Will AI replace coaches? Entrepreneurs share their predictions
The coaching industry is vast and only growing. With a estimated annual growth rate of 6.7% and having already become a A $20 billion market By 2022, entrepreneurs are seeking the guidance of seasoned professionals to help them overcome challenges, unpack their limiting beliefs, and facilitate the growth they know they are capable of.
With the growth of AI content and tools, and with 83% of companies saying that AI is a top priority for them, will AI fill the current need for human coaches? I asked coaches, AI experts and entrepreneurs to weigh in on this debate, to tell both sides of the coin in terms of personal and professional development.
Can artificial intelligence replace coaches? Debate.
Yes, AI will replace coaches
Konstantinos Kaloulis, owner of Trading Agency, thinks the answer is simple if you look at the history of technology. “Email has replaced letters, AI will replace coaches. This is happening everywhere,” he said. “In fitness, people prefer apps that tell them what to do to personal trainers. Now imagine this app being a hundred times more intelligent and conversational. AI Business Advisor Zach Hynek ” agrees, adding “it’s clear that people still vastly underestimate the power of technology”, such as “credit cards, the Internet and automated kiosks”, each of which has gone through what he calls his “this will never work” phase.
Social Media Marketing Specialist Danielle Miller can see how AI coaching can be implemented, as she said: “all you need are the right prompts and basic content examples and you can ask the AI to take action as a coach, billionaire or businessman of your choice. » She believes that the majority of people “will be able to obtain similar information and perspectives through AI.”
Founder of the rapid engineering company Enigmatica, Edward Morris, said the answer depends on the definition of the term “coach,” which has different meanings in sports and in business. Morris said he has “helped pharmacies and other healthcare professionals, as well as everyday citizens, implement AI coaches or consultants into their lives to help diagnose illnesses and provide natural or over-the-counter treatments.
Viral Content Strategist and CEO of Viral Marketing Stars, Kaita Varbanova, believes that “AI will replace less talented coaches because it offers a level of speed that no human can achieve.” Mailing List Professional Nellie Jordan added that it will “replace outcomes, systems and strategy,” but not “emotions and awareness.” It is complicated. Kat Youngengineer, consultant, and technologist, believes AI can disrupt coaching with “personalized, scalable solutions for analyzing data, including performance metrics, L&D benchmarks, and individual goals,” something human coaches should have hard to do without technology.
AI Entrepreneur Vee Khuu took this argument a step further, saying that “AI will destroy coaches who keep their knowledge secret and think the only way someone can gain that knowledge is to buy their coaching courses or programs.” »The challenge is for them to leverage AI to work in their favor, without hesitation. Ultimately, he said, AI coaches “can’t motivate people to do the work or understand a client’s body language to dig deeper and find the core problem,” but it believes that it is only a matter of time.
No, AI will not replace coaches
“AI will not replace coaches, but it will introduce a new dimension in coaching,” predicts an AI entrepreneur and digital creator. Anna Poplevina. “Imagine supplementing monthly coaching sessions with daily AI insights tailored to your progress and challenges. She said this approach is more than 24/7 access, as it “creates a personalized growth journey where AI complements the human touch in coaching in a way that which has never been done before.
Rapid Transformation Coach Joffrey Berti has a similar view, believing that AI will not replace coaching, but will add to it. “The future of coaches lies not in replacing human factors but rather in the seamless integration of AI. » He thinks that at first glance it looks like AI simply “recognizing patterns and drawing insights based on data”, but with humans still working with customers and providing empathy and other human emotions , including “working with subconscious minds, where AI is not yet able to reach”. » Berti is excited about the convergence of technology and humanity and “unlocking the full potential of individuals”.
Former Google AI educator Alex Northstar does not think that AI will replace coaching, but believes that “AI will do the hard work of the coach”. He said that “in the next ten to twenty years, people will still want connection” and doesn’t see anyone “trusting an AI coach enough to pay $5-10,000 per consultation.” But Northstar encourages us to ask the real question, which he says is: “Will AI coaches be better than human coaches?” an answer he says is no, but only for now.
Author of Prompt MBA David Boyle, who has studied the impact of AI on business consulting and psychotherapy, doesn’t think AI will replace coaches “because human experts and AI beat AI alone…yet “. However, he predicts that “AI will dramatically increase the number of people being coached,” which can only be a good thing. Entrepreneurs succeed faster with guidance, and coaches are essential to making that happen.
“AI will augment the work of coaches by allowing them to be more available via an AI version of themselves,” explained Kyle Balmer, coach and educator, as well as head of the AI Business Breakthrough Academy. “Imagine 24/7 access to your coach in addition to your normal weekly in-person sessions. This is what AI-assisted coaching can offer. Balmer believes that “for coaches who seize this opportunity, their practice can be supplemented by AI rather than replaced.”
Tina Dahmen, founder of Coach Marketing Hub, also knows of platforms where “you can fully clone yourself and train your version of AI with your frames, tone of voice, and coaching style.” This version of AI “can even be programmed with empathetic responses, integrating soft skills into its capabilities.” But Dahmen said whether or not AI replaces coaching will depend on “how the market responds to AI coaches,” including whether they prefer a human connection.
Professor of educational innovation Sarah Jones said she has “used multiple platforms for this sort of thing and while it doesn’t replace them, it offers immediate answers to think about things differently.” Editor and asset creation coach Debs Jenkins also believes in a complementary effect, in that “AI will improve and expand their capabilities”, but will not completely replace coaches. She does, however, appreciate AI’s prowess in “processing large amounts of data, identifying patterns and providing insights,” all of which can complement a human coach’s success with clients.
CEO of That Strategy Co, Lisa Johnson, doesn’t think coaches need to worry because they “offer unique perspectives, adaptability and emotional intelligence, making connections that AI can’t replicate.” She continued: “In a world hungry for authenticity, personal brands will always triumph.” Rob Da Costa, founder of Da Costa Coaching, concluded that “clients want empathy and understanding and to look you in the eye when working with you.” However, having already created an AI version of himself, Da Costa replaced some elements of his work with AI coaching, providing access to his knowledge to “a wider audience who cannot afford my coaching fees and do not So wouldn’t normally work with me.” AskRobAnything, Da Costa’s AI, agrees, adding: “AI is unlikely to completely replace the role of a coach!”
A hybrid approach: the best result at all levels?
While some believe that AI will never replace coaches and others believe it is inevitable, it is safe to say that humans and robots can coexist peacefully when it comes to coaching. The best coaches can leverage their personal brand to expand their impact, reach more people, and complement their exceptional service with AI tools, data, and insights. The worst will be trivialized like many professions before them. In the long run, whatever customer demand is, it will prevail. Astute coaches will ask questions and listen for cues, to determine how they pivot and what they continue to do.
As with most things in AI, if humans are replaced by robots, the winners will be those who build the robots. The winners are those who know the terrain and decide how to act, before being the first to act and reap the rewards. Whether it’s providing a hands-on experience that a robot could never imitate, creating an AI version of you to complete your sessions, or simply using AI to automate your administration, coaches of all areas must adapt intelligently to survive and thrive.