Interview: How AI and Immersive Technologies Are Reshaping Professional Training — A Conversation with Matteo Zaralli
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A conversation with Matteo Zaralli, author of The Evolution of Professional Training: How Artificial Intelligence Technologies Can Accelerate the Learning.
How can companies keep up with change in a world where skills become obsolete faster than ever? Matteo Zaralli, an expert in immersive technologies and AI, addresses this urgent question in his new book, The Evolution of Professional Training: How Artificial Intelligence Technologies Can Accelerate Learning. We asked him three key questions to understand better how AI is redefining how we learn at work and what it means for the future of training and learning.
What inspired you to write this book, and what gap does it aim to fill in the professional training landscape?
“Learning is no longer a linear path — it’s a dynamic, intelligent experience shaped by algorithms and immersion.” That sentence captures the essence of this journey, and the motivation behind writing my second book. A few things, actually. On one hand, there was the need to share the work and research I’ve been conducting over the past years insights born at the crossroads of philosophy, business, and technological innovation. On the other hand, there’s a creative impulse that constantly drives me to turn research into reality whether through immersive training apps, AI simulations, or now, through this book.
There’s a gap today between the promise of AI and immersive technologies in learning, and how companies are actually using them. Many are intrigued, few know where to start. That’s the space I wanted to speak to, offering clarity, direction, and real-world use cases for L&D professionals, HR leaders, and innovators alike. The book brings together not just theory and future predictions, but examples of platforms like Vrainers, case studies from immersive simulations, and reflections on how learning can be both more human and more intelligent. I believe strongly in uniting academic depth with startup-driven execution. This book is the bridge between those worlds.
How is artificial intelligence transforming workplace learning compared to traditional training methods?
As explored in the introduction of Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence: Risks and Opportunities for Your Business, my previous book, we are navigating a digital industrial revolution. AI, in particular, is revolutionizing training by enabling personalized, adaptive learning pathways. Unlike traditional methods that treat learners uniformly, AI systems analyze user behavior and performance data to deliver tailored content, making training more relevant and efficient.
Artificial intelligence is reshaping workplace learning in fundamental ways. Unlike traditional methods, which are often linear and static, AI introduces personalized, real-time, and adaptive learning paths. It doesn’t just deliver content — it reacts to the learner, offering feedback, simulations, and challenges tailored to their progress and behavior.
Another key difference is scalability. Once developed, AI-powered systems can be deployed globally, in multiple languages, with data-driven iteration that constantly improves the training experience.
But beyond functionality, AI shifts the learner’s role: from passive recipient to active participant in a co-created journey. This challenges traditional hierarchies and methods, demanding a rethink of what “learning” means.
What are the most urgent ethical or practical challenges companies and trainers face when adopting these technologies?
Adopting AI and immersive tools in learning brings tremendous potential — but also urgent challenges. Among the most pressing:
Bias in algorithms: AI systems can reinforce stereotypes or exclude specific user profiles if not carefully designed.
Data privacy and security: Learning platforms collect sensitive behavioral data. Managing this responsibly is crucial.
Human disconnection: The risk of replacing human connection with automation is real. Trainers must learn to integrate, not substitute.
Skills gap in implementation: Many trainers and HR professionals lack the skills or frameworks to apply these tools effectively.
The solution is not to fear the technology but to consciously lead its integration. That’s why this book doesn’t just explore the “what” and “how; it challenges the reader to think critically about the “why” and the “who. “Who benefits? And how do we design learning that is inclusive, ethical, and future-ready?
This book is an invitation to educators, trainers, decision-makers, and curious professionals to reimagine learning not just as content delivery but as a living system of interaction shaped by artificial and human intelligence. We are no longer in an age where innovation is optional. The future of workplace learning is already unfolding: immersive, intelligent, and personalized. The question is: Will we shape it or be shaped by it?
If you’re ready to explore that future, I hope this book can be a valuable companion.
The Evolution of Professional Training: How Artificial Intelligence Technologies Can Accelerate the Learning
Structured into three distinct parts, this book is an indispensable resource for navigating the evolution of education and professional training in the age of artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality.
The book’s Introduction speaks to the current context, a period marked by crisis and a digital industrial revolution, emphasizing how the advent of cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence is fundamentally altering work and social dynamics. It then examines AI, exploring its distinctive features compared to human intelligence and introducing the concept of spatial computing. It illustrates how these technological advancements are expanding the possibilities for human-machine interaction.
