Fusion 2026: Five Things I’m Taking Home from Phoenix

Phoenix was hot this week. Very hot.

But as Fusion 2026 ends, what I’ll remember most is how well our learning community is keeping its cool.

In every conversation I had, people agreed the road ahead will not be easy. Artificial intelligence is moving quickly. Institutions are under financial pressure. Educators are being asked to do more with less. Learners are questioning the value of education, while the pathway from the classroom to a first job is becoming a harder one.

Those are serious challenges. But the mood at Fusion was thoughtful, determined and hopeful.

Here are five things I’m inspired by, focussed on and taking away:

1. People want a clear path forward — not another prediction.

There is no shortage of people trying to predict what AI will do next. What I heard at Fusion was a much stronger appetite for practical direction.

We may not be able to see beyond the horizon. But we can decide how we move toward it: calmly, purposefully and together.

The future of learning is not simply something that happens to us. It is something we build. This week, I felt enormous confidence that this community is ready to build it.

2. Trust has to be the foundation.

Trust came up everywhere — in conversations with customers, in sessions and throughout our Solutions Spotlight.

Innovation only creates confidence when it is built on strong foundations: privacy by design, security by design, accessibility and inclusion by design, and responsible AI by design.

Trust cannot be bolted on at the end. It has to be earned every day. I was proud to hear that our customers see D2L as a steady partner that can provide stability and innovation when both are needed.

3. Assessment has to evolve with learning.

When answers are easier to generate, we need better ways to understand what learners truly know and can do.

That does not mean retreating from technology. It means improving how we teach and assess through more formative assessment, more competency-based learning, more authentic demonstrations of knowledge and more opportunities to see learning develop over time.

There is still a great deal to learn. The intersection between AI and the scholarship of teaching and learning has never mattered more. D2L wants to work with educators, researchers and funders to explore models that protect rigor, validity and access while helping learners become stronger.

4. We need to rebuild the bridge into work.

AI is changing entry-level jobs — the jobs where young people traditionally build judgment, confidence and experience.

We cannot allow the first rungs of the career ladder to disappear. Education and employers need to work together to create new entry points, better skills pathways and more opportunities for people to learn while contributing.

This is not a reason to fear AI. It is a reason to be more intentional about preparing people to use it well.

5. Learners have to remain at the center.

One of my favourite moments this week was seeing student voices included directly in conversations about design and innovation.

That should not be unusual. It should be fundamental for any learning technology company.

From the beginning, D2L has built technology with educators, but for learners. Their experiences, ambitions and challenges will always shape our work in the future.

That is why Fusion matters. The future will not be built by one breakthrough, one organization or one leader. It will be built through thousands of thoughtful decisions made by people who care deeply about education.

Thank you to everyone who brought honesty, curiosity and optimism to Phoenix.

The desert heat was intense. The challenges ahead are real. But after this week, I am more reassured than ever that we will keep our cool — and keep moving forward together.

And I’m looking forward to taking learning to new heights next year in Denver!

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