Mark Cuban Says AI Job Simulators Will Replace Traditional On-Job Learning

Billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban believes the next major breakthrough in artificial intelligence will not be another chatbot or coding assistant, but AI-powered job simulators designed to prepare employees for real-world workplace challenges. In a recent post on X, the former Shark Tank investor argued that changing workplace dynamics will reduce opportunities for employees to learn through daily interactions with colleagues. As a result, companies will increasingly turn to AI-based simulation platforms to train workers before they face real-life situations.

Cuban compared the future of employee training to the simulation systems already used in aviation and motorsport. Commercial pilots and race car drivers regularly train on sophisticated simulators that expose them to a wide range of scenarios before they encounter them in real life. He believes businesses can adopt a similar approach by creating AI-powered simulations that replicate workplace challenges and help employees develop judgement, decision-making skills and practical experience in a risk-free environment.

According to Cuban, organisations should capture the knowledge and expertise of experienced employees to build comprehensive AI training models. He warned that businesses risk losing valuable institutional knowledge as employees retire or move on. By converting that experience into intelligent simulations, companies can preserve expertise and ensure future workers are better equipped to handle complex situations. Cuban stressed that organisations failing to document and transfer this knowledge could face significant long-term challenges.

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Experts believe elements of this transition are already underway. Thomas Roulet, Professor of Organisational Sociology and Leadership at the University of Cambridge, told Business Insider that many organisations and business schools already use virtual reality and simulation technology for training programmes, including exercises focused on unconscious bias and workplace decision-making. He said AI is expected to significantly expand the scale and realism of such learning environments in the coming years.

The concept could be applied across a wide range of professions. Newly qualified lawyers could practise courtroom arguments, client negotiations and legal procedures using AI-generated scenarios before handling actual cases. Similarly, medical trainees could work with AI-powered virtual patients, assist in simulated surgeries and respond to emergency situations, allowing them to gain valuable practical experience without exposing real patients to unnecessary risks.

Despite his optimism about AI's potential, Cuban has consistently argued that the technology should complement rather than replace human workers. He maintains that artificial intelligence still lacks qualities such as emotional intelligence, intuition and the ability to understand social context. In his view, the greatest benefits will come from combining AI's speed and analytical capabilities with human judgement, communication skills and decision-making, creating a more effective partnership between people and technology rather than a replacement for human expertise.

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