I work with executives around the world on talent strategy—and I’ve never seen a more challenging time for leaders. Roles are shifting. Industries are being redefined. Even the basics—where work happens, how it happens, and what people expect from it—are up for renegotiation. The certainties we once relied on are being replaced by ambiguity, acceleration, and a constant demand for reinvention.
The pace of change is staggering—and it’s not slowing down. This moment demands more reflection, more mentoring, more coaching. Because no one has led through a time quite like this before.
Some of the most intimate conversations leaders are having today… are with bots.
Yes, really.
A recent article in Fast Company highlighted something unexpected: people are showing a remarkable willingness to be vulnerable with AI coaches—sometimes even more so than with human ones. Drawing on studies from institutions like MIT, USC, and the CISPA Helmholtz Center, the piece reveals that users often feel more comfortable opening up to AI avatars than to real, live coaches. They confess more. They hesitate less. They dive into personal fears or insecurities they might avoid sharing with a human.
And I can confirm this is more than theory. Slate, one of the coaching companies I advise, is seeing the same thing firsthand—clients engaging more openly and quickly with AI-driven tools than with traditional coaching formats. It’s not hypothetical. It’s happening.
Michelle Vitus, CEO of Slate, says users often turn to Kai—Slate’s voice AI coach—in moments of stress. “It’s become a trusted daily companion,” she says. “It encourages, nudges action, and offers a safe place to rehearse hard conversations without judgment.”
To be clear: this isn’t about replacing human coaches. It’s proof that AI can be a powerful supplement—a tool to help people reflect, rehearse, or surface issues more quickly. Slate is even integrating their AI coach into human coaching engagements to accelerate growth between sessions. But when it comes to emotional nuance, complexity, and context? The human element is irreplaceable. The power lies in combining both: AI to unlock self-awareness, and human coaches to build on that depth.
Why does AI work this way? Psychological safety. Or as the article puts it: “psychological safety wrapped in code.” Plus, as Vitus notes, “It’s always available,” which means higher frequency and real-time support.
In a world of constant scrutiny and pressure, a judgment-free digital space can be liberating. AI doesn’t raise an eyebrow. It doesn’t interrupt. It doesn’t silently evaluate. That emotional neutrality gives people permission to drop their guard. Ironically, it’s the lack of humanity that allows for greater human honesty.
It’s not new. People journal because the page doesn’t talk back. They rehearse speeches in the mirror because it doesn’t critique their tone. AI works similarly—but it prompts, pushes, and engages without ego.
One study found users rated AI coaching surprisingly close to human coaching. Some even preferred the bot’s consistency and focus. That doesn’t mean the human connection isn’t valuable—it absolutely is. But it does suggest that AI may be particularly effective at helping people take that crucial first step: telling the truth.
And this is where we start to see a broader opportunity.
Instead of viewing AI coaching as a threat to the profession, we should see it as a doorway. It’s a chance to scale access to coaching far beyond the boardroom. Most companies can’t afford to provide human coaches to every mid-level leader or high-potential employee. But with the right AI tools, they can offer everyone a safe starting point—a place to reflect, explore, and build awareness.
From there, human coaches can step in with even greater impact. When clients show up already engaged in their own development, already thinking deeply, already practiced at articulating their thoughts—that’s where the magic happens. It’s not a replacement; it’s a multiplier.
This hybrid approach—AI for breadth, human for depth—could radically reshape how we think about coaching at scale. It democratizes something that’s historically been reserved for the elite. It gives more people a shot at growth. And it frees human coaches to focus on the deeply relational, nuanced work that only they can do: helping someone navigate doubt, make hard decisions, or build emotional resilience through periods of change.
Of course, this isn’t a perfect science. We’re in the early innings of understanding how people interact with AI in vulnerable settings. There’s still much to explore—and these early insights are just the beginning.
If we expect leaders to adapt in the face of uncertainty, we as coaches and learning partners must be willing to do the same. In a world that’s shifting faster than most of us can fully process, these learnings are worthy of our attention. The signals we’re seeing—greater openness, deeper access, and new ways of engaging—deserve thoughtful experimentation. We shouldn’t rush to conclusions, but we also shouldn’t sit back.
If coaching is about helping others grow, then our willingness to explore new tools and new approaches is part of that growth. We need to raise our game so we can help others raise theirs.
And perhaps, in the process, we can welcome an AI that—rather than replacing us—frees us to focus more on what we do best: listening deeply, challenging wisely, and helping leaders become more of who they’re capable of being.
