How to Teach AI Effectively? Practical Insights from Educators

Artificial intelligence is not only transforming business processes but also how we learn and develop our skills. But how can AI knowledge be shared in a way that truly resonates across companies - even with employees facing language barriers or limited digital experience?This is the focus of our interview with Urs Theissen, Director of the Academy for Career and Professional Development (ABK). Together with PANTA, ABK develops hands-on upskilling programs that show how learning formats can be adapted to new demands, address common reservations about AI, and demonstrate the real impact that targeted training can achieve.

Which AI topics are currently driving company performance the most?

The greatest impact comes when AI gives people back their time. No one enjoys writing long meeting minutes or digging through ten files to find one number. When AI takes over such routine tasks, it frees up space for the work that really matters. The BCG study “AI at Work: Friend and Foe” (2024) shows: 58% of employees who regularly use AI save at least five hours per week (bcg.com).

A practical example: in one team, email drafts are generated with AI. Instead of spending time fine-tuning the wording, employees have a first draft on their screens within minutes and only need to adapt and send it. Small helpers like this save time every single day.

Which learning formats prove most effective in participants’ daily work?

Anything short and practice-oriented works best. A half-hour training session with real tasks achieves more than abstract theory. And again and again, I see how powerful in-person training is. That’s where questions, exchanges, and “aha” moments arise – things that are often hard to capture online.

In-person formats are particularly valuable at the starting point, when the topic is introduced, and also for deepening and anchoring knowledge later on. The best approach is a mix: in-person for kick-off and consolidation, and short online sessions for everyday learning.

How do teams notice that training is making a difference?

The fastest progress comes through small wins. When someone says, “I finished an hour earlier because I used AI,” the whole team feels the impact.

In some departments, routines have completely shifted – instead of asking, “Who’s writing the minutes?” people now say, “Let’s have the AI do it.” It’s in these moments that you realize training is taking hold.

How can you address reservations and build acceptance for new ways of working?

Reservations are part of the process. Some worry about data protection, others about their role. We start by establishing clear guidelines so everyone knows what is permitted and what isn’t.

But real acceptance only comes when people use AI themselves. During in-person sessions, skepticism tends to shift into curiosity almost immediately. And when managers actively participate, that enthusiasm becomes contagious.

How do you reach employees with limited time, little prior experience, or language barriers?

Use low-threshold formats: short learning nuggets available anytime for those ‘How did that work again?’ moments. Add step-by-step examples and exercises that fit easily into daily routines. Peer learning in tandems also helps, as colleagues can learn directly from one another.

AI itself can also provide support, especially with language barriers, by translating, simplifying, or reformatting text into plain language. In face-to-face training, it’s easy to see who needs extra help and to offer it immediately.

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Urs Theissen is Director of the Academy for Career & Professional Development (ABK). Together with his team, he ensures that continuing education is practice-oriented and that new knowledge has a tangible impact in everyday work. At ABK, learning formats are created that motivate participants to try out new things and that deliver lasting results. For the course “AI Expert”, ABK works closely with the tech agency PANTA. Both partners contribute their strengths - pedagogical expertise and technical know-how - to design training programs that provide guidance and inspire participants to use AI confidently and responsibly.