27% of the US population comprises of one of the youngest and the most ethnically diverse cohorts. We call them GenZ who are clearly the most innovative, outspoken and colourful of the generations. They bring in the youthful vigour that helps the organisation stay young as well. Unfortunately, they are also one of the most stereotyped of the generations; labelled as addicts of technology or worse, living fake lives on social media.

However, if we explore this group with an open mind and at a much deeper level, some of the challenges that the Gen Z face are very real no matter how unnecessary the earlier generations may find these challenges to be.

Understanding GenZ

Studies have shown that GenZ is experiencing increased rates of anxiety, confusion, depression and stress compared to previous generations. Secondly, many members of GenZ are entering the workforce during the post covid era that includes the new normal of remote working. For a GenZ who has just joined the workforce, remote working can be more devastating if not beneficial. Lack of clarity of purpose and day to day unresolved work related issues are also significant contributors to low levels of creativity and engagement.

Building trust, for instance in a remote work set up can be challenging; leave aside the bigger concerns of seeking better opportunities within the workplace or getting promoted. With something as basic as ‘building trust’ at stake, seeking promotions or even a role change are altogether topics for another day.

It is a well-known fact that GenZ has grown up with an almost unmonitored access to social media, which has in turn created new challenges for them by muddling up their definition of the purpose of their work. The increasing desire of all generations alike toward materialistic assets may have further confounded the GenZ’s clarity of what they want in life. This generation is not an instruction taker. They like to experiment and would like to think of themselves as ready to create quick legacies and make a difference.

So with all these challenges, is there a way in which we can help this generation without actually helping them? Maybe there is.

Artificial Intelligence

Whilst Arnold Schwarzenegger flexed his muscles and played the inexpressive and insensitive machine character in the movie ‘Terminator’, a very chilling thought struck everyone’s minds, ‘Will machines really be able to take over humans and destroy the entire human race?’

The concept of machines having a mind of their own slowly gave way to becoming a more organised field of study called Artificial Intelligence. The battle of AI vs humans seems to be on a constant burner with experts around the world diving into arguments of ‘to what extent will AI take over the tasks of the humans’.

More recently, an open AI platform ‘ChatGPT’ has impressed the world with its remarkable capabilities. It has aroused interest amongst all ages and the verdict is now more than clear. AI is here to stay and will continue to evolve exponentially.

Developments in AI is happening in leaps and bounds and these are creating ripples throughout the world. The results are astounding.

Now the million dollar question is how can AI be used to solve the challenges of GenZ that we initially started this article with?

Coaching by AI

Coaching is a practice that facilitates reflection, insights and real action amongst individuals. It enables one to seek their own wisdom and take an informed decision. A professional coach generally facilitates this by asking important quality questions at the right time thereby inducing a thought provoking discussion.

AI coaching or lets call it coaching with no ‘human-in-the-loop’, on the other hand is a form of coaching that utilizes artificial intelligence as a technology to provide personalized support to individuals. This can help individuals set and achieve goals, take up new challenges and improve their overall well-being by shifting their mindset through constantly challenging existing beliefs. Moreover, the AI can personalise coaching to the individual by doing exactly what a coach does, but with a lot more precision. It can help individuals understand their strengths and weaknesses and develop the skills and behaviour they need to advance in their current field.

AI coaching platform is a tool that uses data analysis, natural language processing and machine learning techniques to assist people in achieving their goals and thereby improving their lives.

AI vs Human

AI coaching and human coaching are both forms of coaching that can help individuals achieve their goals and improve their lives. However, some key differences are obviously bound to be evident.

Scalability – AI coaching can provide highly personalized support based on context and non-judgment, while human coaching may rely more on intuition and personal experience. AI coaching can reach a larger number of people at the same time and can be available 24/7, while human coaching may have limitations in terms of availability and capacity.

Biases – AI coaching can provide consistent and objective feedback, while human coaching may be subject to personal biases and emotions. Human coaches can empathize with clients, using emotions, body language and other non-verbal cues to understand the client’s perspective and create a strong connection, whereas AI coaching uses sentiment analysis to be able to identify the emotional tone behind the body of the text .

Adaptability – Human coaching can adapt and change their approach based on the client’s needs, while AI coaching may be limited in terms of flexibility however different AI coaching platforms out there have varied optimised capabilities. Both AI coaching and human coaching have their own advantages and disadvantages and it is important to consider the specific needs and goals of the individual when deciding which type of coaching to use.

Future of AI Coaching

The future of AI coaching is likely to be shaped by a number of factors, including advances in technology, changes in societal needs, and shifting attitudes towards the use of AI in personal development.

As technology advances, AI coaching is likely to improve and become more personalized, tailoring the guidance and support it provides to the unique needs, goals, and preferences of each individual. AI coaching may be integrated with other technologies such as virtual reality and augmented reality, allowing individuals to experience simulated environments and scenarios that help them achieve their goals.

AI coaching will be able to process and analyze more data than ever before, providing individuals with a more complete picture of their progress and helping them to identify areas for improvement. In the time to come, AI coaching may become more accessible to a wider range of people, including those in developing countries and those with limited resources.

AI systems will continue to improve their ability to understand and respond to human emotions and natural language, making the interaction more human-like and more effective.

Conclusion

We’d like to call this intelligent coaching and with AI and technology getting more and more access into our lives, at some point we all will have coaches where and when we need them to provide us the support we need. With the varied benefits that AI coaching provides to the likes of 24/7 availability, an unbiased approach and the thorough openness, one can only imagine how the AI bots will unleash and unfold.

How do you relate to a non-human coach – someone who probably knows you better than anyone else out there, listens to you in an absolutely non-judgmental manner and gives you an unbiased shoulder of support whilst nudging you with thoroughbred intelligent questions, no matter when and where? Well, lets leave you now with this question so that you can take to the comments section below to express yourself because we’d love to hear your thoughts.