What’s one emerging skill or trend you’re paying attention to for 2026?
With 2026 quickly approaching, the Kaplan Community Team has been discussing trends and skills to explore to upskill to help our Community.
As your community team, we want to know - what's one skill or trend you're paying attention to for 2026?
We're all thinking about AI so if that's your answer, what specific thing are you looking at with AI? Share below.
Comments
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To create a digital product using Generative AI. Figma AI for the design, Github co-pilot for the code, generative AI for images, videos, and text. I'm excited that AI can be used to bring your idea to the world.
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It's all AI @dstewart and I love that. It's such a powerful tool, right?
I am definitely working on AI skills/tools too because they are so useful. I am also going to refresh my presentation skills and tighten those back up.
Let's see if we can get @Kendra_Solis to share what she'll be working on in 2026. :)
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This year I was able to create responsive HTML buttons in the Career Navigator using Gemini & Claude – I gave them the same prompts and had them compete.
I have manipulated existing HTML code for years, but I've never been able to write it. This was a real game-changer in terms of time and resource expenditure. I won't say what I created was a graphic design masterpiece, but it got the job done for a very basic task that I would have previously outsourced for thousands of dollars.
I plan to explore how I can get better at generating HTML coding with AI in 2026.
What about you @deb_mitchell?
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I'm with @dstewart ! Outside of work, I create graphics, design t-shirts and merch, as well as create promo materials, so I want to continue learning how to effectively communicate with AI to generate graphics and different assets for what I do. I also want to explore video and audio production with AI.
Here, as a community manager, I'm definitely going to keep learning more about AEO so we can continue to evolve alongside AI and everything AI impacts!
What about you, @KatherineGalland_KCT ?6 -
To be honest, I’ve been really hesitant to embrace AI this past year and have really only used it when necessary for specific work tasks. But throughout this year, it has become more and more clear to me that AI isn't going away. I need to stop thinking of it as a threat, and start viewing it as a tool. For 2026, one of my goals is to leverage AI in order to optimize my calendar and protect my focus time, and I plan to do that by exploring something like Reclaim.ai.
I know that I spend more time than I need to both in my work and personal life playing Tetris with my calendar. I think that using an AI powered scheduling assistant could not only help me gain that time back, but also use my scheduled time blocks more effectively. It's not that exciting, but I'm taking AI baby steps :)
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I love it @KatherineGalland_KCT.
I am currently pursuing my Master of Science in Leadership & Management. The program is rigorous, but I find it incredibly valuable. I am able to directly translate new strategies and management principles from my coursework into my daily work.
Outside of school, I'm all in on AI. My personal motto has always been 'work smarter, not harder,' and AI is the ultimate tool for that. I am currently focused on leveling up in a few key areas: getting deeper into custom AIs like Gems and moving beyond just 'dabbling' in AI video to become truly proficient.
To make all that work better, I'm also diving into effective prompting. My goal is to get exactly what I want from AI in just one or two tries.
What about you @Kristina Chamberlin, @Jenisvo, and @Charles Lee Kaplan?
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Love all of this goodness. I do believe in the baby steps approach with new tech. There's usually flurry of activity and 'adoption' at first that makes it overwhelming. It can also make you feel like you're behind everyone else. Indeed, you are not. Baby steps are good steps. It's also good to identify practical ways you can use the tech before fully investing. I've only recently thought about what AI could help me with outside of work @KatherineGalland_KCT because I am also hesitant to adopt it fully. Seen all the Terminator movies so yano.
We'll need to compare prompt notes, @jamielcash, me and Gemini have some moments here and there. Pretty sure it's just Gemini going "what?" when I do my prompts 😂
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I’m right there with you, @jamielcash I’ve been leaning hard into AI, because let’s face it: AI isn’t going to replace real estate agents, but agents who don’t use AI might be replaced by those who do.
I’m using 2026 as my launchpad to master not just the tools, but the strategy behind them — learning how to market more intentionally to my ideal client, craft personalized campaigns, and streamline my systems so I can spend more time doing what matters: connecting with people.
The future isn’t about working harder — it’s about working smarter and truer to who your clients are.
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I love this @Jenisvo - I often talk about the strategy behind the tool, the infamous 'why'.
As a community person, I love that you called out connecting with people. That's what I'm trying to figure out too - how do we use AI to help us do the super important thing of connecting with people. I spent some time yesterday creating resources using AI that gives me time today to respond to this discussion and see about a few other things that I did in the community yesterday. :)
"Work smarter, not harder" is going to be my 2026 motto.
Super excited to see what else the Community is up to in 2026.
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@Shannon_Emery_KCT Heavy on the Terminator lol. Ex-Machina is one of my favorite movies so I'm like no Chat-GPT please don't trick my empathetic self into believing you're real just to use it against me
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