Confidence in L&D Is Rising, But AI Is Making Learning Tech an Enterprise Decision

Go1 survey of 950 IT, Finance, and Compliance leaders shows cross-functional committees have greater influence over learning technology investments

SAN FRANCISCO, June 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Go1, the all-in-one workforce enablement solution, today released research showing that confidence in L&D has grown, even as AI adoption, governance requirements and tool sprawl are making learning technology decisions more complex and cross-functional.

L&D has more trust, but less control

The report, The New Buying Committee, surveyed 950 senior leaders across IT, Finance, Procurement, Legal and Compliance. It found that trust in L&D has increased over the past two to three years, with 77% of IT leaders, 64% of Finance leaders and 52% of Legal and Compliance leaders reporting greater confidence in the function.

At the same time, learning technology is no longer viewed as a decision HR can make alone. Only 9% of IT leaders and 17% of Finance leaders believe HR should lead learning technology investments. Instead, cross-functional influence is rising: 88% of IT leaders, 82% of Finance leaders and 83% of Legal and Compliance leaders say they have more influence over these decisions than they did two to three years ago. Collectively, these insights indicate that learning systems are transitioning from isolated departmental tools to essential components of enterprise infrastructure.

AI is a major driver of this shift. As learning platforms become more personalized and AI-powered, buying decisions are increasingly shaped by data governance, security, compliance, integration complexity and cost, not just learning outcomes.

"Learning technology has crossed the line from departmental software to enterprise infrastructure," said Chris Eigeland, CEO of Go1. "Organizations no longer evaluate these platforms solely through an HR lens. IT, Finance, Legal and Compliance teams now have a stake because learning systems impact data governance, security, compliance and overall business performance."

Tool sprawl and shadow AI increase complexity

The research also found that fragmented learning ecosystems are creating operational challenges. Nearly four in five Finance leaders (79%) report duplicate or overlapping tools, highlighting growing concerns around technology spend and operational complexity, while 69% believe consolidation would add value and 51% are actively consolidating.

Moreover, over half of Finance, IT, and Legal respondents say AI-powered learning tools now undergo enterprise AI governance reviews. But 80% of IT leaders, 66% of Finance leaders and 70% of Legal and Compliance leaders have encountered AI or learning tools deployed without their review in the past 12 months.

Fragmented systems are holding learning back

That fragmentation affects learning effectiveness. Nearly half of organizations, 48%, prioritize training completion over learning impact, while 45% standardize compliance programs globally rather than tailoring them locally and 40% deliver training in a single language even when employees speak multiple languages.

One U.S.-based compliance leader described the ideal approach as training that "could skip over what people already know and focus on new information," a goal often hindered by fragmented systems and competing priorities.

"The organizations that move fastest on personalized learning will be the ones that align learning strategy with governance, procurement, and technology priorities," said Eigeland. "As learning becomes more personalized and AI-powered, success will depend on building stakeholder confidence and simplifying the technology ecosystem that supports it."

To download The New Buying Committee report, visit Go1.com/reports/the-new-buying-committee.

Methodology
Go1 commissioned a survey of 950 senior leaders across IT, Finance, Procurement, Legal and Compliance functions in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia. All respondents were pre-qualified to meet role and seniority requirements. To supplement the data, Go1 conducted five in-depth interviews with senior leaders across the same functions. All research was conducted in April and May 2026.

About Go1
Go1 is the all-in-one workforce enablement solution that helps organizations build skills, stay compliant and grow their people without the complexity of multiple systems. By bringing learning, compliance and workforce development into one connected experience, Go1 helps HR teams save time, reduce costs and unlock stronger business performance. 

Go1's latest product innovations, including Intelligent Translations and Knowledge Checks, help organizations deliver personalized, contextual learning experiences in the flow of work without adding complexity, making learning easier to adapt, govern, and scale across global teams.

Millions of learners worldwide use Go1 every day. The company works with more than 10,000 organizations globally and is backed by leading investors including AirTree Ventures, Blue Cloud Ventures, Five Sigma, Insight Partners, Madrona, Salesforce Ventures, SEEK Investments, SoftBank Vision Fund 2, and Y Combinator. To learn more, visit Go1.com.

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SOURCE Go1