Learning today demands more than access to information. It requires opportunities to engage, practice, and apply knowledge in realistic contexts.

Yet one key challenge remains: creating safe environments where learners can experiment, make decisions, and learn from experience—without real-world consequences.

To address this gap, the Learning Innovation Programme (LIP) launched a series of pilot projects in 2025 focused on the design and use of AI Avatars.

AI Avatars are conversational learning systems built with a clear purpose, a curated knowledge base, and defined behavioral boundaries. They are not human replicas, but purposefully designed learning tools that can be deployed across multiple contexts—from face-to-face training to conferences and online learning.

AI Avatars create a safe and controlled space for practice.

They allow learners to:

• Experiment without risk
• Reflect on their decisions
• Repeat and refine their approach

Through simulated interviews and conversations, they introduce the non-linear, unpredictable—and often emotional—dynamics of real human interaction.

AI Avatars in Learning and Training: From Experimentation to Practice is a practical toolkit designed to support organizations in exploring and implementing AI Avatar solutions.

• Design Principles: Explore the three phases of AI Avatar design, with guided exercises to help you start building your own avatar based on real or hypothetical scenarios.
• Use Cases: Discover four real-world applications developed at ITCILO, including simulated interviews, conference interactions, and immersive learning experiences.
• Future Pathways: Inspired by foresight workshops, these scenarios explore how AI Avatars could reshape learning systems by 2050.
• Lessons Learned: Practical insights and recommendations drawn from our pilots—highlighting what works, what to avoid, and how to move forward.

We invite institutions, learning designers, and practitioners to engage with us—whether to explore ideas, design pilots, or move from concept to implementation.

Download the toolkit and start exploring how AI Avatars can support your learning and training initiatives.