AI to Improve Learning and Development Outcomes

In this episode of Bring Out the Talent, we chat with Kayvon Touran, Co-Founder and CEO of Zal.AI, to explore how AI is transforming Learning & Development. Kayvon has been at the forefront of reshaping training strategies, leveraging AI to enhance personalization, engagement, and measurable business impact.

Tune in as we discuss:

✅ How AI is revolutionizing L&D

✅ The challenges and opportunities of AI-powered training

✅ What the future holds for AI in corporate learning

If you’re looking to elevate your L&D initiatives with AI, this episode is packed with insights and actionable takeaways you won’t want to miss!

Transcript

Maria Melfa:

Welcome to Bring Out the Talent, a podcast featuring learning and development experts discussing innovative approaches and industry insights. Tune in to hear our talent help develop yours. Now here are your hosts, TTA’s CEO and President Maria Melfa and Talent Manager Jocelyn Allen.

Maria:

Talking about bringing out the talent today.

Jocelyn Allen:

Yes, exactly. Are you talking about me—or this isn’t about me today?

Maria:

I am talking about you. I am talking about David, our podcast producer—but more importantly, I’m talking about our podcast guest.

Jocelyn:

I’m very excited as well. I wish you all could see his room right now—it’s full of plants and guitars. Very aesthetically pleasing. Bria, what are we doing? It’s been so long... is this a podcast?

Maria:

Yes, it is! We’re a little rusty, so please excuse us, audience. Hopefully, we remember what we’re doing.

Jocelyn:

Yes. Watch—it’ll be our most perfect episode ever.

Maria:

No such thing. But we’re very excited about today’s topic. Our audience might have heard of AI—it’s very new and barely anyone talks about it, right? I’m new, so I’ll be learning a lot today. In this episode of Bring Out the Talent, we welcome Kayvon Toran, co-founder and CEO of Zoll AI. With his innovative approach to leveraging AI in learning and development, Kayvon is reshaping how organizations design, deliver, and measure training programs. We’ll dive into how AI is revolutionizing L&D, from enhancing personalization and engagement to delivering measurable outcomes that drive success. Welcome, Kayvon!

Kayvon Toran:

Thank you so much. I’m excited to be here.

Maria:

We’re excited to have you! And we just learned you’re nearby, in the very cool city of Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Kayvon:

Yes.

Maria:

So let’s dive in. Tell us about Zoll AI—the name of your company—and what led you to co-found it.

Kayvon Toran:

Sure, yeah. So I founded Zoll on the idea that learning and development has immense potential in helping individuals and organizations continually strive for growth, but the ability to measure the efficacy of learning has always been a challenge. I've worked in education tech most of my career, and while there's been great progress in teaching tools, measuring learning at scale in a personalized way is still difficult. Zoll was started to help solve that.

Jocelyn Allen:

I love that. Like we joked earlier—who hasn’t heard of AI at this point? Whether it’s in learning or on TikTok rabbit holes... But Zoll AI is doing something different. Can you share more about how your platform transforms L&D?

Kayvon Toran:

Absolutely. One key use case is AI for performance reviews. We work with a professional services company that wanted objective evaluations with less time spent. Our tool helps define roles, skills, and how proficiency shows up—then uses simulations and AI feedback to evaluate employee performance across those areas.

Maria:

That’s fascinating. What an incredible tool.

Kayvon Toran:

Thanks! It’s flexible—any role, any industry. But the foundation must be clear: what skills matter, how do we recognize them? Tech can’t fix that. It scales what already works.

Maria:

So what does it look like to start with Zoll AI?

Kayvon Toran:

We begin with leadership to define a competency framework if one doesn’t exist. From there, we build the learning activities and AI assessments. We usually run a pilot before full rollout.

Maria:

How do simulations work?

Kayvon Toran:

They’re interactive and voice-enabled. The AI acts as a customer or peer and the learner navigates realistic conversations. Then it scores their performance based on behavioral rubrics.

Maria:

Are there industries where this works better?

Kayvon Toran:

We’re focused on professional services right now. The skills tend to be more durable, and simulations can effectively identify gaps.

Maria:

Could you use this for short-term training sessions too—not just annual reviews?

Kayvon Toran:

Definitely. We encourage ongoing measurement—monthly, after programs, or post-project. The more touchpoints, the better the insight.

Maria:

What about leadership training? Can you measure emotional intelligence or conflict resolution?

Kayvon Toran:

Yes. Leadership means different things in different places. We customize simulations based on what the company defines as leadership, then assess how well those behaviors show up.

