Why AI can't replace the human touch in coaching: insights from an Oxford Brookes University expert
Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming industries worldwide, but can it ever replicate the unique human qualities required in coaching?
From executive leadership and workplace development to personal growth, coaching spans a wide range of disciplines. AI is now being incorporated into online coaching platforms, raising questions about its potential to complement—or replace—traditional coaching methods.
Professor Tatiana Bachkirova, a leading expert in coaching psychology at Oxford Brookes University, addresses this question in her latest research. Her work reveals critical challenges in using AI for organisational coaching and warns against overestimating its capabilities. In this Q&A, we delve into her findings and explore the implications for the future of coaching in an AI-driven era.
How is AI being introduced into coaching and what is problematic about it?
AI is being introduced into the coaching industry through technologies designed to enhance the accessibility and efficiency of online coaching platforms. They use AI to match clients with coaches, design tailored development plans and provide automated feedback. This is not problematic. It is also not problematic when chatbots offer quick stress-relief tips or specific information on clients’ requests. What is problematic is that such chatbots are introduced as an ‘AI coach’ and claim to offer a good substitute for human coaching. It is also problematic that organisations buy them to provide their employees with free access to these substitutes even though independent research shows that such ‘AI coaching’ does not meet the standards required even for a very basic level of human coaching.
What are the dangers/risks of AI coaching replacing human coaching?
While AI innovations can help clients in preparation for human coaching, what is currently introduced as ‘AI coaching’ presents significant risks. Coaching by AI chatbots can become a box-ticking exercise, undermining the purpose and ethical foundations of coaching as a profession and legitimate service.
The movement of replacing human coaching with AI chatbots leads to the "dehumanisation" of services such as coaching. This occurs when efficiency is prioritised over meaningful human connections. AI cannot form genuine relationships, make moral judgements, or adapt to the unpredictable nature of coaching conversations. This leads to the purpose and quality of coaching being fundamentally compromised. Simplifying coaching by using AI also tends to focus on meeting only organisational goals instead of supporting personal growth that is beneficial to organisations in the long run.
Why is human connection essential in coaching?
Coaching is, at its core, a human-centred process. It depends on skills like empathy, deep understanding, and the ability to interpret and respond to complex, nuanced contexts. These are qualities that AI simply cannot replicate. While AI excels at solving problems based on patterns, in the context of coaching it lacks true understanding, intelligence, or insight. It can simulate conversation but cannot engage in the collaborative and thoughtful processes that define meaningful coaching relationships.
Coaching as a profession is still evolving and there’s not always a clear agreement on what it involves. This lack of clarity can make it easier for people to adopt AI tools thinking that this is what coaching is about. However, just because technology is developing so fast doesn’t mean that we uncritically start using it to replace humans in any service. If we don’t make human values and connection a priority, coaching could lose what makes it special and meaningful.
Does this mean AI has no place in coaching?
Not at all. AI can help human coaches with administrative tasks or provide clients with initial frameworks for reflection. But it should never be seen as a replacement for human coaches. The profession needs to approach AI with caution and critical thinking. This means protecting the profession’s ethical foundations and maintaining high-quality standards.
What is the key takeaway from your research?
My concern is not with AI as a tool that can be used for many purposes. However, it does not and will never have human intelligence that is needed in professions such as coaching. Coaching is much more than problem-solving; it’s about human growth, self-awareness, and desirable changes for people in their unique situations of life and work. These aspects require genuine connection and understanding, which only human coaches can provide. As a profession, we must safeguard against losing what makes coaching truly useful and meaningful.
Professor Bachkirova’s findings are detailed in her paper, Why Coaching Needs Real Intelligence, Not Artificial Intelligence, where she further explores the risks and opportunities of AI in coaching.