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The Human+AI Readiness Gap: Global Sentiment Survey Results – EMEA Session
2026-03-05 08:00 - 10:00 (America/New_York)
L&D has entered unmapped territory.

As AI reshapes work worldwide, it is not only changing what’s possible – it’s exposing a growing gap between what organisations need and how L&D is currently operating. In this session, focused mainly on EMEA results, Donald H. Taylor shares insights from the 2026 Global Sentiment Survey, drawing on responses from 3,749 L&D professionals across 101 countries, with particular attention to trends emerging across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
This webinar is designed to help EMEA-based learning leaders benchmark their thinking against both regional and global peers, and use sentiment data to inform strategy, investment, and priorities for the year ahead.

Key learnings

What L&D professionals across EMEA see as top workplace learning priorities for 2026
Where Human + AI readiness gaps are emerging across the region
How to apply global insights in an EMEA context to support planning and decision-making

About the speakers

Donald H. Taylor | Lead Researcher, L&D Global Sentiment Survey
Donald H. Taylor has worked in learning and technology since the mid-1980s.
He has chaired the Learning Technologies Conference in London since 2000 and writes and speaks world-wide about Learning and Development (L&D). His annual L&D Global Sentiment Survey, started in 2014, provides a unique perspective on L&D trends from over 100 countries. From 2010 to 2021, he chaired the Learning and Performance Institute.
He chairs the Workforce Development board for VC firm Emerge Education, and advises several EdTech start-ups.
The author of Learning Technologies in the Workplace, Donald is a graduate of Oxford University and the recipient of an honorary doctorate from London’s Middlesex University.

Mehdi Tounsi | Senior Regional Director EMEA, OpenSesame
With over 20 years of experience in the learning industry, Mehdi has successfully implemented learning and talent management strategies for various industries, including content providers and LMS platform specialists. Mehdi assists global organisations in meeting the challenges linked to cultural diversity, improving communications within global operations and developing learning programmes to enhance workforce mobility. A seasoned traveler and passionate linguist, Mehdi has held different international positions in Australia, Africa, the US and now in London, where he oversees OpenSesame’s European operations as the Senior Regional Director, EMEA.

Workforce Reinvention Bootcamp: Building Human+AI Capability at Work
2026-03-18 11:00
Learning has always been personal. In the Age of AI, it can finally scale that way. Join us for a high-energy, hands-on bootcamp designed to help learning leaders move beyond experimentation and into real-world application. This two-hour immersive experience brings together thought leadership, human-centered design, and practical AI tools to show what’s possible when human insight and adaptive intelligence work together. This is not a webinar – it’s a learning transformation lab. You’ll move through a keynote on the future of AI-augmented learning, explore proven frameworks and research, pause for a guided mindfulness reset to navigate AI-era overwhelm, and engage in interactive theater, a scenario-based learning experience, featuring professional actors, that enables participants to rehearse critical leadership conversations. The bootcamp culminates in live demos and guided practice, where you’ll see exactly how AI can support adaptive learning paths, personalized nudges, and skill-building conversations. You’ll leave with a clear, practical toolkit to launch your own human-centered AI learning pilot – including frameworks, templates, and real-world examples that make AI feel less like a buzzword and more like a co-pilot. One that amplifies human potential without replacing it. If you’re ready to design learning experiences that are adaptive, equitable, and future-ready, this bootcamp is your starting point.

Key learnings

Reimagine learning design for the Age of AI by understanding how AI can personalize learning, reduce cognitive load, and support human growth without losing nuance or agency.
Apply AI tools in real time to design adaptive learning paths, nudges, and practice scenarios through live demos and guided activities.
Translate insight into action by leaving with a clear, human-centered blueprint to launch an ethical, inclusive AI-enabled learning pilot.
Rehearse key conversations addressing talent development, professional uncertainty, and introducing new technology

About the speakers

Paige Bergman | Director of Curation, OpenSesame
Paige Bergman is the Director of Curation at OpenSesame, where she leads the strategy, development, and evolution of the company’s global curation practice. With extensive experience designing enterprise learning solutions, Paige has built and delivered training programs for leading organizations including Honda North America, McDonald’s, Quest Diagnostics, and Caterpillar. In her current role, Paige oversees OpenSesame’s curation strategy, integrating human expertise with intelligent technology to design scalable, high-impact learning experiences for global workforces. She leads a team of curation specialists who develop learning pathways aligned to professional competency frameworks and emerging workforce needs, ensuring organizations can move from content access to capability development. Recognized in 2020 as one of Learning’s Thirty Under 30 for leadership and innovation in digital learning, Paige brings a strategic lens to workforce development, bridging business priorities, skills architecture, and the future of learning. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Tufts University.

