Key Takeaways
- Former Shark Tank investor Mark Cuban says AI will change how employees onboard to a new job.
- He wrote in a recent X post that he predicts the “next great AI application” will be a “job simulator” that replaces traditional onboarding processes.
- These simulators would walk new hires through a wide range of realistic scenarios, from routine tasks to high-stakes decisions.
An important part of the employee onboarding experience has historically been learning from coworkers and building relationships with them. Now billionaire and former Shark Tank investor Mark Cuban says AI will change that dynamic.
Cuban wrote in a recent X post that he predicts the “next great AI application” will be a “job simulator” that replaces traditional onboarding processes. According to Cuban, in the future, employees and stakeholders will build the most valuable AI training tools in-house. They will have deep domain knowledge and encode their judgment and experience into AI-powered “job simulators.”
These simulators would walk new hires and existing staff through a wide range of realistic scenarios, from routine tasks to high-stakes decisions. They would give employees repeated, risk-free practice before they encounter these situations on the job.
“How employees gain experience in a future AI world is going to be far different from today,” Cuban wrote. “Employees won’t have as many touch points in the company to gain knowledge and experience from. That’s where judgement has historically come from.”
Certain professions use simulations as training today
Cuban said that AI simulations will train the next generation of workers. These simulations will allow employees to practice real-world workplace scenarios before encountering them on the job.
This is similar to how pilots and race car drivers prepare for their roles today. Commercial pilots log extensive hours in flight simulators as part of their formal training. They undergo proficiency checks, allowing them to practice complex maneuvers and emergency scenarios safely on the ground.
Meanwhile, in professional motorsports, racing simulators have become a standard training tool. They help drivers learn new tricks, refine techniques and rehearse race strategies without needing to be physically present at the circuit.
Cuban believes AI will turn job training as a whole into an immersive, simulation-driven experience designed by the people who know the work best. He wrote that “onboarding will have a completely different meaning” because “smart companies will have their employees and stakeholders with the most domain knowledge create the simulator that takes them through every possible situation they could face and helps prepare them.”
AI onboarding will likely become more common, says an expert
Thomas Roulet, a professor of organizational sociology and leadership at the University of Cambridge, recently told Business Insider that many companies and business schools are already turning to virtual reality to train staff on issues like unconscious bias.
“I don’t see this as fundamentally new, but it is probably true that it will become even more common,” Roulet said.
One of these scenarios is a junior lawyer who can rehearse depositions, court appearances and settlement talks in AI-driven simulations before ever stepping into a real case.
In another scenario, a medical trainee can use AI to practice diagnosing patients, assisting in virtual surgeries and responding to emergency scenarios in a safe, controlled environment.
“AI can definitely help generate scenarios that support learning,” Roulet said.
Key Takeaways
- Former Shark Tank investor Mark Cuban says AI will change how employees onboard to a new job.
- He wrote in a recent X post that he predicts the “next great AI application” will be a “job simulator” that replaces traditional onboarding processes.
- These simulators would walk new hires through a wide range of realistic scenarios, from routine tasks to high-stakes decisions.
An important part of the employee onboarding experience has historically been learning from coworkers and building relationships with them. Now billionaire and former Shark Tank investor Mark Cuban says AI will change that dynamic.
Cuban wrote in a recent X post that he predicts the “next great AI application” will be a “job simulator” that replaces traditional onboarding processes. According to Cuban, in the future, employees and stakeholders will build the most valuable AI training tools in-house. They will have deep domain knowledge and encode their judgment and experience into AI-powered “job simulators.”
These simulators would walk new hires and existing staff through a wide range of realistic scenarios, from routine tasks to high-stakes decisions. They would give employees repeated, risk-free practice before they encounter these situations on the job.