AI can generate a course outline, lessons, worksheets, and activities in minutes. I’ve experimented with it myself, and the results can look pretty impressive.
But I wanted to know what happens when someone tries to teach that course. Will students learn something useful? Will they put it into practice? And will the person selling the course make any money?
I invited Sharyn Sheldon, founder of Content Sparks, to join me on Substack Live to talk about these questions.
Sharyn has been creating training programs since 1993 and launched Content Sparks in 2011. Her company creates brandable courses and workshops that coaches, consultants, and trainers can customize, teach, and sell under their own names.
I was curious about how AI was changing her business. After all, if anyone can create a course with AI, what happens to a company that sells ready-made course content?
Her answer surprised me.
AI can create course outlines, lessons, and worksheets in minutes. But creating a course that people will use takes experience and careful review. Sharyn uses AI to find gaps, test examples, and improve course materials. Her years of instructional design experience guide the decisions about what stays, what changes, and what students need to succeed.
How AI is changing the course creation business
Sharyn told me that her longtime customers haven’t been rushing to replace her courses with AI-generated content.
Many already have plenty of material. They appreciate having professionally designed courses ready to customize.
Their questions have changed, though.
They’re asking which offers to create, what to do with the content they’ve already purchased, which AI tools are worth learning, and how to get everything ready to sell.
That shift has changed how Sharyn approaches her business. She’s developing AI-assisted systems, prompts, and training resources to help customers make better use of the content they already own.
And she’s using AI in her own instructional design process, particularly to review courses, identify gaps, and test whether activities will work for different students.
One point caught my attention: Sharyn said creating a good course with AI can take her longer than creating one without it.
She spends more time reviewing and revising. AI gives her more ways to check the work, but it tends to add material and make things too complicated. Her instructional design experience tells her what belongs in the course and what should be removed.
Five takeaways from our conversation
1. Start with the result students want
Sharyn uses an instructional design method called backward design.
She starts with the result someone should get from the course and works backward to identify what they need to learn and do along the way.
This keeps course content connected to a practical outcome.
For anyone using AI to create a course, it’s worth defining that outcome before asking AI to generate lessons.
2. Give students a quick win
This was one of my favorite parts of the conversation.
Sharyn builds short, practical activities into her courses. Her guideline is that an activity should take about 15 to 30 minutes and produce something the student can use.
She pays particular attention to early wins. A student who completes a useful task in the first lesson has already received something worthwhile.
That matters for solo business owners who have limited time to spend on training.
3. Use AI to review and improve your course
Sharyn uses AI to test her course materials by asking where students might get confused, which instructions are missing, and what could be removed.
She also asks AI to review the material from different students’ points of view.
For example, would someone new to the topic have enough information to complete an activity? Would someone with more experience find it useful?
AI can suggest changes. Sharyn still makes the final decisions.
4. Course completion isn’t the only measure of success
This came up during a discussion about students who buy courses for one particular lesson.
I’ve done that myself. Sometimes I need one expert answer, and it’s worth buying the entire course to get it.
Sharyn made the point that students can get what they need without finishing every lesson.
That’s why she designs courses with useful modules that can stand on their own, even when they’re part of a longer program.
It’s a good reminder to focus on what students accomplish, not just how much content they complete.
5. People still want access to the person teaching
As AI-generated course materials and videos become more common, Sharyn sees continued demand for personal interaction.
A short live Q&A gives students a chance to ask about their own situations.
We talked about how that interaction doesn’t need to mean hours of live training every month. Even a 30-minute question-and-answer session can make a difference.
And if someone asks a question you can’t answer immediately, it’s fine to follow up afterward. Sharyn pointed out that you can send the answer with the replay.
That takes some of the pressure off teaching live.
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Practical tips you can use
If you’re creating a course, updating an existing program, or working with ready-made content, try these actions.
1. Review something you’ve already created. Choose one course or workshop and identify the result students should get. Check whether each lesson supports that result.
2. Ask AI to find gaps. Give it your course outline and ask where a beginner might get confused or need more instruction.
3. Look for content you can remove. Ask AI which lessons, activities, or resources could be cut without affecting the intended outcome. Review its suggestions yourself.
4. Add a 15-to-30-minute activity. Give students something useful they can complete early in the course.
5. Test your material with different students in mind. Ask AI how the course might work for someone who’s new to the subject, someone with more experience, or someone working in a different industry.
6. Keep the focus on skills that last. When teaching AI or other technology, spend time on the decisions and methods people need to learn. Tool interfaces and features can change.
7. Consider adding a short live Q&A. Give students a way to ask questions about their own situations. Their questions may give you ideas for future lessons or training.
One AI prompt to try
Sharyn’s final tip was to use AI for what she calls pressure testing, reviewing what you’ve created to find gaps, unnecessary content, and opportunities to make it more useful.
Here’s a prompt based on that advice:
Review my course for practical results
I’m creating a course for [describe your audience].
The result I want students to achieve is [describe the outcome].
Review the course outline below as an experienced instructional designer.
Identify:
Any gaps that could prevent students from reaching the intended result.Lessons or activities that could be removed without affecting that result.Places where students might get confused or need more guidance.Opportunities for a useful activity students can complete in 15 to 30 minutes.Examples that would make the material easier for different types of students to apply.
Explain your recommendations and tell me which changes deserve attention first.
Keep the course focused and practical. Don’t add more lessons or activities without explaining why they’re needed.
Course outline:
[Paste your outline here]
Watch the conversation
Sharyn and I covered a lot, including how she’s adapting Content Sparks to AI, the importance of instructional design, and why personal interaction still matters in online training.
If you’re thinking about creating a course or have course materials you haven’t put to use, I think you’ll find her perspective helpful.
Watch the Substack Live replay above.
You can learn more about Sharyn’s brandable courses and workshops at Content Sparks.
She also offers free ready-to-brand resources, with a new featured resource each month.
Your Business Year Wrap-Up Checklist
In this latest free content from Sharyn, you’ll get private label rights to the following materials for building a lead-generating mini-funnel: Your Business Year Wrap-Up Checklist (in Canva and Word), 5 Follow-Up Emails, 10 Social Media Posts, and 10 Social Media Images (in Canva).
You can edit this content any way you want. Then use it to build an audience interested in buying your courses and other offers on this topic!
I went into this conversation wondering whether AI would make businesses selling ready-made course content less relevant.
Sharyn gave me a different perspective. Her customers still want professionally created materials. They’re looking for help making decisions and getting those materials into use.
And I see it in my own work with solo business owners. There’s plenty of information and content available. The work is deciding what will help your audience and following through.
I’d love to know: Have you created a course with AI, purchased ready-made course content, or started a course that you never finished? What did you learn from the experience?
