Randy Hill and ICT Virtual Humans in the Huffington Post

An article exploring artificial intelligence in the workforce quoted Randy Hill, ICT’s executive director on the ways technology advances can improve leadership skills.
Hill expects that in the next 10 years, it will be much more common for managers to have access to AI-based tools to help develop stronger leaders.
That might include practise in managing an employee who may be experiencing personal issues or rehearsing ahead of complex negotiations. Artificial intelligence will also allow companies to play “what-if” scenarios when making a decision, to predict employee and market reaction, stated the story. These AI-based systems, Hill explained, will not only understand natural language but also body language, interpreting emotion. Imagine Siri, the voice in your iPhone, responding to your body language and reacting to your jokes.
“Virtual humans are analogous to flight simulators — just as a pilot can practise flying different types of aircraft in a variety of scenarios, a virtual human can provide the ability to practise high-stakes personal interactions in a low-risk environment, where mistakes can be transformed into lessons learned through practise, feedback and automated tutoring,” he said.
The story also included a link to the ELITE prototype, stating that ICT uses AI to provide junior leaders in the military with a practice environment to improve their interpersonal communication skills.