What happens when you try to teach a machine how to think like you? 

That’s the question I found myself grappling with when I partnered with a leading  learning company to cocreate an AI-powered coaching platform. The idea was  inspiring: a tool that would let employees ask questions and get real-time coaching, anytime, anywhere, from a chorus of thought leaders across topics, including myself. My focus? Simplification, innovation, and leading through change.

And yet, the most fascinating part wasn’t the tech. It was the mirror it held up to human behavior and the potential to unlock better human connection. 

Here’s an undeniable truth: AI is disrupting the traditional coaching model—and in many cases, for the better. 

A growing body of research shows that people are more honest with AI coaches.  Studies from institutions like MIT, the University of Southern California, and the CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security have found that users are more likely to disclose sensitive information to AI avatars than to human counselors. Why? Because there’s no judgment or fear of asking a dumb question. AI offers psychological safety, wrapped in code. People act more boldly, less afraid to say what’s really on their minds, or what’s holding them back. 

According to a 2025 Korn Ferry research study, 76% of global workers say great  development opportunities make them want to stay at a company.........

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