We’re thrilled to welcome Leah Houde, Chief Learning Officer at PwC, to discuss her journey in embracing AI and generative AI (Gen AI) within the L&D landscape and its impact in organizational upskilling.
In our conversation, Leah dives into the collaborative efforts between PwC’s L&D, tech, and change management teams to upskill 75,000 employees, ensuring they become savvy and responsible AI users. She also shares insights on PwC’s Gen AI strategy, innovative tools like the AI-enabled tutor, and the significance of fun, engagement, and strategic planning in successful upskilling initiatives.
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Summary
Leah Houde, Chief Learning Officer at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) for the U.S., Mexico, and acceleration centers, discussing AI upskilling across the organization. Houde shares her journey with AI, starting from reading ‘You Look Like a Thing and I Love You’ five years ago to PwC’s $1 billion investment in AI. She describes how PwC implemented a comprehensive AI upskilling strategy called ‘MyAI,’ achieving remarkable results with 95% employee completion rates and tool usage. The discussion highlights PwC’s approach to responsible AI use, including collaborative efforts between L&D, tech teams, and communications. Houde emphasizes the importance of combining required learning with engaging activities like ‘prompting parties’ and trivia games. The implementation has been successful, with 87% of employees agreeing that MyAI helps them become more savvy, responsible GenAI users within just one year of launch.
Introduction to AI Journey and Personal Experience
Leah Houde describes her initial exposure to AI five years ago, starting with reading ‘You Look Like a Thing and I Love You’ by Janelle Shane. She shares a personal experience using ChatGPT to write an opening speech for a fundraising event, demonstrating practical application of GenAI tools.
PwC’s Strategic Approach to AI Implementation
Houde discusses PwC’s $1 billion investment in AI and their approach to upskilling 75,000 employees. She emphasizes the collaboration between L&D and tech teams, utilizing both internal resources and external networks. The strategy includes responsible AI use in their regulated business environment.
Learning and Development’s Role in AI Integration
The discussion covers L&D’s dual role in both using GenAI tools and upskilling the organization. Houde explains their systematic approach, including collaboration with communications and change management teams, and the use of ‘Leaders in Action’ sessions to build engagement.
Innovative Learning Approaches and Tools
Houde details innovative learning approaches including GenAI-enabled tutors, content development tools, and the concept of ‘prompting parties.’ She discusses the integration of AI in apprenticeship-based learning and the development of their own AI factory.
Measuring Success and Implementation Results
The implementation results show impressive metrics: 95% employee completion rate for learning courses, 95% tool usage rate, and 87% positive sentiment regarding MyAI’s effectiveness. Houde emphasizes the importance of various learning strategies and the need for sprint-based curriculum development due to rapidly evolving technology.
Personal Career Insights and Leadership Philosophy
Houde concludes with career advice, suggesting a ‘just say yes’ approach to opportunities. She shares her unexpected journey to becoming a corporate learning leader, emphasizing the importance of being open to new challenges and continuous learning.
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I’m a storyteller!
Exactly how I’ve told stories has changed through the years, going from writing college basketball analysis in the pages of a newspaper to now, telling the stories of the people of TimelyText. Nowadays, that means helping a talented technical writer land a new gig by laying out their skills, or even a quick blog post about a neat project one of our instructional designers is finishing in pharma.
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