Title: Why Human-Based Coaching Will Surge in the Age of AI
As artificial intelligence rapidly transforms the workplace, one thing is becoming increasingly clear: the more we automate, the more we crave what only humans can offer—connection, empathy, and real conversation. And nowhere is this more apparent than in the world of coaching.
Recently, I caught up with my longtime friend and fellow coach, Mike Carroll, founder of Intelligent Conversations. Mike and I have a unique relationship. We co-own a few properties we call “Sunday Night Properties,” where we meet every other Sunday—not to talk shop, but to talk life. Naturally, our conversations often drift back to coaching, leadership, and the future of our work.
We realized something fascinating. Despite technically being competitors, we've spent the last decade helping each other grow our businesses. And now, as AI becomes more powerful and pervasive, we both see the same trend: human-based coaching is about to become more essential than ever.
AI can automate processes. It can generate learning paths, summarize meetings, even simulate coaching scenarios. But what it cannot do is form trust. It can’t read the unspoken tension in a leader’s voice or understand the emotional weight behind someone saying, “I’m fine.” It doesn’t build rapport. It doesn’t show up with genuine curiosity.
That’s where human coaches thrive. In a world flooded with data, we offer discernment. Amid AI-generated insights, we provide intuition. And in moments where AI says “optimize,” we ask, “How are you really doing?”
The irony is this: AI is making human-based coaching more valuable, not less.
As leaders and organizations lean on AI to scale, they’ll need human coaches to deepen. As automation drives efficiency, people will need coaches to reinforce purpose, identity, and connection. And as decision-making becomes faster, coaches will be essential in helping people slow down, reflect, and grow with intention.
Mike and I don’t fear AI—we embrace it. But we also believe its rise is a loud, clear invitation: double down on humanity.
The future of coaching isn’t man vs. machine. It’s man with machine—empowering coaches to spend less time compiling reports and more time having powerful conversations that change lives.
Human-based coaching is not going away. It’s entering its renaissance.
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