Trust in AI coaching
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Trust in AI Coaching: User Perceptions and Trust Calibration
Research shows that trust in AI coaching is influenced by how users interact with AI systems and the support they receive. For example, prompt coaching—where users are guided to provide more detailed instructions—can help users engage more deeply with AI tools and calibrate their trust more accurately. Users who receive prompt coaching tend to specify more details and experience higher cognitive engagement, which is linked to better trust calibration. However, while prompt coaching improves trust calibration, it does not necessarily enhance overall user experience, and many users still express a need for more assistance to feel comfortable with AI coaching tools .
Competence, Transparency, and the Risk of Misplaced Trust in AI Coaches
Trust in AI coaching is not solely determined by the actual competence or fairness of the AI. Studies have found that users can be deceived by untrustworthy AI systems that exaggerate their competence, especially when these systems appear transparent. Users often struggle to accurately assess the true abilities of AI coaches, sometimes placing trust in less competent or unfair systems simply because they seem more confident or transparent. This highlights the need for better design strategies to help users evaluate the trustworthiness of AI coaches and avoid misplaced trust .
Effectiveness and Acceptance of AI Coaching Compared to Human Coaching
Systematic reviews and comparative studies indicate that AI coaching can be effective, accepted, and even match human coaches in competence for specific tasks, such as goal attainment and supporting reflection processes. In controlled trials, AI coaches have been shown to help clients reach their goals as effectively as human coaches. However, AI coaching is currently most effective for narrow, well-defined tasks and lacks the empathy and individualized feedback that human coaches provide. As a result, AI coaching is best seen as a complementary tool rather than a replacement for human coaching, especially for deep, long-term, or highly personalized coaching needs Passmore2025Terblanche2022Plotkina2024.
Ethical Considerations and Professional Attitudes Toward AI Coaching
The integration of AI in coaching raises ethical concerns and can evoke feelings of threat among professional human coaches. Many coaches experience heightened anxiety and a more negative attitude toward AI coaching, fearing that AI could surpass human performance or threaten their professional roles. To address these concerns, researchers recommend a hybrid approach that combines responsible AI with ethically skilled and professionally trained human coaches, ensuring that AI tools are used to enhance rather than replace human expertise .
User Engagement, Accessibility, and the Future of Trustworthy AI Coaching
AI coaching offers significant benefits in terms of accessibility, affordability, and scalability, making coaching available to a broader population. However, the effectiveness and trustworthiness of AI coaches depend on thoughtful design, including clear communication, transparency about capabilities, and support for user engagement. Hybrid models that combine AI and human coaching have been shown to outperform either approach alone, leveraging the strengths of both data-driven AI and the interpersonal skills of human coaches Graßmann2020Luo2020Terblanche2024.
Conclusion
Trust in AI coaching is shaped by user engagement, the perceived competence and transparency of the AI, and the ethical integration of AI into coaching practices. While AI coaches can be effective and accepted for specific tasks, users may struggle to accurately assess their trustworthiness, and human coaches remain essential for complex, personalized coaching. The future of trustworthy AI coaching lies in hybrid models and responsible design that support both user trust and professional standards Chen2024Banovic2023Passmore2025+6 MORE.
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