From PDF to Course in minutes: Workday’s new AI learning engine explained

Now Workday has made the biggest move it ever considered for HR technology. The company is now offering Workday Learning based on Sana, and what the product does is to address an issue that every corporate training program struggles with – no one completes the courses and when they complete them, they forget everything anyway. The rationale behind it is very easy. Combine Workday’s HR data and skills knowledge together with AI-driven learning capability of Sana, and you will have personalized learning, not just another generic compliance course.

Survey

Also read: OpenAI Presence explained: OpenAI’s new platform for AI customer support agents

The tutor that doesn’t let you skip ahead

Here, the core of all this is an individualized AI-based tutor integrated straight into the learning process. In contrast to a slide presentation that employees have to sit through, they can simply ask questions in natural language and get responses and explanations directly related to the material at hand. This system also suggests next learning steps according to the true employee’s position, skills, and location information from Workday HCM. Therefore, for a manager transferred to another country, a recommendation about local policy will be provided automatically, without manually browsing through a universal course.

There is also a powerful search functionality here. Asking a specific question about dealing with customer data request in a certain country will help to get the corresponding chapter from policy without browsing through five courses.

Also read: Meta Ray-Ban has a new rival, and it’s backed by Google and Samsung

Course creation in hours, not weeks

This is where the “PDF to course in minutes” idea fits in. The teams can use existing PDF documents, slides, or course files and transform them into interactive and structured courses with outlines, quizzes, and knowledge checks through the use of the AI-powered editor. There is an integrated writing assistant that does all the dirty job – writes lessons, breaks down policy language into simple terms, creates quizzes, and adapts content for various markets.

There is even a built-in translation system that allows the company to release localized versions of the course at once and not release it to each market separately over several months.

Workday says that some companies managed to reduce their content creation process by 98% by using such authoring tools.

Does it actually move the needle?

These early adopters appear convinced. According to The Josh Bersin Company, they managed to turn a significant course library into interactive material in months rather than years. Accenture plans to use this product and incorporate it into their current LearnVantage environment in order to make their learning experience more adaptive. Workday claims that the speed of compliance reporting can be up to five times faster and learner engagement could increase threefold when compared to legacy systems – all according to customer feedback, though.

The key point is actually not technical but philosophical: L&D will no longer chase completion percentages but measure how their training impacts skills acquisition and employee mobility and retention. That will be interesting to see.

Also read: Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 vs Galaxy Watch 8: specs, price and is the upgrade worth it?

Vyom Ramani

A journalist with a soft spot for tech, games, and things that go beep. While waiting for a delayed metro or rebooting his brain, you’ll find him solving Rubik’s Cubes, bingeing F1, or hunting for the next great snack. View Full Profile