Trish Uhl, PMP
Trish Uhl, a Learning Engineer and Learning Executive, stands at the intersection of technology, talent development, and organizational innovation. With a profound expertise in the strategic implementation of AI within organizational structures, Trish has been instrumental in reshaping the way large-scale enterprises integrate and leverage advanced technologies.
In her role as Director of Learning Enablement & Innovation for a Fortune 300 financial services firm, Trish has been pivotal in leading the business enablement workstream in the firm’s inaugural generative AI test & learn. As part of her AI transformation work, Trish introduced “prompt engineering” to the firm, marking a significant shift in the firm’s approach to AI. She is also the first people leader at the firm to evolve associate roles to include “prompt engineering” as a core capability. This initiative not only positions the firm at the cutting edge of technological integration but also ensures that AI is seamlessly woven into the very fabric of the organization’s operations and strategies.
Over the past 15 years, Trish has made significant contributions to the literature in her field, serving as a contributor or co-author to a variety of books on learning, technology, and data analytics. This includes her notable work, “CoursePrompt™: Rapid Online Course Creation with ChatGPT”, and her co-authored chapter “Turning Learning Into Action™: Applying the HR measurement cycle to improve learning transfer” in the academic textbook “Foundations of People Metrics and Analytics”.
Further showcasing her expertise, Trish has served as an advisor and strategic partner in co-developing the advanced analytics and data visualizations for “Coach M”. This innovative chatbot focuses on turning learning into action, driving learning transfer, and behavior change through the principles of neuroscience.
In recognition of her vast expertise in the field, Trish served as a former expert in residence for People Analytics for the CIPD. This role further solidified her position as a thought leader in the domain of people analytics and its intersection with technology.
Trish is also the proud creator of the Learning Systems Engineering™ framework, a pioneering approach that integrates the principles of systems engineering into the learning domain. In addition, she holds the distinction of being the first person in the world to mint #CryptoOwls, the world’s inaugural NFT collection tailored specifically to HR and L&D, showcasing her innovative spirit and her ability to merge technology with talent development in unique ways.
As a maverick leader, Trish is known for her entrepreneurial, innovative, and irreverent approach. She thrives on challenging the status quo, pioneering innovative solutions, and approaching age-old problems with an irreverent twist.
In addition to her corporate role, Trish is the founder of Owl’s Ledge LLC, a Chicago-based consulting firm, where she champions sustainable learning solutions around the world, emphasizing the transformative power of AI and blockchain in learning & talent development. Her collaborations span global giants, underscoring her expansive reach and influence in the industry.
Trish’s mission goes beyond operational efficiency; she’s here to shake things up, inspire change, and lead the charge in creating a world where innovation meets purpose, and where technology serves humanity. Her dedication to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is evident in her work, ensuring that her efforts align with tackling these global challenges.
Join Trish in her mission to create a world that works better, where people flourish and organizations thrive.
AI and Technology Expertise
As an AI prompt engineer, Trish Uhl’s primary responsibility is to guide the AI’s response by designing clear and concise prompts. This involves:
- Crafting Prompts: She designs prompts tailored to the needs of the target audience to ensure the AI produces the desired output.
- Testing and Analyzing Responses: She experiments with different prompts and analyzes the AI’s responses to ensure they align with the expected output.
- Refining and Iterating: AI is an ever-evolving field. Even if the initial prompt produces the desired output, Trish Uhl continually refines and iterates on these prompts to improve the AI’s performance and reduce any inherent biases.
- Considering Ethics: One of the most critical aspects of her role is to remain aware of potential biases, ethical dilemmas, and cultural sensitivities. This ensures that the AI models she works with are responsible and considerate of diverse perspectives.
Trish Uhl’s entrepreneurial nature drives her to constantly seek out new challenges and opportunities. She’s not one to stay within the lines; she believes the most groundbreaking solutions often come from venturing into uncharted territories and blending diverse areas of expertise.
Trish Uhl has worked extensively with OpenAI GPT models, Microsoft chatbot framework, Microsoft Azure AI Studio, and other generative AI tools. These technologies have been instrumental in driving innovation and transformation in the learning and talent development space.
