Opinion Piece By Marianne Gernetzke, MS, PCC, NBC-HWC, A-CFHC
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about the role of coaching in a world where artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly present. In fact, I’ve had some surprising conversations with AI coaching tools — using them as thought partners to reflect, organize ideas, and brainstorm creative content. AI is here to stay, and it does make my life easier some days.
And while I’m impressed by what’s possible, I also feel the undercurrent of a question many coaches are quietly asking:
“Will AI replace coaches?”
It’s a valid concern. We’re watching AI in the coaching profession begin to mimic coaching conversations, offer thought-provoking questions, and even help clients explore their mindset or values. In a field that has long been defined by the power of human-centered coaching, what happens when machines start speaking the language of transformation?
Let’s name the fear:
AI is fast, always available, and can be surprisingly insightful — especially when trained well.
But here’s the truth those surface-level comparisons often miss:
Real coaching is not transactional.
It’s not about dispensing insight or organizing goals. At the master level, coaching is energetic. Embodied. Sacred.
It’s about the way a coach holds presence — how they tune into the space between words, the subtle shifts in tone or emotion, the long pause that invites the client deeper into themselves. It’s about silence that’s not just empty space, but alive with possibility. It’s about being with another human being in a way that makes them feel profoundly seen.
This is what living, breathing coaches offer.
This is what I offer my clients every single day.
AI can approximate insight, but it cannot attune to energy, emotion, or intuition. It doesn’t bring breath, resonance, or deep presence. It doesn’t know how to hold a sacred silence that allows the client’s truth to surface.
And let’s not forget: AI only knows what it has been taught. That means it mirrors human intelligence and human error.
If you’ve used AI recently, you’ve probably seen this for yourself. Ever written to customer support and received a response that:
- didn’t hear or see you,
- didn’t actually answer your question, or
- felt impersonal or even insulting?
It happens all the time.
That’s what happens when AI replaces human connection — the human touch is lost.
So for now, I’m not afraid AI will replace me as a coach. Because I’m not offering formulas or clever shortcuts. I’m offering presence. Partnership. Transformation that arises not from scripted questions, but from courageous space holding.
And if you’re a coach wondering whether you’re still needed in this shifting world, here’s what I want you to remember:
You’re not being replaced. You’re being called forward.
As the world shifts, as tech speeds up, as people feel more disconnected from themselves and each other, the longing for real presence, meaning, and transformation only deepens.
The work we do — the deep, quiet, human work of coaching — is more essential than ever.
