2023 was the year of AI. Does that mean 2024 is the year of AI coaches?
OpenAI rightly attracted headlines around the world with their groundbreaking ChatGPT 3.0 last year, which sparked a panicked race amongst Silicon Valley techies to release their own AI tools – baked or half baked.
It’s a remarkable leap forwards: Here we have a chatbot which can engage in complex conversation, ask pertinent questions, and share resources.
(Or at least to give a very good impression of it.)
So I don’t think I was the only business coach quaking in my boots at the thought of my imminent redundancy.
But is that really what’s coming?
Before I make my way all the way out of the door, a few thoughts.
What Does a Business Coach Do?
Before we can invite AI in for a screening interview, let’s quickly cover the main jobs of a coach – at least, as I see it.
An effective business coach:
- Draws out problems and challenges and targets successes
- Builds a collaborative and productive working partnership
- Brings their expertise to bear
- Helps people to see their challenges in a new light, and to chart a way forward
- Provides a bouncing board or sparring partner for business leaders and owners
- Guides clients toward clarity and a refined strategy based on the big picture, as well as the detail
- And a fair bit more than that too
It’s quite the list – so how would AI get on?
How Would AI Fare As A Coach?
In some places, the transformation to AI coaches is already underway. A number of AI coaching apps were rushed out shortly after ChatGPT 3.0 appeared, and the market is only getting busier. With OpenAI now facilitating custom GPTs, anyone can start to train their own coaching bot.
Generally speaking, these apps and bots run simple algorithms with pre-programmed answers and stock encouragement phrases.
(I don’t know about you, but “Keep going! You’ve got this!” isn’t the kind of insightful guidance I look for to help progress my business.)
The more advanced tools can engage in helpful conversation, driven by personalised learning algorithms that you train to respond in certain constructive ways.
For some situations, these might be all you need.
Why don’t we dig into our AI coaches’ full report card:
The Good
One word: Scalability.
Let’s be blunt – there are a lot of business owners, managers and executives out there, and all of them could benefit from some kind of business coaching.
AI coaches are almost infinitely scalable, and – let’s be frank – they’re also likely to be cheaper than a real human drawing on years of experience.
In a more corporate environment, an AI coach may also have an advantage at being able to process data stores to generate wider insights about how to improve performance.
For straightforward situations around time management or task completion, an AI coach might, therefore, do a good enough job.
The Bad
What’s not looking so good for AI coaches?
Good business coaches require:
- Emotional intelligence
- Empathy and understanding
- Delicacy and sensitivity
- Rigour and insight
The best provide motivational support and accountability as well as strategic guidance and an experienced outside eye.
That requires human sensitivity and the ability to read a person and react to a situation. To understand, to build confidence, and to ask the right questions.
As a result, human coaches outperform an AI counterpart when it comes to:
- Complex problem-solving
- Building rapport and a strong collaborative relationship
- Adapting to unique individual needs
- Finding clarity amongst a tangle of ideas or challenges
The Ugly
Finally, there’s something important that we haven’t talked about yet.
Trust.
Whether it’s Alexa eavesdropping on conversations to push certain ads your way (take a look at this settlement from 2023), or ongoing concerns about who actually owns the conversations you have with AI chatbots, we’re constantly reminded of security issues around new technology.
As a result, deep trust in artificial intelligence will take a long time to develop. Which is understandable.
Because when you’re discussing the intricacies of your business, your strategy and your objectives, it’s important that you can be sure it isn’t being shared with other companies or internet users.
That’s why until fears around trust, privacy and security are resolved, I simply don’t see people taking to AI coaches in a big way – even for relatively simple needs.
Where Does That Leave Us?
AI is an incredible tool, and it’s only going to continue to become more complex, and more able to interpret nuance.
It presents an opportunity for business owners and senior executives to access insights drawn from big data and to streamline admin – but this remains far more effective when played through with a human coach.
It’s impossible to deny that AI is likely to have an impact, especially once it can clear the trust hurdle.
But the human touch will remain key.
At best, coaching is about to enter a true golden age, with useful tools rolling out to millions.
At worst, the thousands of talented business coaches in this country alone will continue to provide support, guidance and accountability to leaders of all sizes of company.
Which doesn’t sound too bad.
Kind Regards,
Chris