I'm sure that Articulate's strategy analysts have noticed the increasing amount of chatter across social media from users — many of them loyal users — who are concerned about the continued bundling of AI features into Articulate products.

There are very good reasons why professional designers and developers like me don’t rely on the built-in AI tools inside authoring platforms.

The integration of AI into learning solutions is becoming a major differentiator for designers, but not in the way people sometimes assume. We're not just talking about tools that make development a bit quicker. We're talking about AI that can provide runtime support, adaptive feedback, and real interaction with learners while the course is running.

That requires a very different approach.

I currently maintain subscriptions with at least six AI service platforms — not because I like spending money, but because I need the flexibility to deploy the best tool for each specific project.

For example, I may need:

• text-to-speech with fine prosody control
• reliable AI voices, sometimes cloned from real subject-matter experts
• AI-generated music and sound design
• real-time speech-to-text streaming to support two-way dialogue
• accurate lip-synced avatar animation at streaming speeds

These capabilities rarely come from a single provider, and the technology is evolving far too quickly to lock yourself into one ecosystem.

The way many of us are now working is to build flexible AI pipelines outside the authoring tool, typically through APIs and lightweight middleware, and then integrate those services into Storyline or Rise using JavaScript or web services.

In that model, the authoring tool becomes one component in a broader intelligent learning architecture, rather than the place where the AI itself lives.

This gives us vendor flexibility, better security, and the ability to swap AI services as the technology evolves.

So the concern some developers have about tightly bundled AI features isn't because we're anti-AI — quite the opposite. Many of us are already building very sophisticated AI-enabled learning experiences.

What we need from authoring tools is openness and extensibility, not a closed AI ecosystem.

The real opportunity for platforms like Articulate may not be adding more built-in AI features, but making it easier for developers to integrate the rapidly evolving AI ecosystem around them.

OK - I found the 'Text Box' button on the tool Bar so I've calmed down now. Please tell me how to get rid of the AI buttons on the toolbar..