Guide to Navigating AI in the Workplace

Explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping career paths, business operations, and learning strategies. Clara and Eric discuss the challenges and opportunities AI presents, with practical tips for adapting and succeeding in the AI era.

Transcript

Clara Jensen

Hello everyone!! Welcome back to episode 3 of ‘Getting the Most from Your LMS!!!.’ I’m Clara Jensen, and as always, I’m here with Eric Marquette. Today, we’re diving into a topic that’s, well, everywhere right now—artificial intelligence in the workplace. —And let me start by saying this… it seems that just about every time I open the news, there’s another headline about AI changing the way we work.— And it’s a whole lot to keep up with… Would you agree?

Eric Marquette

Yeah, it really is. And it’s not just hype—AI is already making a huge impact. I mean, look at Amazon. Their CEO, Andy Jassy, basically said they’re planning to reduce their corporate workforce, over the next few years or so because they’re leaning so heavily on generative AI. That’s not just a tech company thing, either. It’s happening across industries.

Clara Jensen

Rightttt… and it’s not just the big players. Even in smaller organizations, we’re seeing AI pop up in everything from scheduling to customer support. But, you know, there’s this other side to it—like, I read in the Wall Street Journal that recent grads are having a very tough time finding jobs because companies are using AI for a lot of those entry-level tasks. It’s kind of a double-edged sword, isn’t it?

Eric Marquette

Absolutely. And I’ve seen it firsthand. Actually, I worked with an insurance company recently—they started using AI tools to automate their claims processing. What used to take a team of people days to sort through, now gets done in hours. It’s efficient, but it also means they needed fewer people for those roles. At the same time, though, they had to hire folks who could manage the AI systems, check the results, and handle the more complex cases. So, the jobs didn’t just disappear—they changed.

Clara Jensen

That’s such a good point. It’s not just about jobs going away, it’s about jobs evolving. And, honestly, I think that’s what makes this whole AI thing so tricky to talk about. There’s opportunity, but there’s also a lot of uncertainty, especially for people just starting out in their careers.

Eric Marquette

Yeah, and I think, as we discussed in our last episode about LMS implementation, it’s all about understanding your needs and adapting. The same goes for AI—if you can figure out how to leverage it, you’re in a much better spot than if you just ignore it and hope it goes away.

Clara Jensen

Alright so now let’s talk about what AI can actually do—and, maybe more importantly, what it can’t do. There’s a lot of buzz about AI being this all-knowing, super-smart thing, but the reality is a little bit messier, right?

Eric Marquette

Oh, for sure. There was this research paper I read recently that said large language models—like the ones behind ChatGPT—actually hit a wall with complex reasoning. They can do a lot, but once you push them past a certain point, their accuracy just collapses. And Salesforce’s AI research found the same thing: there’s still a big gap between what AI can do and what businesses really need.

Clara Jensen

Oh yeah…, and let’s not forget about the, uh, “ChatGPT going rogue.” I mean, I remember the first time I tried it. I asked it to help me write a training outline, and it gave me this super polished, confident, credible-sounding answer. But then I checked the actual references it listed, and— umm.. to my surprise…—some of them didn’t even exist. Like, “Well wait a minute…., —did I just get catfished by a chatbot?! — I mean I just couldn’t believe it…!”

Eric Marquette

That’s pretty much a classic story. And it’s not just you—lawyers have actually gotten in trouble for submitting briefs with fake citations generated by AI. It’s a real risk. AI can be biased, too, depending on the data it’s trained on. So, while it’s amazing in some ways, you really have to keep your critical thinking hat on.

Clara Jensen

Exactly. I mean, AI’s been around for a while—think about Google Search, Alexa, all that stuff. But the key milestones, like the jump to generative AI, have really changed the game. Still, it’s only as good as the data it gets. Garbage in, garbage out, right?

Eric Marquette

Right. And I think that’s why it’s so important not to get swept up in the hype. AI is powerful, but it’s not magic. You have to know its strengths and its limits, or you’re gonna end up with a lot of headaches.

Clara Jensen

So, what do we actually do about all this? I mean, if you’re listening and feeling a little overwhelmed, you’re not alone. The best thing you can do is to start learning—experiment, take a course, or play around with prompt-writing. There are actually so many helpful resources out there now.

Eric Marquette

Yeah, and don’t just rely on AI to do everything for you. It works best when you combine your own judgment with what AI can offer. Like, use it to clean up data or get past writer’s block, but don’t let it do all the thinking. I always tell people, treat AI like a research assistant—it can help, but you still have to check its work.

Clara Jensen

And that’s exactly how we approached it when we built that LMS course on AI together, remember that? We wanted to make sure people understood not just how to use AI, but also when to question it. We included sections on ethical considerations, too, because, well, it’s easy to get carried away and forget about the human side of things.

Eric Marquette

Yeah, and I think that’s the future—organizations need to set up learning paths, proactively offer training, and encourage people to simply experiment. But also, make space for conversations about what’s working and what’s not. AI isn’t going away, so the more proactive you are, the better off you’ll be.

Clara Jensen

I couldn’t agree with you more!! And, honestly… It’s kind of exciting, right?! We’re all figuring this out together. So, whether you’re just starting to explore AI or you’re already far in the weeds, keep learning, keep questioning, and don’t be afraid to experiment. That’s how we’ll all get the most from our LMS—and from AI in general.

Eric Marquette

Well said, Clara. And special thanks to everyone for joining us today. We’ll be back soon with more tips and stories to help you navigate the ever-changing world of learning and technology.

Clara Jensen

Thank you, Eric!! And a big thanks to all our listeners—take care, stay curious, and we’ll catch you next time on Getting the Most From Your LMS!!

Eric Marquette

Bye everyone!!!!