Why Bayer Turned To AI To Solve A Human Skills Challenge
A Conversation With Bayer on Leveraging Technology To Improve Workplace Communication
Date: 30 July 2026
10AM EDT/3PM BST
The trickiest training challenges are often those involving soft skills. Traditional methods can teach hard skills in a way we’re familiar with, but soft skills – innately human skills – require a different approach.
When faced with the need to upskill a global cohort of employees in communication skills, Bayer turned to a modern, cutting-edge L&D approach: AI roleplays.
Discover how Bayer tackled classic implementation and adoption challenges to successfully roll out an AI-first skills development initiative at scale.
In this conversation between Bayer’s Kristina Scherb and VirtualSpeech CEO Sophie Thompson, the pair will explore:
- The importance of communication training in the workplace – and how its absence can cause problems.
- Why Bayer chose to leverage AI and VR technology to tackle its skills development challenge.
- How Bayer approached the implementation of AI and VR technology to encourage employee adoption and a successful, scalable rollout.
Join us on July 30 at 10AM EDT/3PM BST for an open, honest conversation with one of the healthcare world’s biggest players on how taking a hi-tech approach to communication training can transform employees’ skills.
About your guest and host
Kristina Scherb
Workforce Transformation and Skills Strategy Professional, Bayer
Kristina Scherb is a Workforce Transformation and Skills Strategy professional at Bayer IT. She brings more than 20 years of experience across HR, talent development and organizational transformation in global environments.
In her current role, she focuses on building future-ready capabilities, enabling skills-based approaches and exploring innovative learning formats, including AI- and VR-supported soft skills training. Kristina works at the intersection of people, technology and organizational change, with a particular interest in how organizations can prepare their workforce for the future of work.
Sophie Thompson
CEO and Co-Founder, VirtualSpeech
Sophie is CEO and Co-Founder of VirtualSpeech, an award-winning soft skills training platform. Passionate about everything skills and training, Sophie hosts honest, in-depth conversations with experts in the fields of AI, VR, and L&D with the goal of making these worlds more open and transparent places.
VirtualSpeech delivers realistic simulations of real-world scenarios, helping people increase their skills and confidence by up to 25% in just 10 minutes. With a global reach, spanning over 175 countries and used by 650,000+ people, VirtualSpeech partners with organizations to prepare their teams for success in today’s workplace.