AI is transforming education and workforce readiness, but human expertise remains irreplaceable. In the latest episode of the Disruption Interruption podcast, FineTune CEO Steve Shapiro discusses how AI-human hybrid learning is reshaping skill development. He explains why standardized assessments must evolve, how generative AI accelerates exam creation, and why the best learning still occurs person-to-person.
TAMPA BAY, Fla., Feb. 11, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- With nearly two-thirds of employers identifying skill gaps as the biggest obstacle to business transformation, companies must rethink their approach to talent development to stay ahead in an increasingly competitive landscape. (1) This week on the Disruption Interruption podcast, FineTune CEO Steve Shapiro joins host Karla Jo Helms (KJ) to explore how AI-human hybrid learning is reshaping education and workforce readiness. "We often overestimate what technology will do in five years and underestimate its impact in twenty," he explains. "The key is ensuring AI enhances, rather than replaces, the human elements of learning and assessment."
Breaking the Cycle: How AI is Redefining Exam Development
For decades, exam content has remained unchanged, creating a slow-moving system that fails to keep pace with evolving knowledge. "Writing a proper exam is both an art and a science—it requires a tremendous amount of work," explains Shapiro. "Traditionally, assessments were rarely updated, which meant that students and professionals were often tested on outdated information. It's a status quo almost in every vertical of education."
Yet, as industries shift and new skills become essential, static exams can no longer meet the demands of modern education. FineTune saw an opportunity to change this by leveraging generative AI. "We started researching generative AI in 2017, and we realized it could revolutionize exam creation," says Shapiro. "Now, we can give test developers the ability to update assessments more often, faster, and with more efficacy."
The Challenge of Standardized Testing: Measuring Knowledge vs. Teaching to the Test
The phrase "teaching to the test" is often used to critique modern education, suggesting schools prioritize memorization over real-world application. But the reality is more nuanced. Standardized assessments are designed to measure whether students have acquired essential knowledge and skills by the end of the year—not to force educators into a rigid curriculum.
Shapiro challenges the notion that testing inherently stifles learning. "Nobody questions an airline pilot's training, yet every parent seems to have an opinion on how teachers should do their jobs," he notes. "Teachers are highly trained and highly educated people, but for some reason, parents think they know best."
While technology has revolutionized education, it cannot replace the depth of understanding, mentorship, and adaptability that a skilled educator brings. "We've explored every method imaginable, yet time and again, the most effective way to learn remains human-to-human interaction," says Shapiro.
Shaping the Future of Education: How FineTune Bridges AI and Human Expertise
Anyone can experiment with prompt engineering and generate impressive results, but when it comes to developing high-quality educational and assessment content, AI alone isn't enough. "To create truly effective instructional materials, there's a level of specificity and customization that can't be left to ChatGPT," points out Shapiro.
FineTune's technology functions like a highly skilled assistant—not just generating content, but structuring, refining, and aligning it with precise learning objectives. "There's a little customization for every customer we work with as a B2B company, and that upfront customization gives them exactly what they want and need," Shapiro explains.
Rather than replacing human expertise, FineTune enhances the capabilities of educators and assessment developers, enabling them to create materials that are both efficient and pedagogically sound. This AI-human synergy fosters a more dynamic, real-world learning experience—one that goes beyond traditional testing and rote memorization.
As Shapiro emphasizes, true learning happens when students engage in meaningful, project-based work, with instructors serving as facilitators rather than mere lecturers. "Everybody has dreamed of an adaptive learning experience that personalizes education for every student. The key isn't isolating students behind a computer—it's using AI to enhance multimodal learning and human connection."
Links
Disrupting Workforce Readiness: Bridging the Skills Gap with AI Innovation with Steve Shapiro
https://omny.fm/shows/disruption-interruption/disrupting-workforce-readiness-bridging-the-skills
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steveshapiro7/
Company Website: https://finetunelearning.com/
Disruption Interruption is the podcast where you will hear from today's biggest Industry Disruptors. Learn what motivated them to bring about innovation and how they overcame opposition to adoption.
Disruption Interruption can be listened to in Apple's App Store and Spotify.
About Disruption Interruption™
Disruption is happening on an unprecedented scale, impacting all manner of industries— MedTech, Finance, IT, eCommerce, shipping, logistics, and more—and COVID has moved their timelines up a full decade or more. But WHO are these disruptors and when did they say, "THAT'S IT! I'VE HAD IT!"? Time to Disrupt and Interrupt with host Karla Jo "KJ" Helms, veteran communications disruptor. KJ interviews badasses who are disrupting their industries and altering economic networks that have become antiquated with an establishment resistant to progress. She delves into uncovering secrets from industry rebels and quiet revolutionaries that uncover common traits—and not-so-common—that are changing our economic markets… and lives. Visit the world's key pioneers that persist to success, despite arrows in their backs at http://www.disruption-interruption.com.
About Steve Shapiro
Steve Shapiro is a visionary leader and AI pioneer in the education and assessment space. As Senior Vice President of Artificial Intelligence (AI) at Prometric, he drives the development and application of cutting-edge AI-powered solutions across the credentialing, licensure, and workforce readiness sectors.
Prior to joining Prometric, Steve founded and led Finetune, a groundbreaking EdTech company recognized for its pioneering use of generative AI in education and assessment. Finetune, subsequently acquired by Prometric, was the first to leverage AI to dynamically generate new content and intelligently classify existing materials.
A serial entrepreneur with a proven track record of success, Steve has founded three successful companies in the education technology and workforce training industries. He is an active member of the EdTech ecosystem, serving as a Venture Partner at LearnLaunch, a premier EdTech accelerator, and an advisor to the Cornell University Center for Technology Licensing.
Deeply committed to improving equity and access in education and the workforce, Steve actively participates in initiatives that address these critical challenges.
A graduate of Cornell University with degrees in both business and education, Steve brings a unique blend of academic and entrepreneurial expertise to his leadership roles.
With a strong online presence and over 3,683 followers on LinkedIn, Steve is a respected voice in the EdTech and AI communities.
About Karla Jo Helms
Karla Jo Helms is the Chief Evangelist and Anti-PR® Strategist for JOTO PR Disruptors™. Karla Jo learned firsthand how unforgiving business can be when millions of dollars are on the line — and how the control of public opinion often determines whether one company is happily chosen, or another is brutally rejected. Being an alumnus of crisis management, Karla Jo has worked with litigation attorneys, private investigators, and the media to help restore companies of goodwill into the good graces of public opinion — Karla Jo operates on the ethic of getting it right the first time, not relying on second chances and doing what it takes to excel. Helms speaks globally on public relations, how the PR industry itself has lost its way, and how, in the right hands, corporations can harness the power of Anti-PR to drive markets and impact market perception.
References
1. World Economic Forum. "The Future of Jobs Report 2025." World Economic Forum, 7 Jan. 2025, weforum.org/publications/the-future-of-jobs-report-2025/digest/.
Media Inquiries:
Karla Jo Helms
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727-777-4629
SOURCE Disruption Interruption
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