The Future of Learning: AR/VR’s Evolving Role in Corporate Training

AR and VR are no longer a trending novelty utilized by the top 1%. These immersive technologies are rapidly being embraced by organizations worldwide. In fact, a recent survey found that 82% of company executives anticipate incorporating immersive technologies into their business models within the next three years. In this episode of ‘Bring Out the Talent,’ we are joined by Jason Morris, Extended Reality (XR) Manager at CrossTrainer, to discuss the future of learning and AR and VR’s evolving role in corporate training. So, tune in for an insightful journey into the future of workplace!

Transcript

Maria Melfa:
Hello, everyone.

Jocelyn Allen:
I know it's an everyone today. I know we have one extra person, another partner in crime, joining us for the first time in a very long time. Mr. — well, I guess you can introduce yourself.

John Laverdure:
Yeah, so thank you. My name is John Laverdure. I'm the Senior Director of Learning Solutions. Thank you for including me after this very long time.

Jocelyn Allen:
Yes, we're happy to have you back, Johnny boy, supporting us in the non-technical ways that Maria and I have yet to catch on to in our several years of doing the podcast.

John Laverdure:
My pleasure.

Maria Melfa:
Yes, we're very excited to have you back, John. I know you were on our podcast probably about a year and a half ago, and it was very good to have you joining the conversation. So it's about time we have you back. I don't know why we haven't sooner.

Jocelyn Allen:
I know. I'm excited. It'll be a good little trifecta — or a quad, rather — because we do have a guest that we're interviewing today. That’s what podcasts are, right?

Maria Melfa:
Just making sure we remember after the year. Is that the gentleman in the cowboy hat and sunglasses? Is that who he is?

Jocelyn Allen:
Yes, and that is a true story. We're going to have to put a picture of this up when the episode launches because people should not be missing this, Jason — this outfit choice today.

Jason Morris:
Hey, this is just all in a day's work. I mean, you gotta be flexible, right?

Maria Melfa:
Exactly. We like that a lot. So AR and VR are no longer a trending novelty utilized by only the top 1%. These immersive technologies are rapidly being embraced by organizations worldwide. In fact, a recent survey found that 82% of company executives anticipate incorporating immersive technologies into their business models within the next few years.

In this episode of Bring Out the Talent, we are joined by Jason Morris, Extended Reality Manager at Crosstrainer. He will discuss the future of learning and AR and VR’s evolving role in corporate training. So welcome, Jason, and thank you for being our guest today.

Jason Morris:
Thank you so much for having me. Pleasure.

Maria Melfa:
So, Jason, I'd love to learn more about your role at Crosstrainer. I know we've worked with you for the last several years. You guys do amazing work. Can you tell us a little bit about what you do as an XR Manager?

Jason Morris:
Thanks. Yeah, so just to unpack XR a little bit. The technical definition is “extended reality,” but I’ve always thought of it as just X — a variable. It can mean anything reality-based. The 90s kid in me likes to think it stands for “extreme reality.” This ain’t your grandma’s reality.

I’m an XR evangelist, constantly learning and trying to spread excitement and understanding. In a lot of ways, it’s a teaching role — demystifying new tech for people who think it’s out of reach. It’s not. Some of it is just one or two steps away.

I also lead research — staying current with the rapid growth in AR, VR, AI, and their convergence. Keeping up with it is a full-time job. But yeah, you really have to be hands-on and curious to thrive in this space.

Maria Melfa:
Certainly sounds like an exciting place to be. How did you get into this? What’s your background?

Jason Morris:
Yeah. My background was actually in artificial intelligence. I went to UF and got my computer science engineering degree. I wasn’t sure what else to do after that, so I stayed and got a master’s in AI.

I was always interested in the big questions: How do we think as humans? How do we learn? As an engineer, I thought the best way to answer that was to reverse-engineer it. But I also started to feel that AI is such a powerful tool that we, as a society, weren’t quite ready for it yet — not without more wisdom.

So I pivoted. I went into something more creative in tech. I’d been using Flash, and I really loved working with creatives and artists to build things. Now that AI has caught up, it’s been fun to take that older knowledge and apply it in today’s rapidly evolving landscape.

Maria Melfa:
Very cool. So that’s why you’re wearing your cowboy hat and sunglasses — because you’re doing cool things.

Jason Morris:
I’m kind of on the digital frontier, if you will. So yeah, you could say that.

Jocelyn Allen:
I was going to say the same thing. You want to make things fun and exciting — and it doesn’t get more fun and exciting than a cowboy hat and pixelated sunglasses while talking AR and VR.

I have to say, every time I see work that includes this kind of tech, it’s inspiring. It gets people excited about learning in a way that looks completely different. Even in daily life — Amazon lets you “see it in your room” when buying furniture. That’s AR. And it helps people see how this applies to corporate training.

