Would it matter to you? Would it change how you felt about my posts or my coaching?
Like so many of the professionals I’m speaking with at the moment, across a whole range of industries, I’ve had the odd moment of panic about the rise of AI and what it means for my job.
In the future, are people going to be hiring chatbots as coaches and looking to AI for guidance in their career changes?
On the one level, I see the benefits to society of democratising coaching and making it more financially viable for more people. On the other hand - selfishly - I love my job and would be so sad if it became obsolete!
Research shows that when people are engaging with an AI – BUT DON’T KNOW IT’S AN AI – they rate it more highly than a human on qualities like empathy and feeling heard. However, as soon as they know it’s a bot, they change their mind!
This data potentially hints at something that isn’t just encouraging for my future job prospects, but potentially for the future of humanity…
… as humans we really value hanging out with other humans!
I see it in my clients that one of the things they most value from the coaching partnership is a chance to share their experiences with another human and to know they aren’t going through their career shift on their own. I can’t tell you the amount of times that a client finishes a session saying something along the lines of: “I feel so much more hopeful and energised now!”
Would they feel the same after an interaction with a chat bot?
To me, that seems unlikely. Human connection is so deeply and evolutionarily ingrained in us as a primal need and source of energy.
I would love to hear your thoughts. Would you consider taking on an AI coach to help you with your career change? Would that negate the need for human support?