Training & Development with AI For Dummies Cheat Sheet

This quick Cheat Sheet features a list of AI tools worth exploring and a T&D Kick-Start Brief to help you understand your learners so you design sessions that truly engage them.

AI tools worth checking out

Whether you’re building onboarding programs or tracking a learner’s progress, AI tools are quickly becoming an essential partner in training and development (T&D). They can help you streamline routine tasks, spark creative ideas, and give you more time to focus on designing meaningful experiences. Think of them as productivity boosters — tools that support your expertise, help you work smarter, and make your training programs more engaging and effective.

Here are a few AI tools and platforms to check out:

• Anyword (https://anyword.com/): An AI-powered copywriting tool that generates and optimizes marketing content using predictive analytics to improve engagement and conversion rates.

• Articulate 360 (https://www.articulate.com): Integrated AI features fore-learning module creation.

• Buffer (https://buffer.com/ai-assistant/): AI-powered platform for planning, writing, and managing social media content

• ChatGPT (https://chatgpt.com/): Conversational AI tool for writing, brainstorming, research, and problem-solving

• Claude (https://claude.ai/): AI assistant for drafting, summarizing, and analyzing documents with a natural writing style.

• Copy.ai (https://www.copy.ai/): AI writing platform that generates marketing, blog, and business content.

• Grammarly (https://app.grammarly.com/): AI-driven tool for improving grammar, clarity, and tone in writing.  

• Jasper (https://www.jasper.ai/): AI content creation tool for marketing, branding, and training materials.

• Lumen5 (https://lumen5.com/): Creates AI-assisted video content from text, useful for training.

• Miro AI (https://miro.com/): For design/visual collaboration, useful in training development environments.

• Neuraltext (https://www.neuraltext.com/): AI-enhanced design and collaboration tools for visual project development.

• Notion (https://www.notion.so/): Productivity and collaboration workspace with AI tools for writing, notes, and organization.

• Otter .ai (https://otter.ai/) : Dafts real-time AI transcription and note generation which can support training assessments and follow-up.

• Perplexity (https://www.perplexity.ai/: AI research assistant that delivers concise, sourced answers to complex questions.)

• Rytr (https://rytr.me/): AI writing assistant for generating short-form content like emails and social posts.

• Simplified (https://simplified.com/): AI platform for creating, designing, and automating marketing and written content

• * Wordtune (https://www.wordtune.com/): AI writing enhancer that rewrites and refines sentences for clarity and tone

• * Writesonic (https://writesonic.com/): AI content creation platform for blogs, ads, and product descriptions.

Getting to know your learners with a kick-start brief

The T&D Kick-Start Brief is a simple yet powerful way to understand who your learners are before you begin to design or deliver a training session. It helps you uncover what motivates them, why they’ve chosen to attend, and what they hope to walk away with. These insights allow you to shape examples, activities, and discussions that connect directly to their real-world needs.

For example, take a look at the second question in the list that follows: Who are the target learners? To answer this question, you need to determine your learners’ current skill level, if they have any language or cultural barriers, whether they have logistical constraints (such as lack of computer or internet access), their reasons for attending the training, and so on. This helps you target your training to meet their needs.

T&D kick-start brief

By answering the following questions, you’ll be prepared to design a training program that’s not only informative and engaging, but helps learners apply the session’s content in their real-world work situations:

1. What are the learning objectives?

2. Who are the target learners?

3. Will they be positive or negative toward the training?

4. What’s their level of understanding about the topic?

5. What’s the key message learners need to remember?

6. What content needs to be covered?

7. How will the content be presented?

8. How will learners engage with the material?

9. What resources and materials are needed and available?

10. What are the potential challenges or obstacles?

11. How will feedback be collected and used?

12. What follow-up or reinforcement is needed?

13. What key questions like who, what, when, where, why, and how need to be answered?