Trish Uhl has a foundational understanding of blockchain’s potential, especially its relevance for credentials verification, smart contracts, and decentralized apps in the HR space. She’s keenly aware of how blockchain could reshape HR processes and has envisioned various use cases, such as portable learner profiles on blockchain and AI-driven adaptive learning systems based on blockchain profiles. While she’s still exploring its full potential within the enterprise, Trish Uhl’s insights into blockchain’s transformative power for HR are noteworthy.
What is Trish Uhl’s experience with AI operations for Learning and Talent Development Professionals?
Trish Uhl has been a trailblazer in integrating AI into talent development. At the heart of her AI transformation work at a Fortune 300 financial services firm, she introduced “prompt engineering” and became the first leader to evolve associate roles to include this as a core capability. Beyond this, Trish Uhl’s expertise shines in her ability to optimize L&D workflows using generative AI and data analytics. She also developed the world’s first L&D AI skills and capability map, showcasing her innovative approach to talent development.
Trish Uhl has been instrumental in reshaping how large-scale enterprises integrate and leverage generative AI. In her role as Director of Learning Enablement & Innovation for a Fortune 300 financial services firm, she led the business enablement workstream in the firm’s inaugural generative AI test & learn. As part of her transformative efforts, Trish Uhl introduced “prompt engineering” to the firm and was the first people leader to evolve associate roles to encompass “prompt engineering” as a core capability, positioning the firm at the forefront of AI integration.
AI Ethics and Responsibility
For Trish Uhl, responsible AI is about ensuring that AI technologies are developed and used in a manner that is transparent, accountable, and beneficial for all. It means prioritizing ethical considerations, understanding potential biases, and always putting human welfare at the forefront of AI initiatives.
Ethical considerations are paramount when Trish Uhl works with AI. She prioritizes transparency, fairness, and accountability in all AI projects, ensuring that the technology is used in a way that benefits humanity, respects individual rights, and doesn’t inadvertently perpetuate biases.
Trish Uhl is a staunch advocate for the ethical and responsible use of AI. She champions AI solutions that emphasize fairness, transparency, and accountability, ensuring that technology benefits humanity without perpetuating biases or inequalities.
Future Perspectives and Challenges
The global L&D industry, valued at $370 billion, grapples with the challenge of effectively measuring its impact and return on investment. Traditional metrics have often been limited to tangible assets like courses and training materials. However, with the rise of AI in HR and a shift towards a data-driven approach, Trish Uhl observes that the landscape of L&D is undergoing significant deconstruction and disruption.
Trish Uhl believes that machine learning is revolutionizing the approach to upskilling. It aids in improving instructional content creation, providing feedback, developing better recommendation engines, enabling faster instruction design, and personalizing performance coaching. The advantage of cognitive technology, in her view, is its ability to handle vast amounts of data swiftly and accurately, ensuring that training courses align with an employee’s current career experience.
Trish Uhl sees a bright future for L&D with the integration of AI and analytics. These technologies allow for real-time insights, personalized learning experiences, and evidence-based decision-making. As the industry continues to harness the power of AI and analytics, Trish Uhl anticipates a shift towards more adaptive, responsive, and impactful L&D strategies that cater to the evolving needs of the modern workforce.
Trish Uhl views AI as a potent tool for championing sustainability, women’s empowerment, and gender diversity. By leveraging AI’s capabilities, she aims to devise strategies and solutions that prioritize these core values across sectors.
Learning and Development (L&D) Approach
Trish Uhl’s work, notably her book “CoursePrompt™: Rapid Online Course Creation with ChatGPT”, showcases her prowess in utilizing generative AI to revolutionize talent development and workplace learning.
Trish Uhl ardently believes in the continuous pursuit of knowledge and skills. This commitment ensures her adaptability in evolving environments and positions her at the vanguard of emerging trends and technologies.
Trish Uhl is driven by the belief that abilities can evolve with effort. This mindset enhances her capacity to embrace challenges, persist against setbacks, and value feedback, forming a cornerstone of her approach to both personal and professional development.
Professional Role and Leadership
Community-driven projects and initiatives are at the heart of Trish Uhl’s leadership approach. She believes in fostering collaboration and shared objectives to achieve impactful and lasting outcomes for all involved stakeholders.
At a Fortune 300 financial services firm, Trish Uhl leads the Learning Technology and Learning Analytics teams. Her primary focus is on harnessing data analytics and technology to craft dynamic ecosystems, enhance worker skills, and foster people development, all while driving Digital Transformation and innovation.