Jocelyn Allen:

You’ve really thought through this. What about measuring effectiveness—how do you track whether it's working?

Kayvon Toran:

Great question. First, we create quantitative rubrics—very clear, binary indicators of whether a behavior is demonstrated. Then, after each simulation, we track trends. For example, if someone scored 40% on empathy and then 70% after a course, we can show progress.

Kayvon Toran:

We don’t produce content—we focus on measurement. But our clients often integrate our platform with content libraries to recommend courses based on skill gaps.

Jocelyn Allen:

Does the AI guide learners to those recommendations?

Kayvon Toran:

Yes. For example, if someone scores low on empathy, and the organization has LinkedIn Learning, we can recommend the relevant course. It’s about contextualizing what's already available.

Jocelyn Allen:

Let’s talk about challenges. What gets in the way when companies try to implement this?

Kayvon Toran:

First: garbage in, garbage out. If an organization doesn’t define competencies and behaviors clearly, AI won’t help. Second: fear of AI. People are still hesitant to use tools that would save them time. Third: this is still new. Many haven’t thought about AI for 360 feedback. But our early adopters are paving the way.

Maria:

What are the benefits of AI-driven 360s over traditional methods?

Kayvon Toran:

Traditional 360s are either expensive interviews or impersonal surveys. We’re aiming for the middle: scalable, but with depth. Our AI probes for clarification when needed, so feedback is more nuanced and useful.

Maria:

Do clients get a dashboard to compare results across people or departments?

Kayvon Toran:

Yes, they can benchmark at any level—company, team, individual. Over time, this informs strategic planning, like identifying internal talent to lead new initiatives.

Maria:

What excites you most about the future of AI in L&D?

Kayvon Toran:

That we can finally provide employees clear, personalized guidance. There’s so much content out there, but most people don’t know how to act on it. AI gives us the tools to close that loop.

Jocelyn Allen:

And your passion really shows. What advice would you give to someone still hesitant about AI?

Kayvon Toran:

Just start using it. Doesn’t matter what tool—pick one and explore. If you don’t know how to prompt it, ask the AI to write the prompt for you. Play, experiment, and you’ll see how powerful it is.

Maria:

I talk to it like it’s a person! Please do this, thank you.

Jocelyn Allen:

Same. And it works! I love your point—AI isn’t here to take over, it’s here to help us grow.

Maria:

This has been such a fun and insightful conversation. Thank you, Kayvon.

Kayvon Toran:

Thank you both. This was great.

Jocelyn Allen:

We’re not quite done yet—it’s time for the TTA 10!

David:

It’s the TTA 10—10 final questions for our guest.

Jocelyn Allen:

Alright Kayvon, these are fun and fast. David’s got 90 seconds on the clock.

David:

Timer is ready. Starting now.

Jocelyn Allen:

What’s the most ridiculous fact you know?

Kayvon Toran:

Can I pass?

Jocelyn Allen:

You can! If you could choose any superpower, what would it be?

Kayvon Toran:

Flying.

Jocelyn Allen:

If animals could talk, which would be the nicest?

Kayvon Toran:

Probably a dog.

Jocelyn Allen:

Would you rather sing every word or dance everywhere you walk?

Kayvon Toran:

Sing.

Jocelyn Allen:

Unlimited coffee or unlimited snacks?

Kayvon Toran:

Coffee.

Jocelyn Allen:

One horse-sized duck or 100 duck-sized horses?

Kayvon Toran:

100 duck-sized horses.

Jocelyn Allen:

If you were a kitchen utensil, what would you be?

Kayvon Toran:

A fork.

Jocelyn Allen:

Unusual talent?

Kayvon Toran:

I can make a trumpet sound with my mouth.

Jocelyn Allen:

If stranded on an island, what’s one item you’d bring?

Kayvon Toran:

My guitar.

Jocelyn Allen:

Favorite color?

Kayvon Toran:

Butter yellow.

David:

Kayvon finishes in 83.5 seconds!

Jocelyn Allen:

That’s a win! Do you want to go back to the ridiculous fact?

Kayvon Toran:

Yes! Learning styles aren’t real. They’ve been disproven in lab studies.

David:

And now, a musical tribute...

David and Team:

🎵 Just call him butter, cause he’s on a roll... 🎵 [Custom AI-themed song plays]

Maria:

Thank you so much, Kayvon. This has been such an interesting topic.

Kayvon Toran:

Thank you both. Great chatting with you.

Jocelyn Allen:

For more information on Zoll AI and how it can improve your L&D processes, visit us at thetrainingassociates.com. See you next time!