How The Learning Industry Can Make A Meaningful Impact With Gamification And AI

‍A discussion with Dr Ashwin Mehta on gamification, the importance of creativity in the age of AI, and what we can learn from films and video games about storytelling. 

‍The Business AI Playbook explores how Generative AI is reshaping business operations, knowledge sharing, and customer engagement. We invite industry leaders to talk about the real-world applications of AI, giving executives practical AI strategies and insights.

Listen to the full episode on Spotify, YouTube, or Apple Podcasts.
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What is gamification, and how can learning teams get it right? 

In the third episode of The Business AI Playbook, I invited Dr Ashwin Mehta, an award-winning expert with over 10 years of experience in designing and implementing technology transformations, as well as a background in scientific research and digital learning.  

We focused this episode around the process of gamification, AI and storytelling, with references from research papers, films and video games bringing a unique perspective to this conversation.

“People don't do corporate learning for fun. They do it for an outcome.“
— Dr Ashwin Mehta 

In this episode, we discussed:

1. How fast society can adapt to new technology: Dr Mehta shared his origin story of getting into digital learning, starting with a rather ambitious project in Gambia.

2. Personalization and data: What does it actually mean to personalize a learning experience, and what role does data play in personalization at scale? 

3. The research behind gamification: Exploring the potential of gamification through studies on cognitive, behavioral and motivational outcomes. 


4. Points, trophies and badges: Challenging the “low-hanging fruit” of gamification — do these reward systems actually work?  

5. Engagement and autonomy: Understanding what motivates people to learn and improve, and how narrative structures and storytelling can help. 

6. The purpose of corporate learning: We can incorporate game-based elements into learning, but here’s the thing: Nobody’s playing corporate learning for fun.

7.  Immersive learning: Why some industries aren’t embracing immersive learning, and how it can positively impact the learning experience.
 

8. The application of generative AI: Whether or not someone without relevant skills can bridge the gap with AI, and how AI has the ability to scale human creativity.

“To have a meaningful learning experience, we need people to step up in terms of creativity.”
‍— Dr Ashwin Mehta

From exploring the immersive nature of films like The Godfather all the way to decoding the narrative frameworks used in Rick and Morty, this episode draws comparisons from countless sources, demonstrating how important it is to constantly seek inspiration from the stories that already exist around us. 

The full episode is now available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
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About the guest

Dr. Ashwin Mehta is an expert in AI strategy and technology transformation, with a unique background spanning scientific research, digital learning, and strategic risk. As Founder of Mehtadology and Chief AI Strategist at the LPI, he specialises in implementing AI, data, and automation to drive workforce engagement and business performance. With over 10 years of experience and a PhD in technology adoption, Dr. Mehta brings deep expertise in AI strategies, helping businesses achieve tangible and measurable outcomes with latest technologies.

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