The training room is changing, and it's not going back. In this episode, I sat down with Phil Friedman, the founder and CEO of CGS Inc., to explore how AI, avatars, and immersive simulations are rewriting the playbook on workplace training. With over four decades at the helm of CGS—a company he built from scratch after immigrating to the US—Phil brings a perspective shaped by both technological evolution and global business experience.

The heart of our conversation centered on Cicero, CGS's AI-driven platform that blends artificial intelligence with extended reality to create dynamic, real-time role-play simulations. Far from just another e-learning tool, Cicero tackles one of the biggest blind spots in workforce development today: soft skills. From objection handling in medical device sales to flight attendant training and fast-food onboarding, the platform is being used to scale training faster, cheaper, and more effectively than traditional classroom or online methods ever could.

What really stood out was how Phil views this as a moment of acceleration rather than disruption. AI isn't here to replace human trainers or eliminate roles; it's a tool that can deepen learning and speed up how people acquire both interpersonal and job-specific skills. In a world where young workers are more comfortable with gaming engines than whiteboards, the immersive, responsive nature of AI-powered simulations offers a natural fit.

Phil shared compelling stories from industries like healthcare, aviation, and fast food, where training time has been slashed from months to days. But more than the metrics, it's the idea that training can now adapt in real time, simulate unpredictable human behavior, and offer meaningful feedback immediately that points to where we're headed next.

As AI and XR technologies converge, what will it mean when every employee can have a personalized, just-in-time coach at their fingertips?