI technologies by following academic research and developments. Many cutting-edge tools first appear in academic papers before being commercialized. I keep an eye on these channels for early access to innovative solutions. Paperswithcode.com, andrewng.org, and MIT News are good places to start.
- Usability and integration: Ensure any AI tool you use is user-friendly and can seamlessly integrate with your existing systems. A tool that is difficult to use or doesn’t fit well within your current workflow will hinder, rather than help, your efforts.
- Customization and flexibility: Choose tools that offer customization options to tailor the AI’s functionalities to your specific needs. Flexibility is key to adapting the tool to various learning scenarios and user requirements.
- Support and community: A robust support system and an active user community can be invaluable. You’ll gain access to resources for troubleshooting, tips for maximizing tool usage, and updates on new features.
Best AI tools for content creation
OpenAI’s ChatGPT
OpenAI’s ChatGPT is the AI tool most people have heard about—it’s the clear leader right now for generating text content. With the most recent release of version 4o, it has transitioned to a fully multi-modal platform. I’ll save going down the rabbit hole of what that implies for the future of interactive training for another blog, but suffice it to say, it will be shaping what is possible for years to come. Even in its current state, learning developers are already using ChatGPT to create interactive training modules, draft educational materials, and answer learner queries in real-time. ChatGPT’s ability to understand context and generate human-like responses makes it ideal for creating engaging and dynamic content.
Example use case: Use ChatGPT to aggregate multiple module scripts written by different writers and draft a single script with one voice and phrasing that aligns with a specific audience.
You may also be interested in: Can’t I just have a chat with ChatGPT?
Anthropic Claude 3.5
3.5 Sonnet, developed by Anthropic, is another powerful AI content generation tool. For the moment, Sonnet’s logic is highly advanced—demonstrating under-graduate level reasoning over 88% of the time (and graduate levels nearly 60% of the time). Claude now also supports an Artifact system where you can leverage documents, code snippets, HTML code, SVGs, diagrams and flowcharts, and interactive React components for those of you deeper on the coding side.
Example use case: Create a small, custom, highly interactive training widget for your course without in-depth programming knowledge. Claude 3.5 makes an excellent programming partner for creating interactive visualizations that can be embedded or shared on the web.
Best AI tools for visuals
Midjourney
Midjourney is a powerful image generation software that uses AI to create stunning visuals. Learning developers are already using Midjourney to design training materials, create visual aids for presentations, and generate custom illustrations to enhance learning modules.
Example use case: Create a complete set of custom virtual characters that conform to your audience’s diverse needs without the cost of a custom photoshoot and hiring actors/models. Increased speed, decreased cost and greater diversity? Yes, please.
DALL-E 3
Developed by OpenAI, DALL-E 3 can generate detailed images from textual descriptions. Trainers can create very specific visual content tailored to their course requirements, enhancing the overall learning experience.
Example use case: For a virtual classroom setting, DALL-E 3 can generate unique visuals based on lesson plans. Generate contextually relevant environments for each department, division or geographic location.
Best AI tools for voiceover
Respeecher
Respeecher is an advanced AI tool that can generate high-quality voice content. It creates diversity by enabling a limited voice talent pool to produce a wide range of voices. This technology can capture the personality and natural speech patterns of a real voice actor and adjust their vocal performance. I’ve found Respeecher to be particularly useful for creating varied and engaging audio content for simulations.
Example use case: Generate voices with authentic accents and dialects to support a character-driven training program—providing learners with a more immersive and diverse auditory experience using a single voice actor.
ElevenLabs
ElevenLabs offers a sophisticated speech-to-voice system with extensive localization options. Their AI-driven voice generation can produce natural-sounding speech in multiple languages, making it an excellent choice for global training initiatives. They have also released a model that helps generate sound effects. This can further assist in creating deeply immersive learning experiences, engaging even more senses.
Example use case: Create localized training materials in different languages, ensuring that all employees receive training in their native language, improving comprehension and retention.
Best AI tools for video
Disclaimer: Of all the technologies shared up to this point, AI video content still has the farthest to go before it is ready for primetime. While we are well versed with the current solutions, we are still not satisfied with the output. If a client requests it, we can make it happen, but I am not personally of the opinion these are ready for enterprise implementations…yet.
Synthesia
Synthesia specializes in generating AI avatars for video content. These video avatars can be used to create personalized training videos, making the learning experience more engaging and interactive.
Example use case: Produce custom videos to support onboarding using AI avatars to introduce company policies, procedures, and culture, and provide a consistent and welcoming message to new hires.
Runway
Runway’s latest AI video text-to-video tool, Gen 3, has made solid strides in creating creative, film-like videos from a simple text prompt. For abstract concepts or hard to capture visualizations, Gen3 is a great platform for experimentation.
Example use case: Create a high concept animation, such as the formation of a molecular bond—at a level that could only be reproduced in expensive 3D software with a significant learning curve.
HeyGen
HeyGen is another advanced AI tool that creates video avatars. It focuses on producing high-quality, interactive video content that can be tailored to specific training scenarios, offering a versatile solution for various learning and development needs.
Example use case: Simulate real-life customer service dilemmas, allowing learners to practice their responses and improve their skills in a realistic, risk-free environment.
How to pick the best AI tools for L&D
While this may seem like quite a few options, it is only scratching the surface of what is out there. Whether you choose tools from the curated list we’ve provided above or venture into the wild world of AI to find your own solutions, be sure to use the selection criteria outlined at the beginning of this blog. For every amazing AI tool on the web right now, there’s a corresponding flop.
One other note—get your partners in compliance involved early in the process. Click here for some tips about navigating the intersection of AI and compliance in L&D.
