ContentCal founder launches AcademyAI to measure workforce AI capability

Andy Lambert says the platform will assess employees across six AI skills and deliver role-specific micro-learning, with pilot customers onboarding before launch later this year.

AcademyAI is onboarding pilot customers ahead of a planned launch later this year

AcademyAI has launched as a workforce AI capability platform aimed at organizations that have already deployed AI tools but cannot yet measure whether employees have the skills to use them effectively.

The company was co-founded in June 2026 by Andy Lambert, who previously co-founded ContentCal before its acquisition by Adobe in 2021 and later worked on Adobe Express as Principal Product Manager.

AcademyAI is designed to assess employees across six AI capabilities, then provide role-specific micro-learning based on their level, role and organizational context. The platform is aimed at organizations where AI adoption is already underway but uneven.

Lambert announced the company on LinkedIn, saying AcademyAI is now onboarding its first pilot customers ahead of a launch later this year.

The founding team also includes Alex Packham, Rob Barnett and Michael Walton, according to Lambert’s post.

Platform targets the AI adoption gap

Lambert said AcademyAI is launching into a gap many employers are now facing: “Organisations are investing in AI faster than their people can learn it. Everyone's got access. Almost nobody's seeing the return.”

AcademyAI positions itself around the gap between AI adoption and AI outcomes. Lambert said the problem is that “most teams use AI” but “few can prove they are genuinely good at it.”

Lambert said AcademyAI is launching into a gap many employers are now facing: “Organisations are investing in AI faster than their people can learn it. Everyone's got access. Almost nobody's seeing the return.”

The platform is designed to move companies beyond AI usage data by assessing whether employees can apply AI effectively in their actual roles. As Lambert put it, “most teams use AI” but “few can prove they are genuinely good at it.”

Lambert is also trying to move AcademyAI away from the crowded market for prompt tips and tool-specific training. “Using AI well isn't about more tools or more prompts,” he said. “It's about the fundamentals AI amplifies: judgement, critical thinking, analysis. Throw AI at today's processes without those, and nothing changes.”

AcademyAI’s model is built around three steps: assess, train and prove. The platform assesses workforce capability, creates personalized micro-learning, then provides evidence of progress through capability scores, dashboards and certification.

Six capabilities measured by role

AcademyAI measures employees across six capabilities: literacy, safe and responsible use, framing, specification, application, and evaluation and reflection.

The company says literacy covers what AI can and cannot do, while safe and responsible use focuses on privacy, security and bias. Framing covers the ability to evaluate an opportunity and define a clear goal, while specification looks at applying AI to workflows in ways that deliver reliable results.

Application measures whether employees can put AI to work inside real tasks and workflows. Evaluation and reflection focuses on judging the accuracy, quality and risk of AI-generated outputs.

The platform maps capability by person, team and role. Example roles listed in AcademyAI materials include product manager, data analyst, designer and engineer.

Training is delivered through role-based courses matched to the gaps identified by the assessment. AcademyAI says its content is grounded in an organization’s own tools, policies and language, rather than a generic AI curriculum.

Lambert described the product as “Duolingo for AI,” with leadership receiving visibility of capability across teams and the wider organization.

AcademyAI moves toward launch

AcademyAI is not positioned as a learning management system or consultancy. Its materials describe the platform as “always-on infrastructure” for organizations that need to measure and build AI capability over time.

The company is targeting organizations with 30 to 500 employees, typically with $50 million to $500 million in revenue and a significant proportion of knowledge workers. Target sectors listed by AcademyAI include professional services, legal, consulting, investment management, education, technology and proptech.

Lambert’s background includes more than 15 years building software businesses. At ContentCal, he was part of the founding team that raised $10 million, served customers in more than 100 countries and was acquired by Adobe in 2021.

After the acquisition, Lambert worked at Adobe for four years, including on the integration of ContentCal features into Adobe Express.