In today’s fast-changing business environment, the role of leadership development professionals has never been more critical. This blog explores how learning and development professionals can leverage learning agility to accelerate AI readiness within their organizations.

The Urgency of AI Readiness

As the rise of Chinese AI startup DeepSeek shakes up the global tech industry, the need for leadership development to contribute to AI readiness becomes increasingly urgent. Yet, despite AI’s growing presence, fear and frustration persist across all levels of business.

Reflecting back forty years, when computers first entered mainstream businesses, similar fears and frustrations were common. Leadership development at the time was shaped by traditional management theories, military leadership models, and hierarchical corporate structures. Adaptation wasn’t optional—everyone had to learn to use computers or risk obsolescence.

Fast forward to 2025, and the conversation around AI echoes those earlier technological shifts. Surprisingly, only 1 in 10 (9%) Americans believe that AI will do more good than harm to society. However, unlike the 1980s, today’s workforce seeks meaning and purpose in their work. Motivation no longer stems from obligation or job security; people are driven by personal growth and purpose.

How Can Learning & Development Professionals Bridge this Gap?

There’s a growing recognition of a skills gap among those expected to work alongside AI. Despite this, organizations often underfund initiatives to address this need. Relying solely on on-the-job learning has proven inefficient.

The Fist Step: Identify the Skills Needed for AI Acceleration
Two essential frameworks can guide this process:

1. Fusion Skills: Defined by Accenture consultants Wilson and Daugherty, fusion skills represent the synergy between human and machine collaboration. Key fusion skills include:
   • Intelligent Interrogation: Using research-backed prompting techniques to optimize AI outputs.
   • Judgment Integration: Ensuring human oversight remains integral to decision-making processes.
   • Reciprocal Apprenticing: Continuously learning while simultaneously training AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude to improve performance.

2. Learning Agility: As the author of two books on this topic, I firmly believe that learning agility is the ultimate skill for navigating an AI-driven environment. At its core, learning agility is about flexibility and speed—the ability to embrace innovation and adapt faster than the market.

My colleague and coauthor, Emeritus Professor Warner Burke of Columbia University, led research identifying nine dimensions of learning agility, supported by 38 behaviors:

While some individuals may naturally possess more of these capabilities, they are all developable and align closely with fusion skills. For example, Flexibility is crucial when leaders must shift paradigms to collaborate effectively with AI. Additionally, crafting diverse prompts quickly can lead to more accurate and efficient AI responses.

The Second Step: Acquire the Skills Needed to Accelerate AI Adoption

In simple terms, learning agility means facing unfamiliar situations, not knowing the answers, and figuring things out. This describes the challenge many face with AI: we recognize its importance but often don’t know how to harness its potential.

Learning agility starts with intention. To become more learning agile, first measure your baseline. Identify which of the nine dimensions you should focus on to improve your agility.

At Burke Assessments, we offer learning and development professionals, coaches, and consultants the opportunity to become certified in the Burke Learning Agility Assessment. This certification can be your first step toward leading the development of AI-ready organizations.

Ready to Lead the AI Transformation?

Start by becoming certified in the Burke Learning Agility Assessment.

Let us know when you’re ready to take that step!