Can you talk about some of the latest developments we may not know about? What will AR and VR look like in 2024?

Jason Morris:
We’re seeing huge changes. AI has improved face tracking, object detection, and image detection so much that AR and VR applications are exploding. The ability to better blend the physical and digital worlds is opening up amazing possibilities for training.

This February, Apple launched their Vision Pro. They’re calling it “spatial computing” — not AR or MR. It’s the best blend we’ve seen so far of real-world view plus digital overlay. It uses gaze-based interaction: your eyes act as your cursor.

I’m excited to see what that shift in interface design will do. It reminds me of early VR — look at something, and it selects. But now it’s much more precise.

We’re also making big advances in integrating AR/VR with SCORM and xAPI. That means better tracking of user behavior in immersive training — and when you feed that data into AI, you get much richer feedback.

Plus, AI is transforming how we create content. What used to take hours — like building a character or avatar — now takes minutes. AI tools let us generate, animate, and deploy realistic digital instructors and simulations quickly. It’s opening up new levels of accessibility and scale for immersive learning.

John Laverdure:
That’s certainly exciting. Jason, I’ve spoken with hundreds of L&D leaders over the years, and opinions on AR/VR are all over the place. Some haven’t started, some have full departments, but most are in the middle — testing, exploring, trying to figure it out.

What advice would you give companies who are just starting to dip their toes in? What do they need to be thinking about to take the next step?

Jason Morris:
Great question. Most companies’ first AR/VR project isn’t part of a larger strategy — it’s more of an experiment. My advice is: don’t start too big. Find something manageable.

Pick a part of your training that’s underperforming, or something physical that lends itself well to an immersive experience. Go after those “low-hanging fruit” opportunities. That’s your best entry point.

If you’re a small company, you might feel like you lack the resources to build something custom. If you’re a large company, it can feel overwhelming to scale immersive solutions. That’s why mid-sized companies often succeed with AR/VR — they have the right balance of flexibility, need, and resourcefulness.

Success comes when there’s a strategy, measurement, and intention behind the project. We recently worked with a client who won an innovation medal — not just for the tech, but for the courage to take a chance. That bravery — trying something new to make learning better — is what makes immersive learning successful.

And AR/VR is more accessible than people think. There are many types, from full-blown VR to lightweight AR. Everyone can find a starting point.

Jocelyn Allen:
I love how you included company size in that breakdown — it really highlights the scalability factor.

We were looking at a Training Industry report showing that mid-size companies are using AR/VR more than both small and large companies — but spending less overall. It really shows how scalable this can be.

So beyond cost savings, what are some hidden benefits organizations gain when they integrate XR?

Jason Morris:
Great point. One big challenge today is remote work — people feel disconnected. AR and VR can bring back that sense of presence. There are virtual meeting tools and ways to build shared experiences using 360-degree imagery of offices or worksites.

You can also digitize your product catalog. Imagine letting a client “place” your product in their space using AR. It’s engaging — and today, it’s relatively easy to implement.

Gamification is another benefit. Our world is saturated with content that’s trying to entertain — and traditional training struggles to compete. XR instantly stands out. We’ve had lines out the door at trade shows because of VR demos. It grabs attention.

That novelty draws people in, and once they’re there, you have an opportunity to drive deep engagement — even with basic topics. XR gets learners interested before you even start.

John Laverdure:
So Jason, as organizations move forward with integrating AR/VR, what are some common challenges you’ve seen? And how can they avoid those pitfalls?

Jason Morris:
One of the biggest challenges is losing sight of the purpose. It’s easy to get excited about the technology and forget that the goal is still effective training.

So my number one recommendation is: clearly define your outcomes from the start. Know exactly what success looks like. What behaviors are you trying to change? What metrics will you track?

The beauty of XR is that it allows for detailed tracking — every movement, every action can be measured. For example, in a repair simulation, you can see what people reach for, how long it takes, what order they do things. That kind of data helps you analyze effectiveness with precision.

Another challenge is communication. Sometimes teams build amazing XR solutions, but key stakeholders didn’t fully understand the vision — and that disconnect creates friction. So make the experience tangible early. Let users test it. Get real feedback.

Also, don’t assume everyone knows what XR is. Communicate clearly with all stakeholders — even those not directly involved — to build understanding and support. That’s key to long-term adoption.

Jason Morris (continued):
Right now, most AR/VR projects have been one-offs or pilots. The next step is scaling — turning great ideas into enterprise-wide architectures. That’s where 2024 is headed.

Maria Melfa:
Jason, do you have a success story you can share?

