As organizations invest heavily in AI technology, many are discovering a growing gap between the tools they deploy and the skills their people need to use them effectively.
We sat down with Josh Blank, President and Chief Product Officer at OpenSesame, to talk about the Workforce Reinvention Crisis and how leaders can rethink learning, skills, and work design to help people succeed alongside AI.
Q: You’ve helped companies with learning and upskilling for years. What is changing now?
Josh: The timing couldn’t be more important. We’re living through one of the most profound shifts in the history of work. Every organization across every industry and size is racing to understand what it means to become an AI-powered business.
We’ve always helped companies train their people. But AI is causing a dramatic shift in how business works.
You can’t just react to it. To stay competitive, organizations need to rethink how their entire workforce is set up to succeed.
That’s where we come in. We aren’t just providing content. We’re helping you use training to actually solve those business problems.
Q: How is AI changing the world of work?
Josh: AI isn’t just changing how we do tasks. It’s changing what “work” actually is.
It shifts roles and how teams operate. The companies that win will be the ones that figure out how to use humans and AI together.
This requires developing new skills, like AI literacy, critical thinking, and trust. It also means changing how work is set up so people can grow personally at work.
AI will automate tasks. But that leaves room for creativity and judgment—the things machines can’t do. That’s the real opportunity.
Q: What do you mean by a “Workforce Reinvention Crisis”?
Josh: Most companies are stuck right now. They spend a lot on AI tech, but not on the skills people need to use it.
The data is clear: nearly 40% of today’s skills won’t matter in three years. 90% of CEOs say their workforce isn’t ready. And only 1% of companies investing in AI are investing in training.
That’s the crisis. The tech is moving fast, but people systems aren’t. Organizations that take action now to reinvent their workforce—before they’re forced to—will gain a massive advantage.
Q: How should CHROs and other business leaders be thinking about their role in Workforce Reinvention?
Josh: The CHRO role is critical now. Workforce Reinvention is a board-level issue, and HR leaders are the best ones to lead it.
We see five main principles:
- Make Workforce Reinvention an executive-level investment.
- Constantly assess your skills.
- Build skills for human+AI collaboration.
- Set guardrails for trust safety.
- Make learning part of the daily workflow.
This isn’t one-off training. It’s about reshaping how the business runs and how people evolve inside it. CHROs have a huge opportunity to help their companies move forward.
Q: What does Workforce Reinvention actually look like for organizations?
Josh: It looks like leaders planning for the skills they need tomorrow, not just today. It means redefining roles and retraining teams, and creating new kinds of collaboration between humans and AI.
At OpenSesame, we help with the whole process: assessing workforce readiness, curating and personalizing learning, and delivering it while people work.
We make the realignment process measurable and human. Workforce Reinvention isn’t just a buzzword. It’s necessary to survive as an AI business.
Q: What makes OpenSesame different from other learning technology companies?
Josh: Three thing set us apart: forward-looking skills, our “Immersive Care,” and trust.
We don’t just sell content. We help customers build a workforce strategy for the AI era.
Our Workforce Reinvention Engine combines human expertise with AI to map skills and personalize learning.
Second is our service. Customers love our “Immersive Care,” which is why our Net Promoter Score is 78. We are available, responsive, and focused on results.
Q: Why is trust so important in the age of AI — and how does OpenSesame help customers ensure it?
Josh: Trust is the foundation of every AI-powered business. If employees or customers don’t trust your systems, they won’t use them. It’s that simple.
We’ve spent a decade building a reputation for reliability. We bring that same approach to AI—ensuring safe, transparent data use.
Customers rely on us for accurate and compliant content. Trust isn’t a sales tactic for us. It’s a responsibility.
Q: What excites you most about the next stage of OpenSesame and what it means for the company’s future?
Josh: I’m excited about the impact we can make for the global workforce. Helping organizations through this transition is incredibly motivating.
OpenSesame has always been about human potential. Now, we’re expanding that to human+AI potential.
Everything we’ve built—our tech, relationships, and expertise—is coming together now. That’s what excites me.
Q: If you could offer one piece of advice to leaders facing this inflection point, what would it be?
Josh: Act now. Don’t wait until you are forced to change.
Start reinventing your workforce today. It doesn’t have to be perfect.
Leaders who act now will shape the future, not just react to it. And remember, this isn’t about replacing people. It’s about reinventing work so people can succeed alongside AI.