The question is not only whether chatbots can perform certain coaching tasks, but whether they can replace the human essence of the therapeutic and coaching relationship.
In their in-depth article, Passmore and Tee (2023) explore the professional and ethical dilemmas posed by chatbot technology for the world of coaching. The authors describe how coaches are concerned about the impact of AI technologies on their ability to provide empathy, deep listening, and personal connection – all critical components of effective coaching. At the same time, the article highlights that coachees themselves wonder whether a computerized system can offer accurate and relevant responses with the same level of trust as a human coach.
The research highlights an interesting finding – users tend to attribute human characteristics to chatbots, especially when their language style mimics natural conversation. However, as the authors point out, users’ level of trust depends greatly on the quality of the responses they receive.
At the same time, this trend of relying on digital advice is expanding even into very personal areas. A fascinating article published in Cosmopolitan UK (Williams, 2024) describes a growing phenomenon of men turning to chatbots for advice on dating and relationships. The article illustrates how many men prefer the “neutral and direct” advice of artificial intelligence over consulting friends or human experts, and describes how digital advice is influencing their behavior in relationships.
Recent data published by research firm Appfigures (Silberling, 2025) reinforces this picture and reveals a particularly interesting finding – 84.5% of mobile chatbot users (such as ChatGPT) are male. The report notes that women tend to be more skeptical of AI technology and are more reluctant to use it, which may explain the significant gender gap. Additionally, the report states that more than half of chatbot users are under the age of 25, raising questions about the impact of digital tools on the development of social and emotional skills among younger generations.
These phenomena raise serious concerns about the development of technological dependency, where people may prefer the convenience and availability of digital responses over dealing with the complexity of human interaction. Could repeatedly turning to AI for daily decision-making harm our ability to rely on our own intuition and judgment? Might we develop an addiction to digital advice that impairs the growth of real social and emotional skills?
The Research Committee of the Coaches Bureau is examining and studying these issues and sees the need for further research and exploration of the topic. We invite the professional community to share articles, insights, and additional research on the impact of artificial intelligence on coaching and counseling processes—especially regarding the potential for addiction to these tools.
Please send your thoughts and relevant article suggestions. We would be happy to expand the discussion and deepen the shared knowledge on this important subject.
Preference is to include the Bureau’s email, but if no suitable address is available, you may use: lilah.shema@mail.huji.ac.il
Sources:
Passmore, J., & Tee, D. (2023). Can Chatbots Like GPT-4 Replace Human Coaches: Issues and Dilemmas for the Coaching Profession, Coaching Clients and for Organisations. The Coaching Psychologist, 19(1), 47-54.
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Silberling, A. (2025, January 29). ChatGPT’s mobile users are 85% male, report says. TechCrunch.
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Williams, E. (2024). Why Are Men Asking ChatGPT For Dating Advice? Cosmopolitan UK.
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