In a world that is becoming increasingly digital, it is important to clearly understand how industries can interact with the likes of AI to ensure they are not left behind.
Gaining this understanding early on will help avoid scaremongering and allow businesses to use technological advances to their advantage rather than as a threat.
While I appreciate that digitalization is inevitable, I’ve learned that it’s a fine line between using technology to enhance roles and allowing it to destroy people’s basic needs. Previously I have discussed my adoption of the ‘dumbphone’, after being aware of what the reliance on digitalisation can be to blind many important aspects such as empathy and acceptance, then replaced by the desire to compare and boast. Now that I have limits on where and when I allow digital life, I have a clear understanding of how it is appropriate to use technology in the industry and where it can be dangerous.
AI can be used beneficially in counseling, helping people to make the process more efficient. It is incredibly effective at organizing a large amount of information in an abstract amount, which may be useful to match mentoring partners, distinguish those with similar interests and complementary ways of working. In addition, AI can be used to create personalized learning methods that, based on a list of inputs, can determine the appropriate steps, learning styles and appropriate resources for each instructor. This can be a useful guide that a human counselor can fine-tune and help implement, but it should not be relied upon.
While AI is a useful tool, offering many advantages when integrated correctly, it is important to be aware of its limitations and not use it as a shortcut over human-to-human guidance. AI can only generate output using information that already exists. Unlike the human mind, it cannot generate new answers to problems that require unique knowledge. Answers currently generated by AI must already exist, which limits how the answers provided can be modified. Although many situations encountered in training are unlikely to be the same, AI does not consider how individual thoughts and emotions affect the appropriate methods of different people, greatly reducing the effect of what guidance can be given.
People are needed not only to implement the learning process but also to continue to support and monitor. Having a human advisor oversee the process is visually reassuring. While AI can only use the information provided to form a response, humans can read between the lines and interpret the results through other senses such as human habits and overall demeanor.
The aspects associated with human interaction remain important in the supervisory role as their value cannot be replicated by AI. Empathy and other aspects of emotional intelligence are a big part of effective coaching. The relationship built between a mentor and a teacher is of immeasurable value, establishing the foundation for how effective teaching can be. A level of mutual respect and trust is required, with mentors often serving as an example of what a mentor can aspire to be. It’s impossible to build this relationship with a ‘fake’ person – and if so, it’s not healthy.
In conclusion, AI will be used to assist, enhance the guidance experience, not as a replacement for human interaction and associated features. AI is only rational while human situations often require a combination of reasoning and empathy.
It is important to acknowledge, that technological development is unknown, and can only be imagined. It is possible that one day AI powers will convincingly imitate human qualities. However, the relationships necessary between mentor and mentee for effective coaching can only be adequately achieved through human-to-human guidance rather than human-to-machine.
