Not one, not two, but three of our Training columnists asked me to remove the long dashes (aka, “em” dashes) from copy they submitted last month. Why? Because their review committees told them usage of em dashes indicates an article was written by artificial intelligence (AI).
Whoa! As a writer, I am struggling mightily with the concept that we can no longer use conventional punctuation simply because it might make people think AI wrote something. That is fundamentally misguided, and I feel it ultimately will be detrimental to the writing profession and writers’ creativity—probably civilization itself. What if an article is “too grammatically correct” or has periods in all the right places—does that also signal AI authorship? Will writers start leaving out punctuation or making typos to prove their human authorship?
I feel authors should continue to write the way they want and forget about what other people think.
While AI can be a major time-saver, idea generator, and education leveler, I worry that it is stifling our creativity and exerting too much influence over the way we think and work. Not to mention the fact that too many people these days accept whatever information AI provides as gospel without any outside verification. Case in point: the 2025 summer reading list published by several newspapers around the country that featured only five out of 15 real titles; the rest were AI-generated made-up books by famous authors. That’s what happens when you replace the fact-checking team with AI.
Be Smarter than the Software
On the learning and development (L&D) and Human Resources (HR) fronts, verification and accountability likewise will continue to be incredibly important. “In 2026, L&D and HR teams won’t just teach people how to use AI tools, they’ll have to teach them how to question those tools, sanity-check outputs, and apply critical thinking,” predicts Michael Goldfarb, CEO, Guardian HR, in our L&D and HR 2026 trends round-up, “What’s in the Mix for 2026?” At the end of the day, he says, “the human has to be smarter than the software.”
This is especially true as AI moves beyond being a support tool to becoming the central learning assistant, guiding employees through personalized, real-time learning journeys, notes Rob Porter, eLearning expert at CoSo Cloud, in our trends round-up.
In that vein, Skillable CLO in Residence Karie Willyerd believes “AI will deepen learning personalization, not just for content and recommendations but in generating realistic scenarios and practice environments for people to test, stretch, and apply their skills.”
Rocket Learning CIO Myles Thies concurs, writing in “Why Employee Agency—Not Mandates—Is the Key to Winning the AI Reskilling Race,” “Only by enabling daily and weekly individual learning activity within a supportive corporate culture that encourages consistent, positive, and habitual reskilling can companies and individuals hope to succeed as the AI innovation treadmill accelerates.”
One caution experts continue to reiterate is not to implement AI for the sake of AI. “There’s a sense that if they’re not using it, their organization will be left behind,” notes HowNow co-founder and CEO Nelson Sivalingam in our trends round-up. And while that’s true, he says, “if they’re not using it in the right way, they simply won’t reap the benefits. This is why a human-first approach is critical to maximizing the value of AI.”
AI and Compliance
One training area in particular L&D professionals believe AI can have a valuable impact on is compliance. “AI is opening a door to an approach to compliance that mirrors how people learn and make decisions in the real world,” writes Ella Richardson, senior director, Consulting, at GP Strategies, in “From Checkbox to Chatbot: Reinventing Compliance in the AI Era.” “If someone can’t properly assess risk in their environment, they require a different intervention than someone who identifies a risk but isn’t able to manage it appropriately. This is skill mapping in action: identifying who needs what, and tailoring support to real roles and risks.”
Learn More at the Training 2026 Conference & Expo
As technologies and needed skill sets continue to evolve rapidly, L&D professionals also need to focus on leveling up their own knowledge and strategically planning their careers. As Concept Plus Training lead Alex Bingham notes in “Strategic Credentialing for Today’s Learning Leader,” “a strategic approach to credentialing is about more than adding letters after your name or lines on your resume–it’s also about positioning yourself as an L&D professional who combines practical expertise with theoretical understanding and strategic insight. A structured L&D program can help you fill gaps in your knowledge and provide the beginning stages for gaining necessary experience.”
Our upcoming Training 2026 Conference & Expo (Feb. 23-25 at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando) offers 10 certificate programs on L&D skill areas ranging from Applying AI in Learning and Development, Learning Measurement and Reporting Strategy, and Mastering Articulate 360 to Training Manager and Master Facilitator. Training magazine Certificates are approved by the ATD Certification Institute for eligibility and recertification points for Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD) and Associate Professional in Talent Development (APTD) credentials.
Training 2026 is the best place to learn more about emerging technologies, innovative solutions, and successful L&D best practices (plus, you can leave your winter coat at home!). The event will feature a variety of breakout sessions and hands-on clinics on AI, upskilling/reskilling, personalized learning, and other L&D topics. It also will offer attendees a chance to network at the Braindate “super group” kickoff and dine around dinners, plus get hands-on with new training solutions and technologies in the Expo Hall, Innovations in Training Test Kitchen, and Podcasting and Virtual Engagement Labs, and Ask Me Anything Stations. Click here to register by Jan. 30 and get the $150 Early Bird Discount.
I look forward to seeing you in sunny Orlando soon!
