An exclusive look at how Professor David Joyner and his AI avatar, DAI-vid, are redefining content, assessment, and engagement in a rapidly changing field – and what this means for L&D.
Interview with Adam Hill, Principal Learning Strategist at edX
The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence demands a complete rethinking of how we teach and learn. In the new Foundations of Generative AI course from Georgia Institute of Technology, Executive Director David Joyner of Georgia Tech, is pioneering the future with a curriculum not just about AI, but built with it. Co-teaching alongside his digital twin, an AI avatar named “DAI-vid”, Joyner and edX have created a living case study in innovation, integrating cutting-edge tools for content, assessment, and engagement.
It’s a bold stance at a moment when parts of higher education are moving in the opposite direction. As Joyner told Fortune, blue-book exam sales have spiked by roughly 50% nationwide as many educators believe returning to classic methods is the safest way to preserve academic integrity. But this course offers a counterpoint: the future of learning won’t be safeguarded by retreating from new tools, but by using them intentionally, transparently, and creatively.
We sat down with edX Principal Learning Strategist Adam Hill to take an exclusive look inside this groundbreaking course. In this Q&A, Adam discusses some of the tools used in the design of the course and the potential of AI for learning design. He covers hands-on testing of AI-powered tools in video content generation and grading, and the urgent need for learning and development (L&D) professionals to shift their focus from automation to innovation. This conversation is a vital guide for any L&D leader looking to understand how AI can enhance learning experiences, promote a “clean slate” approach to pedagogy, and build an AI-ready workforce.
Innovation Over Automation: The New L&D Mindset
How to incorporate AI tools, moving beyond simple cost-cutting and automation to focus on innovation and enhancing the learning experience.
Q: You were initially involved in testing some of the AI tools used in the development of this course. Can you tell me more about that?
Adam Hill: Yes, I was involved in testing the AI avatar tool, which David Joyner used to create his avatar D-AI-vid, used in videos in his Georgia Tech Foundations of Generative AI course.
Q: And what are your thoughts on some of the potential of these tools? And maybe also some of the challenges?
Adam Hill: So in this course, David used it to create his digital twin. And as David discusses in this course, some of the reasons he decided to use this tool is that in a field like AI which is changing so quickly, using this text-to-video content creation tool is a great way to keep content up-to-date, while still allowing him to maintain quite a lot of control over the content and his avatar. I do think one of the things that is easy to underestimate is the efficiency – it isn’t necessarily as simple as updating a transcript. It does still take a lot of time editing, and figuring out through trial and error to create a great finished product.
Q: Are there any examples you see to use these tools, beyond creating avatars of our faculty?
Adam Hill: Yes, definitely. Some great examples we’re seeing in this space are in case studies/case-based learning, if you think of a guided branching learning scenario, which you can make quite relevant to a particular industry. For example, you could have avatars with imagery from the construction industry, demonstrating different responses based on choices learners make. And that gives you much more scale than you’d have if you needed to hire actors. So there are more options for learner engagement – and innovation.
The Rise of the AI-Empowered Learner
How AI challenges us to re-imagine the learner and the learning experience.
Q: How do you see AI impacting how we teach and learn (i.e. pedagogy)? Do the same principles of learning design still apply?
Adam Hill: I think learning design still has a very top-down approach, and one of the things I’d like us to talk about more is the AI-empowered learner. You can encourage learners to use AI for deliberate practice, and to scaffold their own learning. And that just means that AI can step in like a tutor, to help learners master more complex skills. We can encourage students to engage with AI and ask questions like, “Can you explain this to me in a different way? Explain this to me like I’m a fifth grader!”
Q: It is almost like there is more co-creation of knowledge. You are inviting learners to be part of the design process. Do you agree with this?
Adam Hill: Absolutely, I think there are a lot more opportunities for active learning. We should start to rethink our learning approaches from a clean slate. How can we completely redesign or rethink the learning experience from scratch? A good example of this active approach is an AI-powered grading tool used in Georgia Tech Generative AI course – Grady AI. Learners give an open response to a question, Grady AI knows what a good response is, and will then give feedback and encourage students to revise their response.
Three Key Questions for Strategic AI Adoption
Important questions to ask when it comes to AI tools and learning design.
Q: Many of our customers are also using these tools like AI video creation in their companies. From a design-perspective, what do you believe are the three most important things for L&D leaders to ask of any AI/tech-enabled learning solution?
Adam Hill: Three questions I’d focus on are:
- Does it enhance the learning experience and help you innovate, or is it just automation in disguise? Yes, there are efficiencies, but what’s really exciting to me is how we think about new possibilities such as in multi-modal learning. We learn more effectively through different modes e.g. reading, watching a video, listening to a podcast, completing an exercise. There’s also a lot of opportunities for personalisation. AI tools can help create content that is more applicable to advanced learners, or learners from different professional backgrounds or identities.
- How does it fit into the broader process of learning design? I.e. how do these tools enhance or elevate what humans can do, such as using AI for data analysis. An AI tool isn’t a standalone replacement for an L&D function; it must be an augmenting partner within the existing design workflow. The best solutions don’t replace the instructional designer; they empower them to focus on the truly human-centric, high-value work.
- Finally, are your employees or your learner base ready to use these new AI tools? Technology adoption isn’t just about deployment; it’s about readiness. A state-of-the-art AI solution will fail if the end-user doesn’t understand how to interact with it, trust it, or view it as a genuine benefit. This requires a cultural and skill-based preparation strategy.
What you’ll learn in the Georgia Tech Foundations of AI course
Why the Georgia Tech course is particularly relevant to L&D professionals.
Q: I want to talk more about the course itself. Who should take this course and why?
Adam Hill: The course is for anyone who wants to learn more about generative AI. Whether you’re an engineer or a product manager or a L&D professional, you’re getting a view into the process of how generative AI is developed. The course helps you develop an understanding of generative AI technology and helps you to think critically about AI – for example understanding what AI hallucinations are and why they happen. The course is less tool-focused – which is important as tools change so quickly – but helps you develop a critical lens when evaluating or adopting new tools.
Q: This course will be great for L&D professionals. Why do you think L&D professionals and learning designers should take this course?
Adam Hill: I agree! As we’ve discussed how AI will impact learning design – this course will give L&D professionals a chance to learn about generative AI, and also see a real example of how these tools are used in an online course.
Moving Forward With AI in Learning
The ultimate impact of the course—and the key takeaway for L&D leaders—is that the shift to AI requires doubling down on quality and innovative design to maintain rigor and foster true learning. Organizations that focus on innovation over automation and build a strong foundation of AI literacy will be best positioned to lead in the future.
We encourage all L&D leaders to enroll in Georgia Tech’s Foundations of Generative AI to gain a critical toolkit for evaluating and adopting new AI tools in their own organizations. To explore how to equip your entire team with this foundational knowledge, along with other advanced courses from Georgia Tech on topics like AI for teaching and learning, please Contact us to start the conversation.