We’re proud to be flying the flag for AI in learning, but not at the expense of what matters most.

At Popcorn, we use artificial intelligence every day to streamline processes, speed up development and enhance the quality of digital learning. It’s transformed how we approach voiceovers, translations, imagery, and efficiency.

But some parts of the process still need a human touch. And we’re not afraid to say so.

AI Can Be Brilliant, But It Has Limits

Yes, we’re advocates of AI. We’ve built learning-specific GPTs. We’ve designed workflows that make the most of automation. But there are certain things AI just doesn’t do well yet, especially when it comes to nuance, complexity and human behaviour.

Take content writing. AI can get you to a rough draft faster. But it doesn’t think like a person. It doesn’t know your learners. It doesn’t understand the subtleties of your culture or tone of voice. It doesn’t yet know how to fully understand a subject in order to identify the best way of simplifying it. It doesn’t spot a line that could be misread or a joke that might not land.

Our designers and writers still lead the way here, because they know what great learning feels like, and how to build it from the ground up.

Quality Assurance: Still a Human Job

At the other end of the process, we’ve tested plenty of tools to automate our quality checks.

The result? Helpful in parts. But not good enough to replace human eyes and brains.

A course might pass a grammar check but still miss a broken navigation, a confusing layout or an inaccessible interaction. Our QA process is robust, layered, and full of decisions that only people can make right now.

We're Pragmatic, Not Purist

We’re not here to dismiss AI. Quite the opposite. After all, we’re using it. Regularly. Smartly. And when it works, it works incredibly well.

But we also know when not to use it.

If a stakeholder doesn’t want AI involved, we respect that. If a brief demands more sensitivity, creativity or critical thinking than AI can offer, we take the lead. If using AI would compromise the learning experience, we don’t use it.

It’s that simple.

So Why Use AI at All?

Because when it’s used responsibly, AI lets our team focus on what really matters.

The time it takes us to develop a course hasn’t changed. The team size hasn’t shrunk. But the quality of what we deliver has increased massively.

That’s because AI takes care of some of the repetitive, time-consuming tasks, giving our team more space to push creative boundaries, craft better narratives, and fine-tune the experience for every learner.

Final Thought: Technology is the Tool, Not the Talent

We believe the future of learning is a collaboration between smart technology and smarter humans.

AI can make our work faster and more polished. But only people can make it meaningful. Only people can read a room, tell a story, or know what it feels like to get it just right.

At Popcorn, we’ll continue to explore what’s possible. But we’ll never compromise on what makes learning impactful: empathy, creativity, and insight.

And for that, the robots will have to wait.

Want to know more about how we blend AI and human talent in your next learning project? Let’s chat.