What AI Can't Replace in Instructional Design ft. Jonathan De La Cruz | My EdTech Life 363
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Jonathan De La Cruz, an instructional designer with a background in music and technology, reveals that the most irreplaceable skill in the age of AI isn't technical expertise—but human connection. Despite working at a startup building an AI-assisted learning platform, he emphasizes that AI can't replicate the empathy, communication, and collaboration required to create meaningful learning experiences. His journey from teaching music to instructional design was driven not by a linear career path, but by curiosity and a deep-seated need to connect with people across disciplines. He shares how he uses AI to automate repetitive tasks like drafting design documents and refining language based on feedback, but insists that the real value lies in understanding human needs, managing team dynamics, and creating psychological safety. His core message? No matter how advanced AI becomes, the ability to listen, adapt, and co-create with others will remain the ultimate differentiator in instructional design—and in life.
Use AI to automate monotonous tasks like drafting design documents, but never outsource human judgment on learning outcomes.
The most valuable skill for instructional designers is not technical fluency—it's the ability to build psychological safety and trust in teams.
Frame feedback as neutral and collaborative, not critical, to keep ideas in the room and maintain team momentum.
Train AI agents on your team’s specific language and feedback patterns to reduce revision cycles by 50–70%.
Prioritize communication over tools—your ability to connect with subject matter experts and learners determines whether content is used.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
Introduction and Guest Welcome
Host Alfonso introduces the episode and welcomes Jonathan De La Cruz, a music educator turned instructional designer, highlighting his unique journey and the focus of the conversation: what AI can't replace in learning design.
From Music to Instructional Design: The Power of Curiosity
Jonathan shares how his early curiosity with technology—video editing, social media, and music production—naturally led him into instructional design, framing the field as an extension of his lifelong passion for collaboration and creativity.
The First Day in Instructional Design: Confusion and Agency
Jonathan describes his initial confusion upon entering the field, lacking a clear identity as an instructional designer, and how he learned to thrive through agency—proactively solving problems and iterating without fear of failure.
Human-Centered Design in an AI-Driven World
“I could spend all that time working and I can use all these fancy tools. And if I haven't taken the time to communicate and collaborate with people, and show them that I appreciate their contributions, that I acknowledge that they're there. Then when they show up to my trainings, my training might not be effective at all.”
Mastering the Tech Stack: AI as a Systematic Enabler
Jonathan details how he uses AI to build reusable frameworks, automate language refinement, and reduce revision cycles—turning AI into a personal productivity system rather than a magic wand.
“I could spend all that time working and I can use all these fancy tools. And if I haven't taken the time to communicate and collaborate with people, and show them that I appreciate their contributions, that I acknowledge that they're there. Then when they show up to my trainings because we all work together, my training might”
“The tools are going to be better, they're going to be faster and they're going to work a little bit smarter than most of us in the world. But that's the piece that we will always have with us.”
“If you were to give me an idea and we were working together and we were part of a collaboration to get some training out, it would work better if I changed my language to always serve whatever the output we want wants to be.”
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