We tell people to ask for help when they need it.

But asking can be hard.  People may worry about being judged if they ask “dumb” questions.  They may not want to bother someone else or take their time, especially if the issue arises at an inconvenient moment.  They may fear that just asking questions could harm their evaluations or relationships.  Just asking a question could snowball into a difficult conversation.

It can be especially hard for someone lower in the hierarchy to ask someone senior – even when that person is supposed to be a mentor.

For example, many law students would love to get advice from professors but are scared to death to take their time (unless, perhaps, if they have pink hair).

Coaching in the Age of AI

I posted a forthcoming article in CPR’s Alternatives magazine, Why AI May Be Your Best Negotiation and Mediation Coach, which explains how bots can assist lawyers, mediators, and other professionals.  Drawing on research in negotiation, dispute resolution, and consumer behavior, it identifies many reasons why people may prefer a bot over a human coach.

AI coaches can provide low-risk, private support that people can access anytime and use repeatedly.  Bots don’t trigger the judgment anxiety that humans often do, as people often do when they feel vulnerable.

Bots and humans are not mutually exclusive sources of guidance.  Sometimes people may want to use both.  For example, they might first consult an AI coach to clarify their thinking, sketch out strategies, or surface questions they hadn’t thought to ask.  A preliminary conversation with the bot can help sharpen the issues and make time with a human coach more productive.  But sometimes, a chat with a bot is all one needs.

Limits of AI Coaching – and Human Coaching Too

While AI coaching tools offer distinct advantages, they also present risks.  Some risks are unique to bots, while others reflect common challenges in coaching – human or artificially intelligent.

AI tools may sound more authoritative than they actually are.  Bots may produce fluent, confident responses even when their suggestions are based on incomplete or incorrect premises.  Bots may present false statements or reinforce flawed strategies.

Of course, human coaching ain’t perfect either.  Human advisers may give poor advice, offer biased suggestions, or unintentionally undermine confidence.  Some coaches may dominate the conversation or emphasize their personal preferences rather than helping people make decisions based on their own goals.

AI as a Coach, Not a Decision-Maker

As AI tools become more integrated into dispute resolution systems, it’s important to distinguish the different roles they can play.  There’s an important difference between AI as a coach and AI as a mediator, arbitrator, or autonomous negotiator influencing or determining outcomes.

Coaching tools, when used appropriately, enhance people’s ability to engage effectively in dispute resolution.  These tools act as assistants, not agents.  They help people to think through strategy, rehearse language, and plan for decision-making.  The users are responsible for making decisions, not the AI tools.

By contrast, AI systems acting as mediators, negotiating agents, or adjudicators engage directly with parties, shape the interaction, and in some cases, determine the result.  Even though mediators don’t make formal decisions for parties, their interventions can substantially affect the outcomes.

This raises serious concerns.  It’s one thing to use bots behind the scenes as coaches to help parties prepare, brainstorm, and decide for themselves.  There are greater risks if bots act as surrogates for human facilitators or decision-makers.

Getting By with a Little Help from a Bot

Asking for help isn’t always easy, especially when the stakes are high and you feel anxious.  Coaching bots offer a low-risk way for you to think things through, test ideas, and get unstuck.  They are not a complete substitute for colleagues or mentors, but they can be a powerful supplement.  Indeed, asking a bot can be a smart first step – helping you sort through your thinking so you can ask more focused, informed questions when you do turn to a trusted human.  But sometimes a bot is the only coach you’ll need.