What We Learned at ATD 2025: Key Takeaways for L&D Leaders

We’re back from ATD 2025 in Washington, DC, energized by the conversations, technologies, and trends that are shaping the future of learning and development.

Here are the key insights we think will have the biggest impact on L&D strategies this year.

AI: From Buzz to Business Impact

AI was, unsurprisingly, the dominant theme — but this year felt different. We noticed a shift from hype to hands-on, as L&D leaders look beyond experimentation toward solving real challenges. Instead of “we need AI,” we heard, “we need to automate X,” or “how can AI reduce Y cost?”

From automating repetitive tasks to supporting learners with AI-driven roleplay and feedback, AI is now clearly a tool for measurable gains in efficiency, scale, and quality.

‍

Third-Party GenAI Tools: Fast, Flexible, and Rising Fast

New vendors dominated the floor with specialized generative AI solutions like Synthesia, Wellsaid, and Murf AI — tools that weren’t built just for L&D, but are rapidly becoming part of it.

Our takeaway: Don't wait for your main platform to build in every AI feature. Instead, explore third-party tools that solve specific workflow bottlenecks—especially in content creation, localization, and media generation. Staying informed will help you choose the right tool for the job.

‍

AI + Translation: Scalable, but Not Set-and-Forget

One area where AI is making a huge difference is translation. Machine translation is faster and more accurate than ever, but the real gains come when your tools support multi-language content within a single source project. Copying and editing multiple versions is yesterday’s inefficiency.

Caution still matters: Hallucinations, cultural mismatches, and misinterpretations still happen. That’s why review workflows—especially multilingual reviews—must be tightly integrated into your authoring environment. With dominKnow | ONE, in-context comments and visual references keep reviews streamlined and clear, reducing costly errors.

‍

xAPI + AI: From Data to Decisions

For years, xAPI has promised deeper insight into learning effectiveness. Now, AI is making that promise easier to fulfill.

A standout moment at ATD: Torrance Learning shared that xAPI adoption has doubled since 2023, with 72% of organizations now using it. Tools like Build Capable's XCL Data Explorer are enabling teams to use ChatGPT to pull actionable insights from complex datasets.

Combine this with dominKnow | ONE’s built-in xAPI statements, and you have a powerful recipe for moving beyond "what learners did" to understanding what truly works.

Check out our recent webinar: Mastering Learning Outside the LMS – where we dive deep into real-world xAPI use cases.

‍

Shiny Objects vs. Strategic Innovation

AI may be the star, but not all innovation is created equal.

Some vendors are focused on flashy AI features while deferring long-requested functionality improvements. A good example: Maestro’s Mighty plugin for Articulate Rise —i s clearly focused on addressing unmet user needs within Rise.

Ironically, most of those features are already native in dominKnow | ONE. And for Rise users ready to evolve, our conversion service makes switching fast and painless — so you keep your work, and gain even more flexibility and power.

Learning more

At dominKnow, we build based on the real needs of our customers. dominKnow | ONE provides an all-in-one LCMS and authoring solution that enables your team to work together better and fully embrace their skills and creativity, thus enabling your entire team to create highly engaging and effective learning experiences for your organization.

Interested in learning how dominKnow | ONE can help your organization maximize your learning experience? Let’s talk about what’s next, contact us now.

‍