Back in 2014, I wrote a chapter for a book about the future of Learning and Development. Someone told me recently it turned out to be “scarily accurate,” which is both flattering and worrying in equal measure. So, let me have another go and predict the next ten years. And to help us along, the perfect comparison is the music industry around 2014—because what happened to them is now happening to us in L&D.
- What the music industry can teach us about what’s coming
A decade ago, the music industry had already been shaken to its core. Music had become virtually free. For a tenner a month, you could listen to any tune you liked on any device you owned. The whole industry pivoted. Artists stopped relying on album sales and made their money from touring. Some concerts now cost hundreds of pounds. Huge industries sprang up around these tours. Taylor Swift’s recent UK visit apparently nudged GDP. That tells you everything.
When I was a teenager, bands toured to sell albums. Now they tour because that’s where the money is. Albums barely register anymore.
Social media took over the job of discovering new artists. TikTok, YouTube, Instagram—these platforms decide who’s going to break through. And because it’s easier for one person to go viral than a five‑piece band, we’re seeing fewer bands and more solo stars hitting the big time.
Their role won’t be “trainer” or “consultant” but learning influencer. A person who uses AI to scale themselves across platforms, reaching thousands instead of twelve people in a training room
We’re also listening more to the music of previous decades. Six decades of pop at our fingertips. Some tracks really are timeless.
Take my TV right now. Spotify is playing videos—1960s, then 90s, then early 2000s, then something from 2015. They all sound brilliant. And it’s not me choosing them. It’s the algorithm. It knows me better than I know myself at this point. It even throws tunes at me I’d never have found on my own.
This is exactly where corporate learning is heading.
- The power shift. Individuals shine, not departments
Just like Taylor Swift or Chappel Roan have replaced the traditional band, the same thing will happen in learning and development. Big L&D teams won’t disappear completely, but they won’t dominate either. Individuals with real personality, proper talent, and a knack for social media will be the ones who stand out.
Their role won’t be “trainer” or “consultant” but learning influencer. A person who uses AI to scale themselves across platforms, reaching thousands instead of twelve people in a training room. One personality, amplified massively.
This isn’t about ego. It’s about reach.
- AI playlists. automated learning needs without the workshop
Back in the day, the consultant’s role was to talk to people, dig out learning needs, design sessions and deliver them. That worked beautifully in the 2010s. But it’s not the future.
People will soon have personal AI‑built learning playlists. These will be put together automatically using:
- their job
- their company data
- their online behaviour
- performance insights
- and anything else the AI can get its hands on
No human needed. And it’ll be quick.
Once these playlists exist, the AI will simply feed learning to people as and when they need it. Not next month. Not next quarter. Right now.
Younger people already treat AI as normal—business as usual. Older folks approach it like it’s a suspicious revolution. But the younger ones will set the expectation.
Your AI coach will end up becoming the one constant in your learning life. It’ll curate everything. Tailor everything. And deliver content that’s practically built for you as an individual.
- When humans still matter (and they will)
This doesn’t mean people are out of the picture.
This week, I was asked to run a high‑stakes session for a corporate client—around 80 leaders in a room, spending a day focusing on growth mindset, comfort zones, and building momentum. After lunch they’ll need energy, direction, interaction, and a clear outcome. THAT kind of session still needs a human. A good facilitator. Someone with presence.
However, such events will become the exception, not the norm. The days of flying employees to a central location for every learning initiative, only to sit through slide‑heavy sessions, are rapidly fading. Thank goodness.
Human input will still matter. It’ll just matter where it counts most.
- The age of the learning influencer
For some learning professionals, the holy grail will be becoming an influencer. Not in the “look at me” sense, but in the sense of educating and inspiring audiences at scale.
Think of people like Martin Lewis and Steven Bartlett. Trinny Woodall too. They’ve built trust, huge followings, and the ability to teach in a modern way. L&D will have its version of that.
And they’ll be incredibly in demand.
- Six decades of music on tap — why we must record everything
If AI is going to curate your learning content, then you’ve got to feed it. And that means recording yourself. A lot.
Future trainers and facilitators will be brilliant on camera. Podcasts, videos, explainers—these will be the bread and butter.
Some will go even further and create AI clones of themselves. These clones will be able to appear everywhere at once, across multiple channels. And for most learners, they’ll be good enough. When you’re essentially a talking head, AI can replicate you almost perfectly.
So the message is simple
- Record yourself.
- Then record yourself again.
- Make it your style.
- Make it unique.
- Make it last.
Just like a classic track on Spotify.
- The future of workplace learning
Workplace learning over the next decade will follow the music industry’s journey over the last ten years:
- personalised
- on‑demand
- influencer‑led
- AI‑curated
The next decade of workplace learning will mirror the music industry’s last decade:
personalised, on‑demand, influencer‑driven, and algorithmically curated.
If you’re a training consultant worrying about your future role, remember this:
Corporates don’t merely need L&D practitioners.
They need guides—people who can help leaders navigate this transition, interpret AI’s impact, and shape strategic learning cultures.
Your role becomes more valuable, not less.
But it evolves from delivering content to steering organisations through change.
And that is where the future of workplace learning truly begins.
