5 min read
For nearly four decades, the 70-20-10 model has shaped how organizations think about learning and development. It’s simple, elegant, and proven:
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70% of what people learn comes from experience — doing the work.
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20% comes from others — coaching, feedback, collaboration.
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10% comes from formal education — courses, manuals, and structured programs.
It’s a formula that captures something profoundly human: that learning isn’t a one-time event, it’s an ongoing cycle of doing, observing, and improving.
But here’s the truth many learning leaders have quietly accepted: while the model makes sense on paper, it’s rarely been implemented effectively in practice.
Why? Because capturing and reinforcing learning across all three layers has always required time, technology, and coordination that most organizations don’t have.
That’s where AI changes the equation — not by replacing human learning, but by making the invisible parts visible, measurable, and continuous.
The 70%: From “Learning by Doing” to “Learning That Lasts”
The majority of real learning happens in the flow of work — through trial, error, and repetition. Yet, traditional systems have struggled to capture and reinforce these micro-moments.
When an employee figures out a better way to file reports or troubleshoot a machine, that insight often stays locked in their head or vanishes when they leave the company. Multiply that across hundreds of employees, and you have a massive leak in organizational intelligence.
AI can seal that gap.
With platforms like EVA Pro, everyday processes — from SOPs to meeting notes — can be transformed into interactive, adaptive training modules. The platform doesn’t just store static information; it evolves with the organization.
When a process changes, EVA Pro automatically updates the associated training. When employees show mastery, it reinforces less. When they struggle, it re-teaches with context.
Instead of once-a-year refreshers, learning happens in real time — quietly, efficiently, and without interrupting work.
That’s the power of AI in the 70%: it turns daily experiences into structured, retained knowledge.
The 20%: The Social Side of Learning, Supercharged by AI
We learn a fifth of what we know from others — mentors, peers, and informal networks. But in the hybrid era, those interactions don’t happen as naturally as they used to. Watercooler chats have turned into Slack threads. Peer learning has become fragmented.
AI bridges that gap — not by simulating human mentorship, but by amplifying it.
Imagine finishing a safety course in EVA Pro and instantly being connected with a coworker who scored highest in the same module. Or imagine the system recommending a team huddle when several members repeatedly miss the same quiz question — identifying learning gaps before they turn into costly mistakes.
EVA Pro’s analytics turn individual learning into shared growth, surfacing where collaboration would be most valuable. It’s mentorship made scalable — and measurable.
AI doesn’t replace the human connection that drives learning; it ensures it happens more often and more effectively.
The 10%: Formal Learning That Finally Feeds Back
Formal training has always been the easiest part to organize — and the hardest to sustain.
Most employees complete their compliance modules, click through slides, and promptly forget what they learned a week later.
That’s because most training systems are static, built around completion instead of comprehension.
EVA Pro reimagines this layer by giving organizations the power to turn their existing documents, policies, and procedures into living, adaptive training experiences.
Upload an SOP, and EVA Pro automatically builds a structured course — with lessons, quizzes, and even media. You can review, edit, and customize everything through a conversational AI interface.
The platform personalizes content difficulty, offers real-time pronunciation editing for voiceovers, and continuously updates material when source documents evolve.
Formal training stops being a “check the box” activity and becomes a dynamic system that evolves with your organization’s reality.
AI as the Glue: Connecting the 70, 20, and 10 in Real Time
The brilliance of the 70-20-10 framework lies in its balance — but until now, those three parts have lived in separate worlds.
With AI, the walls finally come down.
When an employee learns by doing (70%), that knowledge can feed back into formal courses (10%).
When peers collaborate and share solutions (20%), the system learns from those interactions to improve training across the company.
AI becomes the connective tissue, ensuring that no lesson, insight, or improvement goes unnoticed or unreinforced.
This turns learning into a living ecosystem — one that grows stronger with every task, every conversation, and every iteration.
Why This Matters Now
In a world of rapid change, static learning frameworks are no longer enough. Skills evolve faster than traditional L&D departments can track, and employees expect personalized, accessible learning experiences that meet them where they are.
The 70-20-10 model still holds wisdom — but it needs a modern engine.
AI platforms like EVA Pro make that possible. They don’t replace the human side of learning; they make it scalable, sustainable, and self-improving.
For organizations, this means more than just better training metrics. It means knowledge that compounds — knowledge that sticks. And that’s the real ROI of modern learning.
The Bottom Line
The 70-20-10 model has always described how people learn best. AI is finally allowing us to build systems that teach that way.
With adaptive reinforcement, social intelligence, and automated course creation, EVA Pro helps organizations close the loop between experience, collaboration, and formal learning — turning knowledge into culture and training into growth.
Call to Action:
Follow AutomateHQ on LinkedIn and explore more insights at evapro.ai/blog, where we’re reimagining the future of workplace learning — one adaptive experience at a time.
