If AI in Netflix Can Predict Your Next Show, Why Can’t L&D Predict Your Next Skill?

Because our employees don’t want one-size-fits-all training — they expect learning that actually knows them.

As someone working in Learning & Development, I’ve seen firsthand how employee expectations around learning have shifted. They're no longer satisfied with generic courses or static content libraries. They're used to personalized, AI-driven experiences in every other part of their lives — and naturally, they expect the same from us.

And honestly? They’re not wrong.

Let’s take a cue from Netflix — the undisputed king of personalization — and ask ourselves:

If Netflix can predict your next binge, why can’t L&D predict your next skill?

The truth is: we can. And with AI, we should.

Table Of Content

•  Netflix — Our Unexpected Benchmark
•  Netflix Recommends Based on What You Love
•   Netflix Evolves with You
•  Netflix Nudges Without Nagging
•  Netflix Learns from Every Click
•   Netflix Cares About Behavior
•  Netflix Gets Smarter the More You Use
•  L&D Needs to Meet the Netflix Standard
•  What’s the Next Episode in Your L&D Strategy?
•  Are We Ready to Hit Play on Predictive Learning?

Let’s Talk About Netflix — Our Unexpected Benchmark

You know the feeling. You open Netflix after a long day, and boom — the perfect recommendation is right there waiting for you. You didn’t have to scroll. You didn’t have to search. The algorithm just... knew.

That’s not magic. It’s smart data, machine learning, and relentless user focus.

So, what if our learning systems worked the same way?

Netflix Recommends Based on What You Love

Netflix studies what you actually consume — genres, runtimes, time of day — and compares that to others like you.

It’s intelligent, always learning, and always adapting.

What That Looks Like in Learning and Development

As an L&D professional, I imagine our Learning Management System (LMS) doing the same. Instead of dumping hundreds of courses into a catalog, it learns from:

• What employees have completed
• What feedback they’ve received
• What skills are in demand in their role or function
• What top performers in similar roles are engaging with

Here’s how L&D can do that: Use AI to track completions, learner interests, and peer benchmarks to serve personalized next steps, not just a catalog of generic courses.

For example, if a project manager has just completed a leadership training, the system could suggest: ‘Next up: Leading Cross-Functional Teams – 12 mins’

That’s learning that flows — not learning that frustrates.

The rise of AI is transforming the way learning and development teams operate. Here’s an insightful video.

Netflix Evolves with You

Start watching stand-up comedy and within a day or two, your recommendations shift.

Netflix adapts based on your behavior — instantly.

And So Should L&D

Our learners are growing. Their roles evolve. Their projects change. Why shouldn’t their learning paths reflect that?

Say a business analyst starts working closely with the sales team. The LMS could suggest:

‘Understanding Sales Metrics – Quick Primer’
‘Data Storytelling for Non-Data Stakeholders – 8 mins’

Here’s how L&D keeps up: Connect your LMS to HR, CRM, or project management tools, so as roles or teams shift, learning journeys automatically adjust in the background.

This is L&D showing up where it matters — not just where it’s scheduled.

Netflix Nudges Without Nagging

We've all had it — the ‘Continue watching?’ prompt or an alert that a new episode just dropped.

Netflix nails the timing.

Imagine this:

• A developer misses a sprint deadline → they get a nudge for ‘Agile Timeboxing – 10 mins’
• A team lead is preparing for their first performance review cycle → they get ‘Giving Constructive Feedback’ right when they need it

So how does L&D do this? Set up contextual nudges through Slack, Teams, or email, triggered by real-world moments — like missed KPIs, promotions, or new project roles.

Smart nudges help. Spammy reminders don’t. AI knows the difference.

Netflix Learns from Every Click

You don’t need to rate shows. Netflix learns from what you do. It sees what you finish, what you abandon, what you binge — and adjusts accordingly.

It’s personalized, passive input that drives smarter results.

Let’s Apply That to Learning

Instead of asking employees to fill out long skill assessments, we can learn from:

• Which courses they complete
• Where they drop off
• What formats they prefer
• When they’re most active

In L&D, we can do this by using learning analytics to observe behavior — like where learners drop off or which formats they prefer — and refine future content accordingly.

Netflix Doesn’t Care About Titles — It Cares About Behavior

Whether you’re a teenager or a CEO, Netflix recommends based on what you watch, not who you are.

It’s personalization at the individual level.

That’s What L&D Needs More of

Too often, we serve learning based on job titles or grade levels.

But think about it:

Two employees with the same role could be miles apart in terms of capability, confidence, or career aspirations.

One might be ready for stretch assignments. The other might still be building foundational skills.

In the L&D world, that means moving beyond job titles. Track learner behavior — quizzes, learner engagement, feedback — to shape dynamic, role-agnostic learning paths.

With AI, we can tailor learning journeys to the person, not the position.

Adaptive Learning 101

Explore the What, the Why, and the How!

• Introduction to Adaptive Learning
• Levels of Adaptive Learning
• Examples
• Case Studies

Download eBook

Netflix Gets Smarter the More You Use It

Every view, skip, or binge helps Netflix get better at predicting what you’ll want next.

It’s a feedback loop — and it works beautifully.

The Same Can Happen in L&D

As L&D professionals, we already have access to rich data. We just need to use it better.

Every quiz result, feedback form, and usage pattern is insight.

AI can process that at scale — and deliver ever-smarter recommendations.

In practice, this means feeding engagement data — quiz results, ratings, and completions — into AI systems that continuously refine what content is recommended and when.

For instance:

‘Employees in your region are struggling with product knowledge. Here’s a 5-part microlearning track being used successfully by another team.’

That’s learning that drives action.

L&D Needs to Meet the Netflix Standard

Netflix didn’t just change how we watch TV.
It changed our expectations for how everything should work.

And now, as L&D leaders, we’re being held to that same standard — by our learners.

They expect:

• Learning that fits them
• Content that’s served at the right time
• Systems that feel smart — not outdated
• Experiences that evolve as they do

And with AI, we can finally deliver on that expectation.

What’s the Next Episode in Your L&D Strategy?

Here’s how we can start thinking more like Netflix:

Are We Ready to Hit Play on Predictive Learning?

As L&D professionals, we have the tools, the data, and the vision.

Now we just need to start using them in smarter, more human ways.

• Let’s move from checklists to capability building.
• From assigned courses to adaptive journeys.
• From static programs to learning that feels alive.

Because if Netflix can predict your weekend binge…
Surely, we can predict — adapt — and support — the next step in every learner’s journey.

Let’s make L&D binge-worthy.