The Top 5 AI-Created Immersive Training Experiences Used At Work

Forbes

a day ago

If you're tired of corporate training that had you clicking through slide after slide, only to answer questions at the end to prove you learned something, the good news is that style of training might finally be on its way out. It's hard to retain anything that way, and many people just hit enter over and over, hoping they can guess enough answers to pass. Yet that's still how most corporate learning happens. With all the game playing to get through training, attention spans shrinking, and expectations rising, many companies are turning to immersive training experiences created by AI. Not only can you actually learn something this way, but you also get real, practice-based environments you can interact with, where mistakes don't carry real-world consequences.
1. What Is An AI-Created Simulated Role-Play Experience
AI-created simulated role-plays let employees talk to a virtual character, often using a tool like ChatGPT, to practice real conversations. These might include conflict resolution talks, sales calls, leadership interactions, or customer service scenarios. The AI responds in real time, so the person has to think on their feet. Because it isn't a script or a recording, the learner is immersed inside the conversation, not watching from the outside. That participation aspect allows employees to have a real experience, which improves learning.
PwC created the "Digital Fitness" app to help employees build their technology skills. It includes short, personalized lessons, quizzes, and learning modules that people can explore at their own pace. Some are interactive and encourage real-time decision-making, which makes the learning feel more like practice than passive intake. While the app doesn't currently feature live role-play chats, it reflects the growing move toward immersive formats that help people build confidence before they face real situations. Like any tool, its impact depends on how engaging the content is. If it feels too basic or repetitive, people may just click through without thinking. But when it's well-designed, it gives them a chance to try, reflect, and apply what they've learned.
2. How AI-Created Escape-Room Experiences Are Training Teams
It's hard to find a town that doesn't have escape rooms as entertainment. Organizations have begun to take that idea of escape-room style training to create timed challenges where people solve clues, make decisions, and work together to move through a scenario. AI helps build the story and adjusts based on the choices people make. It creates a sense of urgency and helps people practice solving problems under pressure.
Deloitte's Greenhouse program uses this style with AI decision paths to create hands-on training. In one session, finance teams have to detect fraud in a fake company, and the AI changes the clues based on what people do. It's interactive and helps people think quickly. But it usually needs a facilitator to run well, and the setup can be complex. Even so, it's a good example of how AI can bring training to life.
3. What Personalized AI Training Looks Like In The Workplace
It is well-documented that people learn differently. Some people prefer reading things, while others like to learn through listening. The key is to deliver training in ways that are personalized to people's preferences. Personalized AI training does that because it adjusts to each person. It learns how someone works and offers small lessons or reminders that fit their needs. Instead of everyone getting the same generic training, people get help when they need it, based on what they're doing.
IBM offers tools like Watson Orchestrate, which use AI to help employees manage repetitive tasks and automate parts of their workflow. While it's not designed specifically for coaching, it opens the door for future training applications. For example, a similar program might find someone juggling too many deadlines and prompt them to reassign tasks or break work into steps. It's not a full learning experience yet, but it shows how AI can start to personalize work and create deeper learning. As with anything new, its success depends on how it's introduced. For it to work, the culture needs to support learning, not make people feel like it is just one more program that no one is really invested in.
4. How AI-Created Onboarding Experiences Are Changing First Impressions
Onboarding is the time to make a strong impact on new employees and share corporate cultural expectations. AI-created onboarding helps new employees learn how to do their jobs without sitting through boring presentations. It might include a virtual guide that answers questions, shows people around a digital office, or simulates simple work tasks. It's more like having someone to go to for help than being handed a manual and told to figure it out for themselves.
Accenture built a virtual onboarding program where new hires explore the company in a video game-like setting. They meet digital coworkers and complete short challenges. It's more fun than most first days, and it helps people feel part of the culture. The problem is that not everyone wants to use virtual reality or has the right equipment. Accenture solved this by offering both VR and web-based versions.
5. Why Scenario-Based AI Training Is Catching On
Many games and apps are successful because they include journeys based on choices. Scenario-based AI training puts people in situations where their choices shape what happens next. The AI changes the direction based on their answers. These situations might be about dealing with workplace conflict, making leadership decisions, or handling pressure in a crisis.
Walmart worked with Strivr to create these types of training tools. One example includes a Black Friday crowd simulation where employees have to keep things under control. It's fast-paced and realistic. People learn how to stay calm and make good decisions. The downside is cost. Walmart saw good results, with shorter training time and better preparedness, though it's a bigger investment, especially for smaller companies.
Why AI-Created Immersive Training Experiences Matter
AI-created immersive training experiences are changing how companies help people learn. These tools give employees a chance to practice in ways that feel real. Whether it's a conversation with a virtual customer or a problem-solving challenge in a high-pressure setting, these tools help people gain skills they can use right away. When designed well, they improve confidence and make people feel like their time spent learning actually matters, instead of just rushing through slides to say they finished.