We are confident that AI can write learning objectives, draft quizzes, build rubrics, and structure entire course outlines. The question is no longer "whether AI can do this but whether it should. 

Some ID tasks are fundamentally mechanical, like formatting, compliance checking, and pattern tracking. AI excels here because these require consistency, not judgment. Other tasks are fundamentally creative, like assessing true understanding, designing prompts that draw on lived experience, and redirecting stakeholders whose requests will hurt the content. These require emotional intelligence and professional judgment that AI can't replicate, even if it can produce the output. Most organizations don't have a framework for making this critical distinction. The result is over-reliance on AI—designers stop thinking critically—or under-use—teams avoid AI entirely.

In this Mastery session, you'll map your own design workflow and apply a "Clerical vs. Creative" decision philosophy to each step. Through small-group exercises, you'll evaluate scenarios like: Should AI check accessibility standards? Should AI decide if a module needs a discussion board or case study? Should AI write feedback to a struggling learner?

When designers are burned out and overwhelmed, those are the lines that quickly get blurry. That's when what I call the “AI Trance” sets in, where designers accept polished AI outputs without evaluating the design decisions underneath. You'll practice spotting this pattern and learn how drawing clearer lines can actually prevent it. You'll leave with a completed decision matrix and conversation starters for your team.

In this session, you will learn how to:

• Apply a decision philosophy for evaluating which ID tasks benefit from AI vs. require human judgment
• Identify and interrupt the “AI Trance”
• Create a human vs. AI collaboration decision matrix for your own workflow
• Deploy techniques for leading this Clerical vs. Creative discussion with your team

Attendees should have practical experience in instructional design and be aware of AI tools like ChatGPT or Claude, even if they haven't used them extensively. This session focuses on decision-making methodology rather than technical AI skills, so the key prerequisite is familiarity with the design process itself: working with SMEs, writing objectives, building assessments, and navigating QA. Attendees who are actively wrestling with where AI fits in their workflow will get the most value.