Part 4: The Future Is Already Here—Let’s Shape It Together

Part 3 of a 4-part blog series from October 2023. These reflections have only become more relevant with time. I now lead workshops on AI ethics and broader coaching ethics, including consent, transparency, and platform practices. Please note that the book, the afterword and this article were created without the use of AI tools!

Read part 3: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/from-fear-frameworksai-risks-rewards-questions-ruth-84rce

Final post in this 4-part series, originally written in October 2023. Since then, I’ve embraced discussion, research, and facilitation on coaching ethics—especially as AI becomes embedded in tools we use. Let’s look ahead together.

10 Questions Coaches Should Ask Themselves

1. Based on what I know now, how important do I believe AI is going to be in providing coaching in the future?
2. How well do I understand what AI does—and does not do?
3. What else do I need to know—and how will I find out?
4. How do the tools I use specifically use AI?
5. What do I need to discuss with my clients about the ways I am experimenting with or using AI in my coaching practice?
6. If a client doesn’t want me to use AI in their coaching experience, how will I document that, track that, and demonstrate good faith to the client?
7. In what ways do I believe that AI can enhance my coaching? How do I test those theories?
8. What are 3–5 things I need to keep in mind to ensure that my use of AI in coaching is ethical?
9. What changes will I make in my coaching contracts to protect myself and my clients based on the development of AI tools?
10. How do I stay current with the standards and ethical guidelines of my coaching profession?

AI Coaching Risks

1. Clients cannot make informed choices because they are unaware of what parts of their coaching experience are human and which are AI driven.
2. Biases in AI programs interfere with the autonomy of the client.
3. Confidentiality is compromised and data is used inappropriately.
4. Coaches rely on AI to the extent that they don’t tailor the coaching experience for the client and coaching becomes too generic and not client focused. It becomes like insurance, where coaching is given based on the group of people you belong to—middle‐aged, changing careers, empty nester, recently divorced, educated to college level, for example.
5. Coaches put too much trust in the AI models and replace their own experience and good judgment with the advice coming from AI.
6. AI encourages behaviors that are less coaching and more mentorng and consulting. Coaches might start to compromise their roles.
7. Clients put more—or less—trust in the coaching process knowing that it is augmented by AI.
8. AI becomes integrated to the point that it is hard for a client to be sure what is being supplied by AI tools and what the individual coach is adding.
9. Clients are not able to tell when they are—and are not—in contact with a live human coach.
10. Coaching tools are developed to provide feedback that advances a coach’s personal, political, or business agenda more than the agenda of the client.
11. Clients have less say in and awareness of how their coaching is being delivered and what models are implicitly being used.

AI Coaching Opportunities

1. AI can offer the potential for greater consistency across coaches.
2. AI can provide access to coaching resources for more people worldwide.
3. AI can increase the speed of the analysis of client’s language, responses, energy, etc.
4. AI can summarize coaching sessions and provide automated notes and feedback for clients.
5. AI can offer coaching mentoring for coaches—a second opinion, if you will.
6. AI can monitor and track key performance metrics for the coach, such as: The proportion of a session spent with the client vs. the coach talking; An analysis of repeated themes across sessions; The development of a roadmap of progress over many sessions: AI‐assisted personalized coaching tools and practices: Sustainable 24:7 contact with the coach
7. AI can track the trends and averages in sessions, allowing the coach to focus on unique and insightful moments and topics.

Sure, use it as a tool, a starting point to supplement more in‐depth research. Meanwhile, come back to me in 10 years when the tech has improved. I may have a different answer! —Dwayne Allen Thomas, Lawyer, Writer & Cookie Connoisseur

12 Questions for Clients to Ask Their Coach

1. In a word or a short phrase, describe your current view of AI in coaching.
2. Which AI tools are you already using and how do you use them in your coaching practice?
3. If and when that changes, how will you let me know?
4. What say will I have in how you use AI in my coaching experience?
5. If I agree that you can use AI to augment our coaching experience, how will you protect my data?
6. What do you know about current standards on AI use in coaching?
7. What tools do you use for coaching and how do those tools use AI?
8. If I want our coaching to be strictly human‐human, is that an option?
9. Who do you consult with to understand the implications of AI in coaching?
10. What is your experience being coached by AI or by a combination of human coach and AI?
11. Who do you use as a mentor or consulting coach?
12. How does (each of) the AI tool(s) you use answer the following question: What are the risks of using AI in coaching?

Conclusion

AI is here. Ignoring it empowers it—or at least leaves us vulnerable to it being used in undesirable ways.

We want our coaches to be open‐minded and curious. And we want tools to work in our favor. The reality is likely to be that hiccups will occur and mistakes will be made. We might even look back on this moment in time and wish we had made a different choice. At the same time, we have the capacity to cope, to be thoughtful, and to help steer the ethical use of AI to our benefit.

A Call to Action for Coaches As coaches, let’s learn what AI can do for us and for our clients, and understand the risks. How will you remain current with what AI is bringing to your coaching tools? How will you articulate your AI use to your clients? What choice will you give your clients in how big a part AI plays in their coaching experience?

A Call to Action for Clients Take charge of your coaching journey and ask the following questions: What matters to you about how AI is used? How do you want to engage with AI in coaching? How does your coach plan to use AI?

Let’s be transparent. Let’s be ethical. Let’s be human.

Interested in hosting an exploration of ethics in coaching or another profession? Want to know more about coaching with Ruth? Set up a time to meet with Ruth to discuss your needs.