Accessibility x AI = The End of E-Learning?

Lewis Carr questions whether years of accessible eLearning will be our undoing in the age of AI

For the last decade, the eLearning industry, and the internet in general, has increasingly prioritised accessibility and ease of use for designing courses that cater to a broad audience. We have strived to make learning modules simple, intuitive, and compliant with best practices in instructional design. The result? Click-next eLearning: standardised, predictable, and often uninspiring digital courses that require minimal engagement from learners.

But now, with AI-powered tools like ChatGPT Operator, we may be witnessing the unintended consequences of our own approach. What happens when learners can bypass the system entirely, using AI tools like Operator to complete assessments and modules without actually engaging with the material? Are we on the verge of an existential crisis in corporate training?

For those of you who don’t already know, Chat GPT Operator is an AI that uses a web browser and performs tasks for you. Like booking a flight, searching for concert tickets to see Oasis, or indeed, completing your Fire Safety Training course.

The Rise of AI-Powered Learning Shortcuts

Generative AI tools can summarise content, answer assessment questions, and even simulate human interaction with learning modules. A learner faced with a mandatory compliance course, for instance, can simply copy and paste text into ChatGPT and receive perfectly structured responses. In many cases, they don’t even have to read the content, they just need to know how to prompt an AI tool effectively.

This reality exposes a fundamental weakness in traditional eLearning design: most courses measure completion, not comprehension. When the primary measure of learning is “click next” progress tracking and a multiple-choice quiz, AI can complete the course as well as (or better than) a human.

The Illusion of Learning

For years, instructional designers have equated accessibility with simplicity. While it’s crucial to create inclusive learning experiences, the overemphasis on easy navigation and standardised content delivery has resulted in:

• Minimal cognitive effort required from learners

• Predictable assessments that AI can easily game

• A focus on compliance over actual learning outcomes

Many corporate training modules were already ineffective, AI just exposes how little learning actually occurs in these environments. When ChatGPT Operator can complete eLearning as well as (or better than) your employees, it’s clear the system is broken.

What Needs to Change?

If the goal of corporate training is real skill development, engagement, and behaviour change, then eLearning must evolve beyond static, linear modules. Some potential solutions include:

AI-Resistant Learning

Design: Instead of multiple-choice questions and rote memorisation, leverage scenario-based learning, problem-solving exercises, and open-ended tasks that require real thought.

Social and Experiential

Learning: Introduce group discussions, peer reviews, and interactive workshops where AI-driven shortcuts are ineffective.

Adaptive Learning Paths: Use AI not just as a tool for learners but as an enhancement for instructional design, creating personalised and dynamic learning experiences that adjust in real-time based on learner performance.

Gamification and Active

Engagement: Challenge learners with immersive experiences, competitive elements, and rewards that require active participation.

The Future of eLearning

in an AI-Driven World AI isn’t going away, it’s only going to get more advanced. The question isn’t whether learners will use AI tools; it’s how we design learning experiences that make AI an asset rather than a loophole. Corporate training needs a radical transformation, moving away from passive eLearning and towards dynamic, meaningful education that AI can’t complete on behalf of the learner.

If we fail to adapt, we risk rendering much of corporate eLearning obsolete, allowing AI to expose just how ineffective our traditional methods have been all along.