Between Incremental Change and Transformation: The Emerging Role of Generative AI in Continuing Professional...

Area of Science:

• Education Technology
• Artificial Intelligence in Professional Development

Background:

• Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) is transforming professional education, but its role in Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is understudied.
• CPD professionals act as educational leaders, necessitating a unique understanding of GenAI adoption.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) adoption among Continuing Professional Development (CPD) professionals.
• To assess attitudes, expectancies, and conditions influencing GenAI use in CPD.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional international survey (March-June 2025) with 110 CPD professionals from 14 countries.
• Utilized validated scales for GenAI acceptance and AI attitudes.
• Analyzed quantitative data descriptively and inferentially; qualitative data via reflexive thematic analysis.

Main Results:

• Most participants reported moderate to high GenAI familiarity and comfort, with frequent users showing greater confidence.
• High performance expectancy for efficiency and productivity, but lower for complex problem-solving.
• Qualitative themes included adoption, personal perspectives, and perceived challenges/benefits; some respondents were undecided.

Conclusions:

• CPD professionals perceive GenAI as an augmentative tool enhancing efficiency and creativity, not replacing human expertise.
• High individual readiness for GenAI adoption requires institutional support, training, and ethical integration for sustainability.
• Engaging undecided professionals is crucial for moving from incremental use to transformative impact of GenAI in CPD.