Monday 10 March 2025
A new system is being developed that uses artificial intelligence to help people improve their social skills, such as communication and conflict resolution. The system, called GLOSS (Guided Learning for Optimizing Soft Skills), allows instructors to create realistic scenarios for students to practice in, using a combination of scripted dialogue and open-ended interactions.
One of the key features of GLOSS is its ability to adapt to the student’s responses, generating new scenario branches in real-time if the student’s response doesn’t fit within the existing options. This means that the system can provide a more immersive and realistic experience for the student, allowing them to practice complex social situations in a safe and controlled environment.
The system also includes an analysis tool that allows instructors to assess the student’s progress and adjust their training accordingly. This tool provides a visual representation of the student’s path through the scenario, showing which choices they made and how those choices affected the outcome.
The development of GLOSS is being led by Illumia Labs Inc., with support from the Intelligent Robot Learning (IRL) and EdTeKLA Lab at the University of Alberta. The team hopes that the system will be able to help people improve their social skills, particularly in high-pressure situations such as customer service or conflict resolution.
One potential application of GLOSS is in the training of emergency responders, such as police officers or firefighters. These individuals often face complex and high-stress situations, and may benefit from practicing these scenarios in a controlled environment before they occur in real life.
Another potential application is in the development of soft skills for children with autism or other social disorders. GLOSS could provide a safe and supportive environment for these students to practice social interactions, helping them to build confidence and develop important communication skills.
While the system is still in development, it has already shown promising results in early testing. The team hopes that GLOSS will be able to help people improve their social skills and build stronger relationships with others.
Cite this article: “Guided Learning for Optimizing Soft Skills (GLOSS)”, The Science Archive, 2025.
Artificial Intelligence, Social Skills, Communication, Conflict Resolution, Guided Learning, Soft Skills, Scenario-Based Training, Adaptive System, Analysis Tool, Emergency Responders, Autism.
