Digital Learning Realities 2026: Strategy and resourcing
Fosway Group has revealed the headline insights from its annual Digital Learning Realities research, in association with Learning Technologies, the world’s leading workplace learning tech event.
Now in its 12th year, the research explores how L&D teams are meeting the challenges of a fast-changing business and tech landscape.
The hard truth is that the landscape is changing with or without the L&D team. So, it’s time for L&D leaders to reframe their role and L&D value proposition. At a time when AI is transforming what learning means, leaders have an opportunity to step up and be true strategic enablers.
This year, Fosway’s unique and sought-after infographics are split into three clusters: L&D Strategy and Resourcing, AI Value, and Ecosystem and Learning Experience.
Beneath is the first cluster of three: L&D Strategy and Resourcing
Learning leaders can explore the very latest analysis focusing on ‘Trends in L&D Priorities, Strategy and Execution’, ‘Key L&D Budget and Investment Trends’ and ‘The L&D Team – Evolving Roles and Future Skills’.
Strategie und Prioritäten
AI surges to the top of learning teams’ strategic priorities.
Learning professionals are now dialling into a much more value-centred agenda. When you look at the priority stack for learning, what is clear is its focus is centred on empowering personal and business transformation. It is realigning itself back to its most powerful roots: powering change.
Budgets and Tech Investment
L&D budgets are now under growing pressure, to an extent not seen since the COVID-19 pandemic.
The promise of AI has raised expectation of teams doing more with less, and this has led to continued learning budget stagnation, at best. And given wider economic pressures this decline shows little signs of abating. As a result, the need for L&D teams to articulate their value to counter budget cuts has never been higher.
The L&D team – Evolving roles and future skills
L&D teams believe they are not adequately upskilling to succeed in the next two to three years.
There is clearly a significant need for upskilling L&D and most are not preparing adequately for the future. Do we expect to see much movement in 2027? No, but this is not a time to be passive. It’s a time to be proactive, build capability, reshape, explore innovation and seize opportunities.
As part of 30 years of Fosway, we have delved even deeper into the realities of corporate learning than ever before. The old rules are being ripped up. The nature of learning teams is going through massive shifts. So much is changing; the solution sets that make learning and development effective, the priorities for learning, next gen learning team skills, what makes a learning tech ecosystem work and what’s now needed in the modern learning experience.
Learning teams are reaching huge moments of transformation powered by an emerging landscape of AI. And this year’s Digital Learning Realities research provides a forensic view of it all. It’s what makes us the leading advisors for corporate learning. Because at a time of huge hype and uncertainty, it’s our rich insights that help us navigate you to the best choices.
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