Artificial Intelligence (AI) offers significant benefits in the corporate sector, but it also raises important ethical challenges. This article explores how to ensure the ethical use of AI in corporate training. 

Personalised content, courses tailored to employee needs, training on demand… The list of benefits linked to the use of AI in Learning & Development (L&D) is extensive. AI offers significant advantages in personalisation and efficiency and is a powerful tool. However, with great power comes great responsibility. 

Humanism in the age of AI: reflections from José María Álvarez-Pallete 

“For me, this is not just the time of technology. Technology is already here. We have all the technology we want, and we are going to have more. For me, this is, above all, the time of Social Sciences. Sociology, Anthropology, Philosophy, Law and Politics. What is the social framework we want to create so that this is good for everyone?” These remarks were made by José María Álvarez-Pallete, President of Telefónica, during the Cotec 2024 Gala held in Madrid last June. In his reflection, the head of Spain’s leading telecommunications company emphasised the need to integrate ethics and social sciences into the use of AI. This is a crucial aspect to ensure that we use this powerful tool responsibly and for the benefit of society as a whole. 

Creating a responsible and effective corporate learning environment 

In the L&D sector, the humanism that Álvarez-Pallete speaks of is equally essential. In the era of AI, companies and organisations need to foster a responsible and effective corporate learning environment. With the great power of AI comes the great responsibility of adopting a humanistic and ethical approach to harnessing the potential of this technology, without losing sight of the wellbeing of employees and society in general. 

Key practices for ethical AI use 

Companies need a solid ethical framework to guide the use of AI in corporate training. This involves: 

1. Strict privacy policies: AI requires vast amounts of data to develop personalised training content. To ensure transparency in the collection and use of personal data, companies must adopt strict privacy policies that safeguard employee information.
2. Regular algorithm audits: AI can perpetuate biases and discrimination, affecting corporate training. It is essential to audit and review AI algorithms. Including diverse teams in these processes can help identify and correct hidden biases, ensuring fair and equitable decisions. 
3. Continuous training and learning culture: Implementing continuous training programmes is vital for employees to adapt to technological changes. Fostering a culture of continuous learning is fundamental to ensuring that AI is used in a way that benefits society as a whole. 

Using AI ethically to foster a responsible learning environment is an effective strategy for improving employee wellbeing and, ultimately, company productivity and competitiveness. By adopting a humanistic and ethical approach, organisations can harness the full potential of AI, ensuring that this powerful tool benefits both the company and society at large. 

Netex’s commitment to data protection 

At Netex Learning, we are committed to data privacy and security. “In our SaaS solutions, each user’s data is secured and isolated from others. It is important to emphasise that, in the realm of AI, we apply the same policy. Data is isolated from other accounts and potential external queries,” explains Ravi Purswani, Learning Cloud Managing Director at Netex. 

Learning Cloud is an e-learning ecosystem that provides an innovative and immersive user experience. It includes a state-of-the-art LMS that ensures data protection through strict and advanced security policies, supported by the robustness of AWS. These policies include data security measures that comply with regulatory certifications and international standards. All information collected is used transparently and securely. “Of course, user data is anonymised and the algorithms infer results from this data. These conclusions or analyses, supervised by our learning experts, can then be applied to the users of our platforms and content solutions,” adds Purswani. 

At Netex, we help companies use AI ethically and responsibly, protecting employee privacy and fostering a positive and productive learning environment. As Purswani explains, “One of the key differences that Netex has compared to other providers is our commitment to using xAPI and an LRS platform for tracking user actions on our platforms and content. When combined with AI, this is a significant advantage, and Netex has extensive experience in exploiting this data, as well as managing its confidentiality and security.” 

This combination of security and effective training is what allows companies to harness the full power of AI responsibly.