AI can coach. Just not at my level.

AI is all of a buzz right now, and I've been formulating some thoughts.

Leaders are using it to write emails, automate tasks, and outline reports. Some are even turning to it for problem-solving. And the question I keep hearing underneath all of it is: what does this mean for coaching?

I did some research. Here's what I found.

The International Coaching Federation (the global association that I belong to) participated in a study measuring AI against its core coaching competencies. They found that AI agents can successfully coach at an ACC level. Think of it as the equivalent of a bachelor's degree in the field. Meaning, AI is genuinely useful for optimizing schedules, outlining frameworks, and structured problem-solving.

That's its lane. And it's a good lane.

What AI cannot do is coach at the level above that, called PCC level, which is the credential I hold. Or at the Master Certified Coach level above that. The difference isn't technical. It's human. PCC and MCC coaching lives in the territory of transformational leadership and real behavioral change.

Here's why the gap exists.

Research referenced through Harvard Business Review found that AI significantly underperforms human coaches when it comes to psychological well-being, stress reduction, and resilience. Leaders aren't just managing tasks, they're carrying emotional weight that artificial intelligence has never experienced and cannot hold.

There's also something called interpersonal neurobiology. It's what happens between two people when genuine connection takes place. At the most fundamental level, there's an energy exchange that stirs emotion, and emotion is the fuel behind meaningful change. AI can generate words that sound empathetic. It cannot replicate our core need of being truly seen by another human being.

And finally, a great coach catches what's being left out. When a person is unaware of their blind spots, they'll input a skewed narrative into an AI prompt. Then AI will confidently optimize a flawed response because it's designed to be agreeable to the user. A coach reads between the lines, notices what isn't being said, shifts in tone, and what's happening beyond the storyline. That's where the real work happens and something AI can't touch.

Use AI. I do. Just don't mistake it for a coach.

Make it a great day,

Halle

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