Jason Morris:
Yes, though I can’t name the company. We recently built a solution for a healthcare organization. The goal was to help employees better understand a specific medical condition and build empathy for patients.

We created an immersive experience where users could “walk in the shoes” of someone with that condition. It resonated deeply. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and the company even won an innovation award.

To me, that’s the power of AR/VR — not just training people, but shifting perspective and creating emotional connection. That’s a different level of learning.

Maria Melfa:
Sounds like a perfect case study. Innovative tech winning an innovation award — that’s a great full circle.

Jocelyn Allen:
Innovation squared.

Jason Morris:
Innovation-ception. You’ve got to coin that one!

Jocelyn Allen:
So looking ahead — beyond 2024 — how do you see AR/VR evolving in corporate learning?

Jason Morris:
Apple’s entry into this space is going to be a tipping point. The Vision Pro will drive mass adoption. Once people see how magical and intuitive spatial computing can be, they’ll be hooked.

We already know that filters, avatars, and immersive tech are second nature to younger generations. Now it’s about bringing that same ease of use to corporate training.

As tools improve and cost barriers drop, enterprises will finally be able to adopt at scale. And AI will supercharge it — especially content generation. Budgets won’t be as limiting anymore.

I truly believe we’re just getting started. COVID could have killed this momentum — but instead, AR and VR are stronger than ever. The spatial train is coming, and it’s not stopping.

Jocelyn Allen:
Perfect wrap-up. Speaking of wrap-ups… it’s time for the TTA 10! Are you ready?

Jason Morris:
Let’s do it.

David (Producer):
It’s the TTA 10 — 10 final questions for our guest.

Jocelyn Allen:
All right, Jason. You know the drill — 10 fun questions, 90 seconds to answer them. If you finish in time, there's a celebration. If not, well… there's still a celebration, but maybe with a different energy.

First question: Are you ready?

Jason Morris:
Yes.

Jocelyn Allen:
David, can you put 90 seconds on the clock?

David (Producer):
Yes. 90 seconds begins now.

Jocelyn Allen:
What inspires you the most about the work you do?

Jason Morris:
My creativity.

Jocelyn Allen:
Little Bo Peep lost her sheep. Where should she look?

Jason Morris:
Next door.

Jocelyn Allen:
What’s 3 times 2?

Jason Morris:
Six.

Jocelyn Allen:
The Kool-Aid man just busted through the wall. What does he say?

Jason Morris:
Oh yeah.

Jocelyn Allen:
What’s the first thing you hope to do when you retire?

Jason Morris:
Sail.

Jocelyn Allen:
Is a hot dog a sandwich?

Jason Morris:
Indeed it is.

Jocelyn Allen:
What’s something you hope to leave in 2023?

Jason Morris:
Just… goodbye.

Jocelyn Allen:
Her name was Lola. She was a showgirl. Where did she work?

Jason Morris:
Uh… a strainer?

Maria Melfa:
I'll take that answer!

Jocelyn Allen:
What type of cuisine could you eat for the rest of your life?

Jason Morris:
Italian.

Jocelyn Allen:
If cowboy hats didn’t exist, what hat would you be wearing right now?

Jason Morris:
I’d like to say astronaut helmet… but probably a dunce cap.

Jocelyn Allen:
That’s 10! David, what’s the result?

David (Producer):
One minute, 13 seconds. Well under the threshold.

Jocelyn Allen:
Winner, winner. Hot dog sandwich dinner.

David (Producer):
We’ve got a special treat for Jason — a tribute… in slam poetry. Because clearly, poetry is the technology of the future.

[Cue Music]

David (Slam Poetry Tribute):

VR, AR, has it gone too far?
 AI — what’s that guy?
 R&D. 3D. I’m talking about Jason, you see.In the heart of the digital domain,
 where code dances and dreams gain,
 there’s a tinkerer, a seeker —
 Jason Morris, yo.A digital cowboy with pixelated flair,
 riding circuits with swagger,
 bringing vision and care.Wizard of wireframes, prophet of presence,
 he selects with a gaze,
 leaves skeptics defenseless.His heart beats in code.
 He’s in virtual beast mode.
 From zero to one —
 innovation explodes.Face-tracking whispers in binary wind,
 filters flicker, avatars grin.So salute this wizard, this architect of dream.
 Jason’s not building tech —
 he’s building esteem.Viva el innovador.
 The XR bard.
 Digital cowboy.
 Training world’s wild card.

Jason Morris:
That was the best gift I could’ve been given. Truly speechless. Thank you so much.

Maria Melfa:
You’ve been an incredible guest, Jason. We’re lucky to work with you, and we look forward to more amazing things together.

Jocelyn Allen:
To learn more about bringing AR and VR into your organization, visit thetrainingassociates.com. We’ll see you next time.