Megan Ysassi | Senior Curator of Leadership and Management, OpenSesame
Megan Ysassi is the Senior Curator of Leadership and Management at OpenSesame and a talent development professional that knows the success of any organization begins with the willingness to cultivate its people. Megan’s role is to support organizations around the world with their learning journey by creating relevant links between the learner and valuable knowledge across relevant disciplines.

Kayla Taylor | Curation Specialist, OpenSesame
Kayla Taylor is a dedicated Learning and Development professional with over five years of experience helping organizations worldwide maximize the impact of their learning initiatives. As a Curation Specialist and Employee Resource Group (ERG) Leader, she is passionate about development, engagement, and community, working to help organizations drive these initiatives forward. By collaborating with companies to align learning strategies with business goals, Kayla supports employee growth, retention, and belonging, ensuring that talent development has a lasting impact.

Charise Frias | Enterprise Curator, OpenSesame
Charise Frias is an Enterprise Curator at OpenSesame with over 7 years of experience helping organizations build impactful learning initiatives. She specializes in curating health and wellbeing training content for organizations of all sizes and is a certified yoga instructor with experience guiding mindfulness, breathing techniques, and therapeutic movement. On the Curation Team, Charise combines her expertise in holistic practices with deep knowledge of workplace learning to support clients in creating sustainable learning programs.

Rahul Kay | Director of Client Success, Ibis Consulting Group
Rahul Kay is the Director of Client Success at Ibis Consulting Group. Prior to this role, Rahul was the CEO of an employee experience firm, a McKinsey consultant, a UN global health official, and a group therapy facilitator. He has a background in clinical psychology, organizational development, and cultural sensitivity. He’s been featured by Harvard, The World Bank, and NASA – and has worked with +75k employees across over 70 organizations. As a facilitator and coach, he designs science-backed techniques to bolster individual and team motivation – ultimately improving organizational culture, employee engagement, and holistic wellbeing. Rahul studied clinical psychology at Tufts Medical, abnormal psychology at Cornell, and leadership development at MIT Sloan.

Shilpa Pherwani | Principal and CEO, Ibis Consulting Group
Shilpa Pherwani leads Ibis with a growth mindset, consistently innovating both the content and delivery of employee learning solutions to meet the evolving needs of today’s workplace. Drawing on her background in organizational psychology and her experience as an immigrant from India, Shilpa champions the belief that honoring different perspectives and creating opportunities for all fuels collective success. With over two decades of experience, she has partnered with global companies and top universities to transform workplace cultures – equipping employees and leaders with essential people skills to unlock their full potential and cultivate thriving, high-performing teams. A respected thought leader in organizational development, Shilpa has pioneered several award-winning learning solutions that empower leaders to create cultures of trust, collaboration, and growth.

Liza Mucheru Wisner | Portfolio Lead of Talent & Workplace Culture, OpenSesame
Liza Mucheru Wisner is an award-winning expert, author, keynote speaker, television personality, and global influencer in talent development, artificial intelligence (AI), automation, and workplace culture. As Portfolio Lead of Talent & Workplace Culture at OpenSesame, she curates learning experiences that fuse human insight with intelligent automation, preparing organizations for the next era of work. Liza’s work has earned global recognition – including multiple SHRM Excellence Awards. With degrees in computer science and educational technology, Liza has built her career at the forefront of innovation, helping organizations reimagine how people grow, thrive, and lead in a rapidly changing world. As a thought leader, strategist, and change agent, she continues to shape the future of learning, leadership, and innovation.

Organization Bios:
Ibis Consulting Group:
At Ibis Consulting Group, we believe that strong teams and cultures of inclusion are built through learning and development. As a global partner with nearly 40 years of experience, we design solutions that build trust, strengthen collaboration, and cultivate strong relationships – enhancing workplace culture and performance. Our learning solutions help organizations develop their teams’ communication, collaboration, and leadership skills, creating high-performing teams and cultures of inclusion that lead to lasting business success
