CATS AI Strategic Framework
The Problem
Will AI replace us, or elevate us? This question is becoming increasingly common as AI capabilities grow. At the team and organizational levels, similar concerns arise: Will our contributions still be valued? Will there still be demand for the products and services we currently offer?
These concerns are justified. AI is advancing rapidly and being integrated into workflows to automate tasks—and in some cases, entire jobs. However, automation is only part of the challenge. AI is also driving broader societal changes, leading to shifts in demand that can render certain products and services obsolete. This dual force—automation and obsolescence—will interact to create workforce disruptions beyond simple task replacement. AI is fundamentally changing how products and services are supplied and what is in demand.
So, how do we predict the likely impact of AI-driven automation and obsolescence? Once we clarify AI’s potential impact, how do we determine the actions teams and organizations should take? How can we adapt and thrive in an era of rapid AI advancement?
Applying the ScaleLearning CATS AI Strategic Framework will help your team move from AI anxiety to strategic clarity and readiness. Learning & Development (L&D) teams in particular have an important role to play.
The Dual Challenge and Opportunity of AI for L&D
AI presents a unique challenge and opportunity for L&D teams. Like other functions, L&D faces workflow automation risks and the potential obsolescence of their current product and service offerings. However, what sets L&D apart from other teams is their critical role in helping the workforce navigate AI-driven disruptions. Effective L&D is a critical lever for everyone looking to adapt to changes from AI. As jobs change or go away, L&D will increasingly be in the spotlight.
Learning is essential for adapting to AI’s evolving landscape, integrating AI effectively, and upskilling or reskilling employees. The more disruptive AI becomes, the more pressure L&D will face to scale its offerings, drive real skill development, and move beyond outdated metrics like completion rates and smile sheets. "Click Next" learning won’t cut it in an AI-disrupted world.
To effectively help their stakeholders (internal or external) navigate AI disruption, L&D needs to strengthen and scale their offerings. L&D teams must assess their products and services and prepare to make them more resilient to AI-driven changes. ScaleLearning’s CATS AI Strategic Framework provides a structured approach to evaluating and strengthening a portfolio of products and services. L&D leaders must act now. Delaying strategic clarity about AI-driven changes puts your team's relevance at risk.
What is the CATS AI Strategic Framework?
ScaleLearning’s Capitalize, Assess, Transform, Shift (CATS) AI Strategic Framework above provides a structured approach to predict and prepare for AI disruption. The framework helps teams and organizations analyze their products and services (either external or internal facing) based on their risk of automation and obsolescence. Answering key strategic questions associated with each quadrant is critical to proactively navigate AI-driven changes. The framework places offerings into quadrants based on their automation and obsolescence risks. The upper right represents the lowest overall risk and the lower-left represents the highest overall risk. The upper-left has high competition risk. The lower-right has high irrelevance risk.
CATS AI Strategic Framework Implementation Steps
- Create an inventory of current product & service offerings.
- Select a timeframe for the risk assessment.
- Estimate automation and obsolescence risks for each offering.
- Map offerings onto the CATS AI Strategic Framework.
- Answer the quadrant’s strategic question for each offering.
- Develop an action plan for your portfolio of offerings and people.
CATS AI Framework Quadrant Key Strategic Questions
- Capitalize: Can you maximize and expand the value of the current offerings?
- Assess: Can you win the competition to automate and scale the offering?
- Transform: Can you reinvent your offering to increase resilience?
- Shift: Can you pivot toward a more future-proof offering?
By systematically applying the CATS AI Strategic Framework, organizations can position themselves to navigate AI-driven disruption effectively—ensuring they remain relevant, competitive, and future-ready. Don't just react to AI—lead with confidence. Connect with ScaleLearning to turn AI disruption into your competitive advantage.