Train your team using artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) is causing a major wave in learning and development (L&D). From AI-generated training programs to bots assessing learners’ progress, the L&D team is leaning on AI to streamline and expand the program. But here is something we don’t talk enough. What if the AI we rely on doesn’t actually make things that fair? That’s where this “bias in, bias out” idea hits your home.
If biased data or defective assumptions enter an AI system, you can bet that the outcome will be equally skewed, and sometimes even worse. And in workforce training, it could mean unequal opportunities, biased feedback, and some learners who are unintentionally locked out. So if you are a leader in L&D (or only those trying to make learning more inclusive), let’s dive into what this really means and how we can do better.
Anyway, what does “bias, bias” mean?
Simple English? That means AI learns from what we feed it. If the trained historical data reflects past inequality, for example, if men get more promotions or miss a particular team that is overlooked for leadership development, it is learning and imitating. Imagine if you trained your LMS to recommend the next step course based on past employee journeys. If the majority of data leadership roles belong to one demographic, AI may assume that only that group is a “leadership material.”
How does bias sneak into AI-driven L&D tools?
You don’t imagine it. Some of these platforms really make you feel bad. Here is where biases often slip in:
1. Data history baggage
Training data may be born from years of performance reviews and internal promotion trends, but neither is affected by bias. If women, people of color, or older employees were not previously offered equal development opportunities, AI may learn to exclude them again.
The real story
Feeding the system data built upon exclusion will give you more exclusions.
2. The heart of the track while behind the cord
To be honest, not all AI tools are built by people who understand the fairness of the workforce. If your development team doesn’t have diversity or you don’t consult an L&D expert, the product may miss the actual learner’s mark.
3. Strengthen the pattern instead of rewriting
Many AI systems are designed to find patterns. But here’s the catch: they don’t know if those patterns are good or bad. So, if a particular group had previously been restricted access, AI assumes it is the standard and uses it.
Who is losing?
A short answer? Anyone who doesn’t fit the “ideal learner” model is burned into the system. It includes:
A woman in a field ruled by a man. A nervous employee who learns differently. Non-native English speaker. People with a gap in their resume in their caregiving. Staff from a historically marginalized community.
Worse, these people may not know that they are left behind. The AI is not blinking the warning. It leads quietly towards a different, often unmotivated learning path.
Why is this important for all L&D Pros?
If your goal is to create an equal arena where everyone has the tools to grow, biased AI is a serious obstacle. Let’s be clear. This is not just about ethics. It’s about business. A biased training tool can lead to:
He missed the development of talent. Reduced employee involvement. Higher departure. Compliance and legal risks.
You don’t just build a study program. You are shaping your career. Additionally, the selected tool can open or close the door.
What you can do (now)
There’s no need to panic. There are options. Below are some practical ways to bring more equity to AI-powered training:
Kick the tires with a vendor’s complaint
Ask difficult questions:
How do they collect and label training data? Was the bias tested before rolling out? Are users from different backgrounds seeing similar results?
Bring more voices to the table
We run a pilot group with a wide range of employees. Before you go all in, test them for your testing tools and give them honest feedback.
Use important metrics
Look beyond the completion rate. Who is actually recommended for the Leadership Track? Who earned the top score in the AI grade allocation? The patterns will tell you everything.
Put the human in a loop
Use AI to support (but not replace) critical training decisions. Human judgment is your best defense against bad outcomes.
Educate stakeholders
Take your leadership into play. Shows how comprehensive L&D practices drive innovation, retention and brand trust. Training bias is not just an L&D issue, it’s a company-wide issue.
Quick Case Study
This peeks out some real lessons:
win
Major logistics companies used AI to coordinate safety training modules, but found that female staff had not made progress past certain checkpoints. After recreating content with a broader learning style, overall gender completion rates have been evenly achieved. oof
A large tech company has used AI to register employees as finalists. After all, their tools favored those who graduated from a small number of elite schools and reduced most of their diverse, high potential talent. After pushback, the tool was discarded.
Let’s leave it here…
Look, AI can absolutely help L&D teams scale and personalize like never before. But it’s not magic. If we want to train a fair and empowering workforce, we must start asking better questions and incorporating them at the heart of everything we build.
So next time, the smooth new learning platform “driven AI” will be engraved on top of it. But what if you’re intentional? It can be bias proof.
Will it help you figure out how to audit AI tools and how to find the vendors that got them? Drop your notes or drink coffee if you’re in London. And, hey, if this helped at all, share it with fellow L&D Pro!
FAQ
Is there anything like AI that is unbiased?
Although not perfect, bias can be reduced through transparency, diverse data and consistent monitoring.
How can you know if your training AI is biased?
Please look at the results. Are certain groups behind, skipping content or overlooked for promotion? That’s your clue.
Do you need to avoid AI completely?
Not at all. Use wisely. Pairing smart technology with smarter human judgments will do great things.
London Intercultural Academy (LIA)
London Intercultural Academy (LIA) is a global e-learning platform dedicated to corporate excellence, offering diverse dynamic and interactive accreditation courses with high completion rates, ensuring excellent ROI and results
