L&D teams still want better learning platforms

Published in November 2025, Fosway Group’s Digital Learning Realities research analyses all the critical trends and opportunities for learning leaders in the next 12 months. Here, Fosway analysts highlight the persistent need for better learning platforms.

Most L&D professionals don’t think their learning systems are fit for the modern workforce

As we highlighted in 2024, a stubborn majority of learning technology buyers continue to be underwhelmed by their learning platforms. When asked if their learning platforms are fit for the modern workforce, less than four in ten agreed. The bad news is that the gap between those who are positive and negative about their experience has grown again this year.

Remember that there was a step change in expectation in the years immediately following the pandemic. 2025 saw the number of advocates shrink by 5%. This is a level of dissatisfaction we have not seen before, with over half reporting negative sentiment about their learning technology solutions.

HR suites are failing to deliver a compelling learning experience in the eyes of L&D professionals. There is a strong sense that by using a learning module in from their HR solution they are compromising their learning offering. With only 20% of HR suite users saying their current learning is fit for the modern workforce, HR Suites have fallen significantly behind their LMS and LXP specialist counterparts.

From an HR systems architecture point of view there are real challenges in defaulting to HRIS systems as the primary learning platform. How much that can be redressed as we enter the age of AI-enabled learning is hard to tell. But the initial indications are that HRIS platforms are unlikely to bridge the gap any time soon, but if Learning Systems fail to innovate their dominance could be at risk. 

L&D teams still don’t think their LMS and LXP meets their expectations for AI functionality

In line with our research findings in 2024, when it comes to the implementation of AI features to support the learning experience both LMS and LXP providers are lagging significantly behind the expectations of their customers. Almost two in three L&D professionals think their current LMS or LXP isn’t delivering adequately on AI in learning innovation. And less than 10% are seeing their AI expectations exceeded.

For all the talk of AI revolutionising learning, this has yet to truly materialise. Today, AI’s impact on learning is more about operational efficiencies and how L&D resources itself, rather than transforming the effectiveness of how people learn in the corporate context.

What should you do next?

• Digital Learning Realities 2026 is now open. Add your voice, share your experience.
• Phase Two is now open – alongside Fosway’s publicly available suite of AI research papers come a range of private assets for learning leaders involved in this  AI project. Fosway can help you make AI work for you in 2026 and beyond. Contact us for more, join Fosway’s strategic AI project for 2026: ‘AI in Learning’.

Other recommended reading

• Build your AI strategy with evidence, not guesswork. Fosway AI Strategic Research Programme
• The 2026 Fosway 9-Grid^TM for Learning Systems – full report. The latest word on EMEA’s learning systems landscape.

For corporates looking for deeper insight on this and other similar topics, please consider joining our Fosway research network to get access to corporate roundtables, private 1-1 analyst time, benchmark reports and other analyst services or project support. Click here to find out more.

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