So…Who’s Thinking About AI and the Future of Instructional Design?

Here is Christine's insight into this question:

"This is a question that has caused me to pause because currently the world of instructional design is being rocked by AI. And in many ways, we can see the benefits quickly. What once took teams of experts weeks or months to develop instruction can now be prototyped very quickly. AI can generate assessments, summaries, and scripts. It can help adapt to accommodate language, cultural differences, and learning abilities. Chatbots are open 24/7 and are often data driven.

I have read a little (and there is so much information out there so if interested, research on your own). An article written by G.W. Choi for Tech Trends in 2024 looked at strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) regarding ChatGPT’s ability to create a course. Choi concludes that human intervention is still needed to maintain reliability in outputs for quality control. I have also read an article by Federica Diletta Peloso about L&D and artificial and emotional intelligence. Both articles highlighted something that surprised me about the common theme: human nuance. Specifically, Peloso argues that AI is great in creating personalized learning journeys but wouldn’t be able to respond to cultural and social context, give feedback across cultures, and allow vulnerability in the learning experience. She talks about the importance of still having 'human moments in digital learning.'

Technology should serve learning, not the other way around. Focusing on what makes learning meaningful, engaging, and equitable are things that AI can’t quite capture yet. There is still power in our human emotional intelligence to craft and lead instruction. But if you haven’t thought about how to integrate AI into your own practices, it may be helpful to learn the tools and see if it is an aid to your work. I know for my part, I will definitely start with giving them the task of creating assessments."