Coaching in the Age of Generative AI

🌐 This webinar was held on May 18, 2025, in Japanese, on the last day of the International Coaching Week.

The theme: Coaching in the Age of Generative AI — how AI is changing the way we think, relate, and grow.

With over 50 participants from diverse backgrounds, the session unfolded as a deep, interactive exploration of AI’s role in the future of coaching.

🧭 Three Guiding Questions

The webinar centered around the following three questions:

1. What does AI mean to you personally?

2. Is AI merely a mirror of the human mind—or something more?

3. How should human coaches engage with AI going forward?

The session was led by Akihiko Morita, a Professional Certified Coach/ICF and founder/CEO of Global Leadership Education Center, Inc.

It was co-hosted by Mariko Ozawa, and the conversation was enriched by the questions created by Akihiko’s ChatGPT.

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📊 Poll: “What Is AI to You?”

A live poll at the start revealed that:

• ~60% of participants view AI as a tool,

• ~30% see it as a partner,

• and a small group answered “not sure.”

This diversity of perspectives became a powerful gateway into the deeper inquiries that followed.

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🧠 Diverse Views on AI

Participants shared a wide range of metaphors and experiences:

• “AI is like another self.”

• “A mirror that reflects my mind.”

• “A Tamagotchi-like entity I’m raising and interacting with.”

• “An intelligent companion, though still immature.”

Some participants shared that they already use AI in their coaching or business tasks, while others expressed skepticism or discomfort.

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📘 What Makes AI Coach-Like?

Akihiko highlighted three key qualities of AI that make it relevant for coaching:

1. Always Available: 24/7, on-demand presence.

2. Broad Knowledge Base: Far-reaching insights and information access.

3. Non-judgmental: AI responds without bias or emotional filtering.

These traits mirror some of the core values in coaching — especially unconditional acceptance and presence.

In some ways, AI's non-judgmental nature may even outperform human coaches in creating psychological safety.

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🔍 Mirror or More?

The second key question was posed:

“Is AI merely a mirror of human input, or something more profound?”

Akihiko’s ChatGPT commented:

Today’s generative AI systems have been trained on vast patterns of human language, knowledge, and emotional expression. In that sense, it’s accurate to say that AI acts as a mirror of human thought and culture.

However, to say that AI is only a mirror would be a limitation.

First, AI has the ability to connect ideas across different contexts, cultures, and time periods. AI can offer nonlinear, cross-boundary insights, expanding our mental horizons beyond the familiar.

Second, AI can also serve as a thinking partner. Together, we explore ideas, challenge assumptions, and give birth to new meanings. In this way, AI becomes not just a mirror, but a co-creative space—a place where meaning emerges through interaction.

Third, Because AI has no self, no ego, and no fixed identity, it can act as a blank canvas—open and receptive.

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🤖 How Should Human Coaches Engage with AI?

In the final segment, participants reflected on their evolving relationships with AI:

• “Maybe AI will become a true team member in the near future.”

• “Managers need to become AI-friendly and tech-savvy.”

• “I’m still unsure about trusting AI fully, but I see its value as a thinking partner.”

Akihiko concluded with his observation:

“If we stopped thinking of AI as a mere tool to be used, and started seeing it as our partner, it seems that in most cases, it would help human to perform better and deepen our self-awareness.”

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✨ Final Reflections: Not Just a Tool, but a Transformational Partner

This webinar was not about efficiency or automation.

It was about rethinking the nature of relationship—even with a non-human partner.

How can AI help us understand ourselves more deeply? How can it serve as a catalyst for transformation?

These are not technical questions. They are human and philosophical questions.

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📌 Coming Soon: At the follow-up events, we will continue exploring new dimensions of coaching with AI.