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Is the LMS dead, or are its detractors just loud?
Our CO-CEO Cassie’s recent LinkedIn post on this topic sparked an incredible amount of engagement, with countless people sharing their thoughts, experiences, and questions. Clearly, this is a conversation that warrants further discussion.
So today, we’re doing just that.
Cassie put it perfectly:
“The noise around LLMs taking over the LMS is loud.
Meanwhile, Thrive is having our busiest-ever sales quarter with 40+ new customers, including three of the world’s biggest brands.
More and more organisations are implementing Thrive, and we’re actually seeing demand for more “traditional” LMS requirements on the rise. The need for a platform isn’t going anywhere, but it is the lack of innovation that’s leading to all the speculation.”
Cassie Gasson, Co-CEO, Thrive Learning
The anti-LMS sentiment stems from stagnation in the market, and the fact that some platforms simply haven’t evolved to meet the expectations of modern users (more on that later.)
When it comes down to it, today’s organisations are still tackling the fundamentals: onboarding at scale, managing compliance, upskilling teams, distributing knowledge, communicating internally, and measuring impact. These aren’t problems you solve with a language model alone.
This is where learning platforms are evolving — not dying. And the shift is both powerful and necessary.
Large language models (LLMs) have transformed the way we access, parse and process information. There’s no denying their foothold in almost every single industry, and with good reason. They’re faster than Sci-Fi movies could have even predicted, not to mention intuitive and (for the most part) easy to use. But they weren’t built to manage enterprise learning. They don’t track learner progress, ensure regulatory compliance, or help organisations measure behavioural change over time.
Crucially, LLMs:
… And that’s where a learning platform comes in. A modern LMS, or learning platform, offers the governance, structure and analytics that businesses need to truly enable performance.
Think of it this way. LLMs are like an open motorway of information: Fast and flexible, but ultimately directionless. A learning platform is the vehicle that gets your people where they actually need to go, safely, efficiently, and with full visibility.
AI is no longer the new kid on the block, and almost every tech vendor now has some iteration of AI factored into their offering. Therefore, the real innovation doesn’t come from replacing entire systems with AI. Instead, it’s about integrating AI into the systems people already rely on.
Modern learning platforms are now embedding AI at every touchpoint – not as a bolt-on or an extra cost, but as an integral part of the experience. This shift is creating more responsive, intelligent and efficient environments for learners and admins alike.
Here’s what that looks like in practice:
All of this helps reduce cognitive load, increase engagement, and free up L&D teams to focus on strategy, not admin.
Much of the noise about the so-called “death of the LMS” stems from stagnation in the market. Some platforms haven’t evolved to meet the expectations of modern users. That’s not a sign of an obsolete category; it’s a sign of missed opportunity.
Today’s businesses need more from their learning platform than a repository of content. They need:
Crucially, they need a partner that understands learning, compliance, performance, and people — and delivers a platform that ties it all together.
The idea that learning platforms must specialise by company size or industry is outdated. Just as platforms like Slack or Zoom work for both startups and global enterprises, the same is true for learning tech.
Scalability is now expected – as it should be. A good learning platform should support a ten-person team just as effectively as it supports a global workforce.
Real-world impact from organisations of all sizes shows what’s possible:
These aren’t edge cases; they’re proof that when learning is embedded into the flow of work, results follow.
The employee experience has evolved. Learning can’t simply sit in a silo; it needs to work alongside communication and knowledge-sharing to create a seamless, always-on experience.
That means:
To quote Cassie’s post again:
“In the last year, we've worked with our customers to rethink how the modern-day LMS should work – and have concluded that AI, personalisation, and communication are non-negotiables. Your LMS should also serve as your go-to platform for knowledge, performance and compliance; all living together under one roof to reduce risk and make learning part of your every day.”
Cassie Gasson, Co-CEO, Thrive Learning
The conversation around learning tech is shifting from survival to speed, from legacy systems to intelligent ecosystems.
The future belongs to platforms that integrate learning, comms, knowledge and AI into one seamless, scalable experience. And for organisations who get it right, the opportunity is massive.
“We’ve seen incredible results from our customers – including 30% reduction in time to onboard employees, 22% decrease in compliance-related issues, 30% increase in store sales, and 71% growth in customer spend.
So, one thing is clear: Learning platforms are very much proving their value.
But they are evolving. And as a vendor, if you don’t keep up then like anything, you’ll be left behind…
The new employee experience playbook = Learning + Comms + Knowledge + AI-powered experiences.”
Cassie Gasson, Co-CEO, Thrive Learning
It’s not about man vs. machine. It’s about humans supported by smarter systems.
The only real question is: is your platform keeping up?
For more information on how Thrive could support your organisation in the age of AI, book a Thrive demo today.
Explore what impact Thrive could make for your team and your learners today.
