Free Is Not Free: The Hidden Cost of “Free” Infrastructure
Budget, Economics, Infrastructure Shelly Blake-Plock Budget, Economics, Infrastructure Shelly Blake-Plock

Free Is Not Free: The Hidden Cost of “Free” Infrastructure

Entire ecosystems of modern software now advertise free tiers as the starting point for adoption. For experimentation and early development, these offerings can be incredibly useful. They lower barriers, encourage exploration, and help teams get projects off the ground quickly.

But there is a subtle shift that happens as systems mature. What begins as a convenient free tool can gradually become something far more significant: the place where an organization’s data lives.

At that point, the economics of “free” start to look very different.

Because infrastructure—real infrastructure—has never actually been free.

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Two Game-Changing AI Advantages of SQL LRS
SQL, SQL LRS, AI Shelly Blake-Plock SQL, SQL LRS, AI Shelly Blake-Plock

Two Game-Changing AI Advantages of SQL LRS

For organizations working with learning and performance data, the biggest barrier to using AI effectively is rarely the models themselves—it’s the friction between data collection, transformation, and usable features.

This is where SQL LRS creates a significant advantage.

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From LMS Lock-In to Enterprise Analytics: Unlocking Partner Training Data with SQL LRS and LRSPipe
SQL LRS, xAPI, LRSPipe Shelly Blake-Plock SQL LRS, xAPI, LRSPipe Shelly Blake-Plock

From LMS Lock-In to Enterprise Analytics: Unlocking Partner Training Data with SQL LRS and LRSPipe

A few years ago, big LMSs started shipping with the availability of their own internal Learning Record Stores. But more often than not, this only resulted in more frustration. Because even when the LMS captured rich activity data using xAPI, the data remained locked inside the system’s built-in LRS. Just getting access to your own data became an endless game of phone-tag.

So, while the training data exists, businesses can't easily use it.

This is where LRSPipe and SQL LRS provide a powerful solution.

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Mixta.ai and the Rise of 4th Generation Simulation Platforms
Community Highlights, AI, Simulation, xAPI, Explainable AI Shelly Blake-Plock Community Highlights, AI, Simulation, xAPI, Explainable AI Shelly Blake-Plock

Mixta.ai and the Rise of 4th Generation Simulation Platforms

Simulation has always been one of the most powerful tools in learning and workforce development.

But not all simulations are created equal. From static branching scenarios to fully immersive AI-driven conversations, the technology has evolved in waves.

Mixta.ai has developed what we can confidently call a 4th generation simulation platform — AI-enabled, analytics-native, and architected for transparency from the ground up.

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Why xAPI Is a High-Value Data Format for AI in Learning
xAPI, AI, Artificial Intelligence, Data Architecture Shelly Blake-Plock xAPI, AI, Artificial Intelligence, Data Architecture Shelly Blake-Plock

Why xAPI Is a High-Value Data Format for AI in Learning

Most AI initiatives in learning focus on surface-level capabilities.

Few focus on data foundations.

But AI doesn’t magically create insight. It amplifies whatever data architecture you give it.

If your activity data is fragmented, mutable, and loosely defined, AI will amplify that chaos.

If your activity data is:

  • Structured

  • Deterministic

  • Immutable

  • Standardized

AI can become a durable, scalable capability.

That’s where xAPI shines.

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Let’s Get Real About xAPI
xAPI, Commentary Shelly Blake-Plock xAPI, Commentary Shelly Blake-Plock

Let’s Get Real About xAPI

If you’ve spent any time in the learning technology space, you’ve probably encountered xAPI — and you’ve probably also heard someone struggle to explain why it matters.

That’s not because xAPI lacks value.

It’s because xAPI has been, at various points in its life, too early, too narrowly positioned, too slow to standardize, and too misunderstood.

Let’s talk about it.

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What is SQL LRS and Why Does Your Organization Need It?
SQL LRS, Learning Record Store, Technology, Open Source Shelly Blake-Plock SQL LRS, Learning Record Store, Technology, Open Source Shelly Blake-Plock

What is SQL LRS and Why Does Your Organization Need It?

Enterprise learning organizations are increasingly looking to harness the power of learning data to improve training, performance, and decision making. But with the vast amounts of learning activity data being generated across various platforms and systems, managing and analyzing that data can quickly become overwhelming. This is where SQL LRS comes in.

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Let’s talk about Yet’s xAPI Advisory Services — for XR Learning Companies
B2B, XR, Mixed Reality, xAPI Shelly Blake-Plock B2B, XR, Mixed Reality, xAPI Shelly Blake-Plock

Let’s talk about Yet’s xAPI Advisory Services — for XR Learning Companies

XR is a perfect use case for xAPI. Because most events that occur within an XR learning experience are activity-based, it’s easy to instrument an XR system to produce activity data aligned with xAPI. And because so much of the interesting information about learning that occurs in XR is behavioral and experiential, xAPI’s semantic data model — purpose-built for activities that occur during learning — is both a clear fit and a natural value-add.

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Yet Analytics’ solution now available through the Department of Defense CDAO’s Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace - SBIR Aisle
Total Learning Architecture, TLA, Press Release Shelly Blake-Plock Total Learning Architecture, TLA, Press Release Shelly Blake-Plock

Yet Analytics’ solution now available through the Department of Defense CDAO’s Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace - SBIR Aisle

Yet Analytics, a leading provider of enterprise learning data software solutions today announced that its solutions package for the Total Learning Architecture is now available through the SBIR Aisle program from the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office’s (CDAO) Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace.

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XR & xAPI: How Mixed Reality Training Benefits from Human Performance Tracking
XR, xAPI Shelly Blake-Plock XR, xAPI Shelly Blake-Plock

XR & xAPI: How Mixed Reality Training Benefits from Human Performance Tracking

A lot of people have been asking us lately about the potential value of xAPI in XR training. It’s a question worth asking as more industries are making an investment in mixed and extended reality — especially for training in high-risk or “difficult to practice” domains. For training and innovation leaders in these spaces, it comes down to: “Does xAPI really matter for XR — and if so, why?”

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The Value of an Advanced xAPI Enablement of Moodle: Considering in the Context of K12
Moodle, xAPI, Learning Management System, Open Source Shelly Blake-Plock Moodle, xAPI, Learning Management System, Open Source Shelly Blake-Plock

The Value of an Advanced xAPI Enablement of Moodle: Considering in the Context of K12

If the goal is to improve the infrastructure required to support increased efficacy and expanded access, then one could do much worse than to implement proven standards-based and open source capabilities that have been field tested and built for scalability in real world environments.

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