OpenSesame launches AI Innovation Lab in Austin to accelerate AI-powered workforce development solutions
OpenSesame, the leader in curated enterprise e-learning and workforce development solutions, today announced the launch of its AI Innovation Lab in Austin, Texas — a new initiative designed to accelerate how workforce development solutions are built, tested, and brought to market in the age of AI. The new lab will bring together experts from OpenSesame, industry partners, and customers to rapidly prototype and validate new tools that help organizations equip employees with the skills needed to work alongside AI. Initial areas of focus include AI-powered personalized learning, intelligent content curation, and new models for how employees discover and apply learning in the flow of work.
"We're entering an era of workforce reinvention unlike anything we've seen before, and it's incredibly exciting. Employees are moving from executing tasks to working alongside and overseeing AI agents, a shift that can eliminate manual work and refocus teams on what drives real business impact. But that transition doesn't happen automatically. It requires new skills and new kinds of support. The AI Innovation Lab is how we help organizations build the skills and systems to make it real."
— Don Spear, CEO and Co-Founder of OpenSesameAI-native development — from idea to beta testing in three weeks
At the core of the lab is a cutting-edge AI-native model in which intelligent agents write code and run tests, while human teams focus on product vision, customer insight, and critical decision-making. This technique can take features from idea to beta testing in just three weeks. The need to move quickly is clear: the World Economic Forum projects that 59% of workers will need to be retrained or upskilled by 2030, as AI takes on a growing share of tasks previously performed by humans.
"The biggest risk in product development is not building the wrong thing, it's moving too slowly to learn. Our model lets us compress the distance between an idea and real customer feedback from months to days. We are not guessing what businesses need, we are putting working software in their hands and using real-world feedback to shape what comes next."
— Josh Blank, President, Chief Product Officer, and Co-Founder of OpenSesameExpanding in Austin — hiring and industry collaboration
As part of this investment, OpenSesame is expanding its presence in Austin and hiring several roles across product, engineering, and AI. The company is also inviting executives, learning leaders, and industry partners to visit the lab and collaborate directly. Participants will experience AI-native product development firsthand, share real-world workforce challenges, and help shape solutions in real time. The launch marks a broader evolution for OpenSesame, from a leader in enterprise learning content to a company actively shaping how workforce development solutions are designed and delivered. By combining technology, curated content, and human expertise, OpenSesame helps organizations build skills responsibly and at scale in a rapidly changing environment.
OpenSesame launches AI Innovation Lab in Austin, Texas. A new initiative to accelerate how workforce development solutions are built, tested, and brought to market in the age of AI. Brings together experts from OpenSesame, industry partners, and customers to prototype and validate AI-powered learning tools.
Initial focus areas. AI-powered personalized learning, intelligent content curation, and new models for how employees discover and apply learning in the flow of work.
AI-native development model — three weeks from idea to beta. Intelligent agents write code and run tests; human teams focus on product vision and customer insight. This compresses development cycles from months to days.
Workforce context — 59% of workers need reskilling by 2030. World Economic Forum projection. Employees are shifting from executing tasks to working alongside and overseeing AI agents — requiring new skills and support systems.
Expansion and collaboration. OpenSesame is expanding its Austin presence and hiring across product, engineering, and AI. The company invites executives, learning leaders, and partners to visit the lab to experience AI-native development and shape solutions in real time.