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Is the LMS dead, or are its detractors just loud?
Our CO-CEO Cassie’s recent LinkedIn post on this topic sparked an incredible amount of engagement, with countless people sharing their thoughts, experiences, and questions. Clearly, this is a conversation that warrants further discussion.
So today, we’re doing just that.
Cassie put it perfectly:
“The noise around LLMs taking over the LMS is loud.
Meanwhile, Thrive is having our busiest-ever sales quarter with 40+ new customers, including three of the world’s biggest brands.
More and more organisations are implementing Thrive, and we’re actually seeing demand for more “traditional” LMS requirements on the rise. The need for a platform isn’t going anywhere, but it is the lack of innovation that’s leading to all the speculation.”
Cassie Gasson, Co-CEO, Thrive Learning
The anti-LMS sentiment stems from stagnation in the market, and the fact that some platforms simply haven’t evolved to meet the expectations of modern users (more on that later.)
When it comes down to it, today’s organisations are still tackling the fundamentals: onboarding at scale, managing compliance, upskilling teams, distributing knowledge, communicating internally, and measuring impact. These aren’t problems you solve with a language model alone.
This is where learning platforms are evolving — not dying. And the shift is both powerful and necessary.
Large language models (LLMs) have transformed the way we access, parse and process information. There’s no denying their foothold in almost every single industry, and with good reason. They’re faster than Sci-Fi movies could have even predicted, not to mention intuitive and (for the most part) easy to use. But they weren’t built to manage enterprise learning. They don’t track learner progress, ensure regulatory compliance, or help organisations measure behavioural change over time.
Crucially, LLMs:
… And that’s where a learning platform comes in. A modern LMS, or learning platform, offers the governance, structure and analytics that businesses need to truly enable performance.
Think of it this way. LLMs are like an open motorway of information: Fast and flexible, but ultimately directionless. A learning platform is the vehicle that gets your people where they actually need to go, safely, efficiently, and with full visibility.
AI is no longer the new kid on the block, and almost every tech vendor now has some iteration of AI factored into their offering. Therefore, the real innovation doesn’t come from replacing entire systems with AI. Instead, it’s about integrating AI into the systems people already rely on.
Modern learning platforms are now embedding AI at every touchpoint – not as a bolt-on or an extra cost, but as an integral part of the experience. This shift is creating more responsive, intelligent and efficient environments for learners and admins alike.
Here’s what that looks like in practice:
All of this helps reduce cognitive load, increase engagement, and free up L&D teams to focus on strategy, not admin.
Much of the noise about the so-called “death of the LMS” stems from stagnation in the market. Some platforms haven’t evolved to meet the expectations of modern users. That’s not a sign of an obsolete category; it’s a sign of missed opportunity.
Today’s businesses need more from their learning platform than a repository of content. They need:
Crucially, they need a partner that understands learning, compliance, performance, and people — and delivers a platform that ties it all together.
The idea that learning platforms must specialise by company size or industry is outdated. Just as platforms like Slack or Zoom work for both startups and global enterprises, the same is true for learning tech.
Scalability is now expected – as it should be. A good learning platform should support a ten-person team just as effectively as it supports a global workforce.
Real-world impact from organisations of all sizes shows what’s possible:
These aren’t edge cases; they’re proof that when learning is embedded into the flow of work, results follow.
The employee experience has evolved. Learning can’t simply sit in a silo; it needs to work alongside communication and knowledge-sharing to create a seamless, always-on experience.
That means:
To quote Cassie’s post again:
“In the last year, we've worked with our customers to rethink how the modern-day LMS should work – and have concluded that AI, personalisation, and communication are non-negotiables. Your LMS should also serve as your go-to platform for knowledge, performance and compliance; all living together under one roof to reduce risk and make learning part of your every day.”
Cassie Gasson, Co-CEO, Thrive Learning
The conversation around learning tech is shifting from survival to speed, from legacy systems to intelligent ecosystems.
The future belongs to platforms that integrate learning, comms, knowledge and AI into one seamless, scalable experience. And for organisations who get it right, the opportunity is massive.
“We’ve seen incredible results from our customers – including 30% reduction in time to onboard employees, 22% decrease in compliance-related issues, 30% increase in store sales, and 71% growth in customer spend.
So, one thing is clear: Learning platforms are very much proving their value.
But they are evolving. And as a vendor, if you don’t keep up then like anything, you’ll be left behind…
The new employee experience playbook = Learning + Comms + Knowledge + AI-powered experiences.”
Cassie Gasson, Co-CEO, Thrive Learning
It’s not about man vs. machine. It’s about humans supported by smarter systems.
The only real question is: is your platform keeping up?
For more information on how Thrive could support your organisation in the age of AI, book a Thrive demo today.
Explore what impact Thrive could make for your team and your learners today.
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