AI Transformation and Why Learning Leaders Must Engage Early

When organizations kick off AI and agentic transformation — redesigning workflows, reimagining roles — business and technology leaders run the work. Learning leaders are rarely in the room. By the time L&D gets called, the decisions are made and the upskilling need is already behind.  Yulia Barnakova, AI Innovation and Learning Advisor at Accenture and faculty in Accenture's AI Academy for Business Leaders, joins Sam Herring to make the case for why that has to change — and what learning leaders can do about it now.  In this episode: Why 95% of AI workflow redesign conversations happen without learning leaders — and what that absence costs organizations  How to position L&D as a strategic partner to business and technology leaders, not downstream upskilling fulfillment A spectrum framework for AI-based practice design: when text is enough, when voice helps, and when avatar fidelity actually matters How to make technology decisions in a market where the options keep improving — without getting paralyzed Why personal upskilling is a team readiness strategy, even when organizational tool access is restricted  Guest: Yulia Barnakova, AI Innovation and Learning Advisor, Accenture Connect with Sam