Can Traditional Authoring Tools Survive AI? with Mike Stein

L&D Go Beyond

L&D Go Beyond
Can Traditional Authoring Tools Survive AI? with Mike Stein
May 21, 2026 Season 3 Episode 3
Upside Learning Solutions

Traditional authoring tools have shaped eLearning for years, but AI is rapidly changing how learning experiences are designed, built, and delivered.

In Season 3 Episode 3 of the L&D Go Beyond Podcast, Mike Stein, Instructional Designer and Founder of ID Atlas, joins Venudhar Bhatt for a practical discussion on the future of instructional design, AI-assisted development, microlearning, and modern learning workflows.

The conversation explores:
• Whether traditional authoring tools can keep up with AI
• Why course-first thinking may be limiting workplace learning
• Microlearning and just-in-time learning
• Spaced repetition and the forgetting curve
• AI coding agents and modern learning design workflows
• Learning effectiveness vs production efficiency
And how instructional designers may need to rethink their role moving forward

Mike also shares insights from his widely discussed research comparing multiple authoring tools against traditional Storyline-based workflows and what the findings could mean for learning teams navigating the AI shift.

Guest: Mike Stein
Instructional Designer & Founder, ID Atlas

Connect with Mike:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikesteindesign/
Website: https://idatlas.org

#learninganddevelopment #instructionaldesign #elearning #artificialintelligence #microlearning #learningdesign
Episode Artwork Can Traditional Authoring Tools Survive AI? with Mike Stein 53:20 Episode Artwork Balancing Global Reach and Human Touch with Hanine Linsky 44:25 Episode Artwork Navigating the Three Waves of AI Adoption with a Trusted Learning Advisor Mindset 47:50 Episode Artwork Creating Impactful Reskilling Programs, with Anish Lalchandani 49:21 Episode Artwork Learning Impact Through a Practitioner's Lens, with Laura Bartus 46:30 Episode Artwork Real World Insights on Learning Impact, with Christopher Lind 47:55 Episode Artwork Leveraging the 5 Moments of Need for Learning Impact, with Bob Mosher 49:08 Episode Artwork Scenario-Based Learning for Learning Impact, with Christy Tucker 57:00 Episode Artwork Designing for Learning Impact, with Clark Quinn 43:55 Episode Artwork Learner Survey and Learning Effectiveness, with Will Thalheimer 53:42 Episode Artwork Designing Learning for Behavior Change 56:36 Episode Artwork Improving Learning Transfer Effectiveness with Dr. Ina Weinbauer-Heidel 42:27 Episode Artwork Evolving from Order Taker to Trusted Learning Advisor, with Dr. Keith Keating 43:48 Episode Artwork How can L&D Pivot from Learning to Performance?, with Laura Overton 56:00 Episode Artwork Bridging the Gap between Learning and Performance, with Charles Jennings 55:43 Episode Artwork Strategies for Effective Learning in Retail Sales, with Ramakrishna Rao 56:32 Episode Artwork Moving ID to LXD, with Clark Quinn 55:38 Episode Artwork Post-Pandemic Workplace Learning Strategy, with Shantanu Bhattacharya 55:38 Episode Artwork Secrets to Being Smarter, Faster, with Arun Pradhan 51:34 Episode Artwork Challenges and Opportunities for Measuring the Impact of Training and Learning, with Kevin M. Yates 56:56 Episode Artwork Instructional Story Design, with Rance Greene 54:28 Episode Artwork Gamifying Workplace Learning the Right Way, with Karl Kapp 1:00:04 Episode Artwork Workplace Learning in the Post-Covid World, with Sam Taylor, Jr. and Rick Housler 1:10:22 Episode Artwork Learning for L&D Professionals, with Joti Joseph 1:05:08 Episode Artwork The ten questions you must ask at the start of any learning project, with Joe Ganci 54:18