12 L&D Trends for 2025: What’s Hot & What’s Not?

What’s hot and what’s not in the world of learning and development in 2025? We’re so glad you asked! In this article, we’ll explore the 12 L&D trends that every learning practitioner should have on their radar this year.

After all, the world of work is changing quickly and we simply cannot afford to sit still. If we want to keep our learners engaged and thriving, then we need to be in the know. That means understanding the latest and greatest approaches and how to use them.

Before we unleash our trends, let’s break down how this list is structured and provide some additional context. Buckle up, trendsetters!

This Year’s Major Themes

Welcome, dear reader, to our annual attempt to make sense of the wonderful and ever-evolving world of L&D. We’ve rolled up our sleeves and dug deep to uncover the trends that truly matter this year. 

Two resources have proved particularly useful in this mission and deserve special mention: Donald H. Taylor’s Global Sentiment Survey (a research-backed ranking of what’s trending in L&D) and LinkedIn’s 2025 Workplace Learning Report. 

These resources have been supplemented by a considerable amount of additional research, customer insights, and real-world stories. With all this data to hand, there’s no prizes for guessing which trend came out on top this year (as it has done for the past two years). 

But, what’s really interesting is how this trend has infiltrated every corner of the L&D landscape. Artificial intelligence has changed everything and created a growing skills gap. Many of the trends listed below are based on our efforts to navigate this brave new world. 

To help you succeed, we’ve given each trend a heat rating, so you can get a sense of what’s really sizzling this year. And because we’re all about balance, we’ve also included a list of what’s not trending. Enjoy the ride!

1. Artificial Intelligence

Heat Level 5

There’s no getting past it. Artificial intelligence (AI) is the L&D trend of the year, and it’s not even close. It’s way out on top of the 2025 Global Sentiment Survey with a 22.6% increase in votes from last year. 

It’s no longer a buzzword, it’s a key focus for L&D professionals. Why? Three words: maturity, accessibility, and necessity. Thanks to AI, organisations no longer have to choose between personalisation and scale. After all, AI doesn’t need coffee breaks.

A remarkable 71% of L&D pros are actively exploring, experimenting with, or integrating AI, and 91% of HR executives report seeing its impact. If you’re not already counted among this growing crowd, then here are some suggestions to get started:

  • Personalised Learning Paths: AI can analyse learners’ past behaviour, skills gaps, and even how they learn best, to serve up tailored courses. Wave goodbye to one-size-fits-all snoozefests!
  • Virtual Coaches: AI-powered digital coaches leverage machine learning algorithms to provide learners with personalised guidance, feedback, and support across various aspects of their development.
  • Content Creation: Generative AI (or GenAI) is an incredibly powerful tool that can whip up learning content, interactive scenarios, quiz questions, and complete assessments in the blink of an eye.
  • Predictive Analytics: AI-powered analytics tools can spot skill gaps and learning challenges before they become problems. This empowers you to make better data-driven decisions. 

➜ Get Started: How to Use AI-Generated Content in Learning (Responsibly)

2. Reskilling / Upskilling

Heat Level 4

This topic was destined for a top spot. After all, the skills gap is widening into a skills chasm. Upskilling isn’t a perk anymore, it’s a hard and fast requirement. Here are some of the key numbers, so you can get a sense of what’s at stake:

  • The World Economic Forum projects that 44% of core worker skills will change by 2027.
  • As a result, 6 out of 10 workers will require training to adapt to this rapidly evolving landscape.
  • McKinsey estimates 375 million workers worldwide will require upskilling by 2030. 

AI, automation, and digital transformation are flipping industries upside down. As learning professionals, we need to be proactive. So, what can you do to future-proof your workforce and dodge the $8.5 trillion global skills gap penalty?

Well, you’ll need to start by conducting an external and internal analysis of your skill needs, followed by a comprehensive gap analysis, and the development of a strategic plan. A detailed guide outlining the necessary steps is available via the link below. 

➜ Get Started: Future Skills for Modern Learners

3. Demonstrating Value

Heat Level 4

Showing value is another big mover in this year’s Global Sentiment Survey, leaping up by 6.2%. Let’s be honest, this has always been a bit of a headache for L&D pros. But this surge in interest? It’s no coincidence. 

The rise of AI and automation means we now need to shout louder about the value we bring. What’s more, with the skills gap growing, we need to start solving real problems, not just ticking compliance boxes. This is the year where we stop saying ‘trust me, this works’ and start producing the receipts. 

According to Mind Tools, just 8% of L&D teams calculate the return on investment (ROI) of their learning programmes. Coincidentally, only 8% of CEOs say they see any business impact from their training initiatives. Yikes.

Thankfully, showing value can make all the difference. In doing so, you’ll protect your budget, boost your credibility, and earn the respect of your C-suite. Remember, it’s not just about numbers. It’s about using real data to tell a compelling story. 

➜ Get Started: Everything You Need to Know to Measure Your ROI

For the full article: https://www.growthengineering.co.uk/learning-trends/