Global – October 17, 2026 -- Only 17% of organizations have reached the top phase of Brandon Hall Group's Learning and Development Progression Model, where AI adoption spreads widely across L&D, while 39% still lack the foundational enablement infrastructure for it.
Brandon Hall Group data shows 44% of firms stall at deployment
The research covers four phases of L&D maturity. The 44% of organizations in Phase 3 (Defined/Strategic) have the structure to launch AI initiatives. Many of them treat AI as a technology rollout rather than a capability-building effort, which leads to stagnant adoption rates.
The 39% at the bottom have no personalized pathways, no analytics to identify capability gaps and no way to turn tool access into skills. Only Phase 4 (Optimized) organizations combine analytics expertise, data-driven decisions and forward-looking learning infrastructure.
AI investment rose significantly in 2024 and 2025, yet many companies saw modest results. Adoption stalled, productivity gains were limited and leaders quietly lowered expectations, according to the source.
Award winners pair AI tools with deliberate practice
Brandon Hall Group analyzed award-winning AI in Learning programs. AI role-play and simulations appeared in 54% of case studies, AI content generation in 46% and AI-driven personalized learning in 42%.
Tool sophistication was not the differentiator. Winners built learning experiences around the tools, using simulated environments, collaborative cohorts and structured feedback instead of demonstrations or passive modules.
All Excellence Award winners in AI for Business Impact used AI-driven personalized learning paths and real-time analytics as core infrastructure. Microlearning embedded in workflows appeared in nearly all cases. Just-in-time performance support at the point of need was present in four-fifths of them.
Manager readiness emerges as the main failure point
Brandon Hall Group identifies unprepared managers as the point where most adoption efforts fail, and workforce resistance frequently traces back to them. Managers need their own applied development, including practice with AI-enabled coaching before they deliver it.
NovoEd maps its platform to the findings
NovoEd, a Diamond-level Brandon Hall Group Smartchoice Solution Provider, ties its products to these findings. Mentor+ offers structured conversation frameworks, automatic action tracking and reminders that keep development relationships active between sessions. Practice+ provides video practice rooms and real-time scenarios for rehearsing AI-enabled workflows.
NovoAI, the company's AI suite, adds three functions. Discussion Insights synthesizes coaching themes. Practice Insights analyzes video and audio submissions for rate of speech, filler words and key terms, and its output is downloadable. AI Translation converts lesson content and peer activity within the same course for multilingual workforces.
Brandon Hall Group names the "Readiness Trap"
The research defines the Readiness Trap as investing in AI technology before building the human capability to use it, then blaming the technology, employees or change management for failure. Organizations below Phase 4 need learning infrastructure that pairs skill acquisition with real work practice, not just awareness or access.