In the context of Professional and Lifelong Learning (PNL), the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) tools has significantly reshaped how openness is understood and practiced. Openness—traditionally linked to free access and sharing of educational resources—now extends to how content is created, adapted, and verified in digital learning environments.

AI enhances openness by making learning more inclusive and accessible. Automated translation, text-to-speech, and content generation tools allow learners from diverse backgrounds to access materials in multiple languages and formats. This supports the PNL goal of widening participation and lifelong access to education.

At the same time, AI raises new challenges. It blurs the lines between human and machine authorship, creating uncertainty around originality, intellectual ownership, and ethical use. Without transparency about AI’s role in creating or adapting content, the spirit of openness may be undermined.

Therefore, openness in the age of AI requires more than free access—it demands honesty, critical awareness, and ethical responsibility. PNL practitioners must model transparent AI use, verify generated outputs, and help learners engage critically with these tools. In doing so, AI can become not a threat to openness but a means of enhancing inclusion, innovation, and trust in lifelong learning.