Training is no longer a onetime event. It’s a living system. I often say, “Training isn’t something you did… it’s something you do.” And in franchising, it’s quickly becoming one of the biggest competitive advantages you can create.
If you’ve ever sat in a franchise conference ballroom, you’ve felt this. Franchisors and franchisees fly in, pack the general sessions, and fill the hallways for networking and breakout training. I was honored to be the opening keynote for the Canadian Franchise Association (CFA) convention and, more recently, to speak at the Let’s Grow Franchise Assembly in Toronto, where I shared insights on hacking the AI hype while keeping the human experience at the center. People don’t come just for the swag. They come for ideas, clarity, and connection.
The challenge is what happens next. Monday morning, everyone goes back to their markets, their teams, and their todo lists. Without the right systems, those conference insights fade. That’s where AIpowered training comes in—it turns short bursts of inspiration into daily habits of performance.
Why this is happening now
The way people learn at work has changed. Your team members expect short, relevant learning that fits into their day, not thick binders and marathon classroom sessions. Many franchisees are juggling younger workers, higher turnover, and tighter labour markets at the same time. They simply can’t afford a long learning curve every time someone new joins the team.
At the same time, the tools available to franchisors have quietly transformed. AI can now summarize complex operating procedures, generate rolespecific learning paths, and quiz for understanding in plain language. It can take the training you already have and reshape it into formats people will actually use—microlessons on a phone, short videos, quick practice scenarios, even justintime answers during a busy shift.
When I talk about “hacking the AI hype” in my AI Mindshift work, this is what I mean. It’s not about chasing shiny new tools. It’s about using AI to make the right habits easier, more consistent, and more engaging for the people who run your brand every day.
Why it matters for franchising
Franchising lives or dies on execution. You can have a brilliant brand, great marketing, and strong support, but if the person interacting with the customer today isn’t trained well, the system suffers. Customers don’t blame the location. They blame the brand.
Traditional training usually breaks down at two points. First, franchisees are busy operators. They don’t always have time—or the skill set—to be professional trainers. Second, information drifts. The way a process is taught in one location is slightly different from another. Over time, those small differences show up as inconsistent experiences, weaker reviews, and lost sales.
AIsupported training helps close both gaps. It gives every location access to the same core content, delivered in a way that adapts to each learner. It can alert franchisors when a particular topic isn’t being understood long before it shows up in customer complaints or low mystery shop scores, a theme I explore in my book Accelerate. And it equips franchise business coaches with real data instead of gut feel when they support franchisees.
The goal isn’t to make training cold or robotic. Quite the opposite. When the basics are delivered consistently and efficiently, human trainers and leaders are freed up to coach, encourage, and develop people instead of just repeating the same instructions. AI handles the repetition; your people handle the relationships.
What it looks like in the real world
Forwardthinking franchise systems are already experimenting with AIpowered training in practical, lowdrama ways. Some are using AI to convert long operations manuals into short, searchable knowledge bases. A new team member can ask naturallanguage questions and get instant answers aligned with brand standards, instead of relying on what another employee “thinks” the answer is.
Others have introduced adaptive learning paths for different roles. A shift lead, for example, experiences a different training journey than a new frontcounter hire. AI tracks progress, spots where someone is getting stuck, and suggests extra practice. The franchisee doesn’t have to build that logic by hand. They simply review and customize within the guardrails set by the franchisor.
I’ve also seen brands use AI to create realistic customer scenarios that staff can practice—handling complaints, offering addons, or explaining a new service. Instead of roleplaying only during live training days at conferences or inperson sessions, team members can practice any time and receive immediate feedback. Over time, that repetition builds confidence and improves conversion at the point of sale.
For franchisors, the advantage is visibility. When training is connected to AIenabled dashboards, support teams can see where compliance is strong and where additional coaching is needed. They can correlate training completion with key performance indicators such as average ticket, labor efficiency, or customer satisfaction scores. That turns training from a cost center into an investment with measurable return.
Looking ahead: where AIpowered training is going
Looking ahead, I believe AIpowered training will become as fundamental to franchising as POS systems and marketing portals. Brands that adopt it with a clear strategy will be able to launch new initiatives faster, onboard people more smoothly, and protect their standards as they grow. Those that don’t risk a widening gap between “what should happen” and “what actually happens” in the field.
Imagine every franchisee having access to an alwaysavailable training coach that reflects the latest brand practices, product changes, and compliance requirements. Imagine adjusting a process at the franchisor level and knowing the updated training is instantly reflected in every location’s learning experience. That’s not science fiction. The core capabilities already exist and are improving every month.
The key is to remember that technology isn’t the hero. People are. AI should remove friction, personalize learning, and create clarity. Leaders still set expectations, reinforce culture, and model the behavior they want to see. Conferences and events will always matter for the networking, the big ideas, and the energy. AIpowered training is how you turn that energy into everyday execution back home.
If you’re a franchisor, your next real advantage may not be a new product or promotion. It may be how you train. If you’re a franchisee, your next breakthrough may come from how intentionally you engage with the training resources your brand provides—including the AIsupported tools now emerging. In both cases, the question is simple: will you treat training as a checkbox, or as a strategic engine for growth?
AI won’t replace great trainers, coaches, or leaders. But it will amplify the ones who are willing to use it wisely.
