I have a fascination with all things new. So when AI tools like ChatGPT, CopyAI, Bard, and others started appearing, I watched and played. Because of this fascination, I often get asked about this technology and how it could affect what we, as coaches do.
Some thoughts ….
As a marketeer also, I am plugged into some of the marketing communities, and this is interesting.
In a recent Gartner report looking at how information is being used in an organisation, 27% of employees (n=988) felt at least overloaded by the amount of information, with 33% reacting adversely to the number of information sources. This is having a direct impact on staff retention – only 6% of those that expressed overload had the desire to stay in their current role.
Information and content is therefore ubiquitous – it is out there and social promotion sites (like LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook etc) are self fulfilling leading to greater overwhelm and anxiety.
The concept of ChatGPT is challenging. Of course, I use the term ChatGPT as a substitute for Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools. Many online tools are now incorporating different levels of AI into their core offering. Interestingly, some are charging more for that privaledge, but this will be short lived as offerings incorporate AI as standard.
But the challenge – A subject novice can understand a lot about a subject in a relatively short period of time. So what is my take on ChatGPT and other AI on what we do and enjoy? It will give some the opportunity of looking expert in areas they are not – and so the human filter is essential.
Simply put, though – Artificial Intelligence tools like ChatGPT will affect what we do.
Now read on before revolting about Artificial Intelligence doing the job of a coach. I am not saying that (yet).
What I am seeing is that the capability is progressing. Replacing a human coach, who is attuned to the total somatic patterns of a client, who has that rapport physically with a client is difficult for an AI that is within our reach. When we meet a client, and we celebrate and react (I know we shouldn’t, but we do, right) – we are human, and should celebrate this by following our intuition.
Even AI Hallucinates
Where AI could impact us now, is as an adjunct to our thinking and research processes. But even this needs to be taken lightly. It predicts what we need to see based on a question we ask – sometimes getting it, case studies, and references wrong (Google calls this hallucinating). However, it can start off a stuck mind.
Think of the older car that required a starter handle – think of AI as the starter handle at the moment. A starter handle that is one of the ways of starting the car. The way of starting that creativity process or engine.
But with this comes caution.
The AI Algorithm
An AI is running on an algorithm.
This algorithm will not give you an answer to making a bomb, or any socially non-acceptable behaviour. But this means that someone or something has control, and we are trusting the integrity of this interaction to that person with control. This is my fear – we already live in a land of spin and media manipulation hearing what sells where finding a balanced view is somewhat challenging.
So the ethical control of this type of system is sacrosanct.
As an example,
If we consider how we use google search. We type in details of what we are searching for and depending on your settings, you see organic (that is search results that the search alone attracts), and inorganic (the paid or sponsored content) links that Google’s changing algorithm decides you want to see. And they do very well out of this commercialness.
Despite this, the capability of such a system should not be ignored. By entering a simple command such as
“Let us play a game. You play the role of my coach, helping me raise my awareness, and enabling me to explore options to change my behaviour and get better results. You do not know what I am struggling with and sometimes I may not give a clear answer. All consequences are permanent and cannot be reverted. You will act as my coach using clean language to help me overcome the challenge that I am facing, only asking questions to make me think about my challenge, never giving me advice! ”
into the chatGPT command line, we find that the AI can coach us on a simple, task-based activity such as setting goals.
Should we question data security in AI?
Again, there is also a caveat – and this applies to any coaching system or system we put confidential information onto. We need to be sure that the information is being held securely and is backed by GDPR and/or HIPAA if storing confidential and personally identifiable information. Unfortunately, certain history functionality in ChatGPT was taken offline because some of the prompts could be seen by others – so please exercise caution if you do decide to have a play.
Free thinking?
I also have a concern on the impact that this has to free thinking.
If our thinking is being focussed through a generator, we will become reliant on the generator for concepts and ideas. We become sheep hurded by the AI engine because
ultimately we are lazy.
Our minds are built to conserve energy and thinking takes up energy. Whilst new tech can assist, we also need to harbour that that makes us human and seek inspiration from situations around us, from the walks that we take, the friends that we socialise and drink coffee with and with the human connection that sparks creativity
So with any new tool, comes an element of understanding the flip side.
Sure – AI will assist, but lets conserve the AI to doing stuff that allows us to be more human.
To be more releasing and celebrate the fact that right now.
We may be having a momentum shift from being a community where knowledge is power to celebrating that knowledge is now abundant and it is the connections that we create both physically, spiritually, somatically, and inspirationally that is the way ahead.
