AI coaches can take you far. But they can't take you all the way

"And it's easy to see why. AI coaches are available 24/7, cost less than a gym membership, and can recall every word you've ever said. Research even shows they can match human coaches in helping people reach their goals. Ironically, people often tell AI things they'd never tell another person. Studies show chatbots reduce our fear of judgment, making them surprisingly effective at uncovering what's really going on."

"Last month, a client told me she wanted to "readjust her focus." If she'd asked an AI coach, she would've gotten a list of productivity hacks. But when I heard her say it, I noticed something felt off. "Did you notice how your energy dropped when you said that?" I asked. That question opened the real issue. She wasn't struggling with priorities; she was afraid of leaving her comfort zone. Changing her focus was a protective strategy that would've kept her stuck."

"Science backs this up. Our brains sync through mirror neurons, a process called emotional contagion. It's how a coach can sense when your energy dips, even before you speak. Humans also co-regulate each other's stress responses, a process that's essential for change. That's why, in psychotherapy, the relationship itself predicts outcomes as much as any treatment method. The same holds true for coaching."

AI coaches are increasingly widespread, training marathoners, coaching leaders, and serving as digital mentors for high-profile individuals. AI coaches provide 24/7 access, low cost, and complete recall of past interactions. Research indicates AI coaching can match human coaches for many goal-oriented outcomes, partly because chatbots reduce fear of judgment and encourage disclosure. Employers that invest in employee growth see higher retention. Practitioner experience indicates AI drives about 90% of progress, but the final, transformative 10% often requires human detection of subtle emotional cues. Mirror neurons, emotional contagion, and human co-regulation enable coaches to sense energy shifts and address protective behaviors.

Read at Fast Company