Technology & AI in Coaching - International Coaching Federation
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Technology & Artificial Intelligence in Coaching

As a market leader in the global advancement of the coaching profession, ICF recognizes the impact that digital coaching platforms and use of artificial intelligence (AI) are bringing to our profession. Coaching is now more recognized, accepted and accessible to individuals and organizations around the world than ever before.

To lead the discussion around these topics and guide the creation of industry standards, ICF has created a variety of groups that are tasked with contributions to specific areas of this ongoing conversation.

Creating Standards

  • Standards for AI Coaching

    The Future is Here

    Artificial Intelligence (AI) coaching has been constructed and is now in early deployment phases. With the advent of AI in our industry, coaching will become more accessible and lead to growth in coaching’s impact on society. With the likelihood that this technology will be used in conjunction with human-to-human coaching, it is increasingly important to guide coaches in finding ways to leverage its value to their practice.

    Therefore, The International Coaching Federation (ICF) has collaborated with a group of experienced coaches and AI coaching developers to form the Artificial Intelligence Coaching Standards Work Group. This group has developed AI Coaching Standards for a broad set of audiences:

    • Coaches who want to use technology responsibly.
    • Coaching clients.
    • Organizations purchasing coaching.
    • Coaching supervisors.
    • Software developers.
    • Coach training organizations.
    • Broader public.

    The draft of these standards is available for review and comment until August 1 at 8 a.m. (New York). The link to provide your comments can be found within the document linked below. Or, read the drafted AI Coaching Standards now.

    A link is also provided below to download a self-scoring spreadsheet to assist you in evaluating your progress toward meeting these standards. This tools enables you to easily measure and plan your progress toward meeting all of the standards elements.

    Meet the AI Coaching Standards Work Group

  • Coaching Platform Standards for Sponsoring Organizations

    Online coaching platforms offer “one-stop-shopping” for organizations and reduce their administrative workload. Simultaneously, these platforms also provide high-quality coaching for their employees.

    ICF has drafted Coaching Platform Standards and is seeking comments from stakeholders in the coaching profession. The ideal stakeholder will be a “sponsoring organization” (purchaser) of a coaching platform. Feedback from this group will serve to clarify and possibly simplify and streamline the proposed standards for coaches, clients, and developers.

    The draft of these standards is available for review and comment until August 1 at 8 a.m. (New York). The link to provide your comments can be found within the document linked below. Or, read the drafted Coaching Platform Standards for Sponsoring Organizations now.

    Meet the Coalition: ICF Coaching Platform Standards Development Group

    • Gage Ammons (International Coaching Federation)
    • Nonna Babitzin (Coaching WRX)
    • Charlotte Saulny (Coaching.com)
    • Joel DiGirolamo (International Coaching Federation)
    • Kevin Gagan (Korn Ferry)
    • Fatima Hunnain (uExcelerate)
    • Pam Krulitz (Optify)
    • Jeff Nally (CoachSource)
    • Jonathan Passmore (EZRA Coaching)
    • Boris Prigmore
    • Elias Scultori
    • lyad Uakoub (Sounding Board)
    • Shonna Waters (formerly with BetterUp)
    • Ashley Yousufzai (formerly with BetterUp)

Adopting AI in Coaching

With these innovations, coaches, clients and organizations should be able to trust in the way coaching platforms operate and have confidence in the products they offer. To ensure this, ICF formed a coalition with leading global coaching platform providers to create operating standards and ethics that can guide coaches and clients alike, while making their choices in selecting their coaching partner.

In addition to the extensive research completed in this area, ICF has now also formed a task force to further understand how AI is being used in the marketplace and create guidelines for its future use.

ICF has formed a task force that is specifically focused on the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) in coaching. Through the collaboration of subject matter experts, thought leaders, ICF staff, and board directors, this task force seeks the following outcomes:

  1. Learn from the Experts.
    • Create resources and learning materials about AI in coaching, including the definition and components of AI, and an outline of how this technology is and is not being used in the coaching industry.
  2. Engage Enterprise Users.
    • Define how and why organizations are using AI-driven technology when providing coaching and development to their employees.
  3. Hear from Coaches.
    • Understand the experience of AI in coaching from the perspective of the coach.
  4. Draft Guidelines.
    • Draft guidelines about the use of AI in coaching.
  • Meet the Task Force

    • Anna Gallotti, MCC (France, USA)
      Co-Chair

    • Woody Woodward, PCC, PhD (USA)
      Co-Chair

    • Alex Haitoglou (United Kingdom)
    • Tim Harrison, ACC (United States)
    • Rebecca Rutschmann, PCC (Germany)
    • Moritz Sudhof (United States)
    • Nicky Terblanche, PhD (South Africa)
    • Alexander Tuzhilin, PhD (United States)

Resources for AI & Coaching

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