The Future of L&D: AI, Skills Gaps & Staying Relevant in 2026

L&D is at an inflection point. If you can't articulate the value of learning beyond completion rates and happy sheets, you risk becoming irrelevant in the AI era.In this episode, I sit down with our L&D Shakers panel, Andy Sontag, Milica Sapic, Debora Gallo, and Lori Niles-Hofmann, for an honest conversation about what's really happening in learning and development today. From the fear of being replaced by AI tools to rethinking L&D's role from course builders to experienced architects, we explore how leading practitioners are staying relevant, proving business value, and navigating the fastest-changing moment our profession has ever seen.We dig into how L&D teams are closing skills gaps with more precision, what it actually means to design learning as a process rather than an event, and how communities like L&D Shakers are helping practitioners sense-check, connect, and stay sane, before turning to a frank discussion about AI expectations, organizational transformation, and why the backend of learning technology is more important than ever.If you're working in L&D right now, this conversation will challenge you to move beyond delivering training and start architecting experiences that drive real human and business outcomes.Some curious takeaways:Why treating learning as an event, not a process, is killing your impactHow L&D teams are moving from course builders to experience architectsWhy human connection is still the one thing AI cannot replicateEpisode highlights:(00:00) Welcome to Harald’s Curious Corner(01:10) Meet the panelists(03:15) What's keeping L&D up at night right now(07:30) How communities like L&D Shakers keep us sane(08:30) What's actually exciting in L&D today(11:20) The role of the learning architect in the AI era(11:55) Are we really closing skills gaps or just running programs?(19:45) How AI has shifted expectations of L&D teams(22:25) Rethinking L&D from the ground Up(24:45) What stakeholders need to understand about L&D's value(28:10) The role of managers in learning transfer(41:00) One skill every L&D leader needs in the AI eraConnect with the guest:Andy Sontag on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andysontag/ Milica Sapic on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/milicasapic/ Debora Galloon LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deboragallo/ Lori-Niles-Horman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorinileshofmann/ Explore 8Levers: https://www.8levers.com/ Explore Mews: https://www.mews.com/en Explore Kaospilot: https://www.kaospilot.dk/ Explore Publicis Sapient: https://www.publicissapient.com/ Explore Docebo: https://www.docebo.com/ Follow me on the following sites:Harald Overaa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/haraldovera/ Subscribe to Harald’s Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/6901795950403186688/