New research from The Conference Board reveals that artificial intelligence is capable of handling up to 90% of day-to-day coaching functions, effectively democratizing workplace coaching by making it accessible to all employees. However, the studies also confirm that human coaches remain indispensable for navigating emotionally charged, political, or values-based conversations, outlining a future where AI and human expertise are blended for maximum impact.
Quick Intel
AI can provide up to 90% of day-to-day workplace coaching functions.
96% of workers felt the AI coaching they received was customized to their context.
AI excels at structuring conversations, role-playing, and providing actionable feedback.
Weaknesses include a lack of personal connection and inconsistent contextual memory.
Human coaches are critical for empathy, intuition, and complex strategic reflection.
A tiered, blended model using both AI and human coaches is recommended for organizations.
The Democratization and Strengths of AI Coaching
The research indicates that AI coaching is highly effective at making development opportunities available to every worker, not just executives. Key strengths identified include its ability to guide structured and goal-oriented conversations, encourage critical thinking through probing questions, conduct realistic role-playing simulations, and deliver concise, actionable feedback. An overwhelming majority of surveyed users found the AI coaching easy to use, useful, and something they would use again.
The Enduring Role of Human Coaches
Despite its capabilities, AI coaching has distinct limitations. It often lacks the genuine empathy and nuanced rapport of a human connection. Its conversations can feel scripted or abrupt, lacking the spontaneity of human interaction. Furthermore, its ability to retain context across sessions, while improving, is not yet perfect. This reinforces that human coaches are vital for providing the empathy, intuition, and strategic reflection required for the most complex personal and professional challenges.
Allan Schweyer, Principal Researcher, Human Capital at The Conference Board, stated, "AI coaching presents a pivotal opportunity for organizations to extend development to every worker. When used thoughtfully, it can democratize growth, magnify human coaches' impact, and transform how companies build leadership capability."
Dr. Amit Mohindra, Distinguished Principal Research Fellow at The Conference Board, said, "AI isn't replacing human coaches—it's amplifying them. By automating routine follow-ups and analysis, AI frees human coaches to focus on empathy, intuition, and strategic reflection."
A Roadmap for Responsible Deployment
The reports serve as a guide for Chief Human Resources Officers (CHROs) to deploy AI coaching responsibly. Recommendations include adopting a tiered model where AI handles routine development and escalates complex issues to a human coach. It also emphasizes the need to build psychological safety, ensure data privacy, and upskill human coaches and managers to interpret AI-generated insights and integrate them effectively within the organization's culture. This blended approach allows organizations to harness the scale of AI while preserving the irreplaceable value of human connection.
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