#35 Coaching in the Age of AI: Research, Ethics & Curiosity with Fran Bruning

This conversation offers the nuanced, research-backed perspective coaches need to make informed decisions about AI — without the hype or fear-mongering. Fran's academic research combined with practical experience gives you the foundation to integrate AI thoughtfully while maintaining your coaching integrity.

Join the conversation and comment:

• What's your biggest question about AI in coaching?
• How are you currently navigating technology decisions in your practice?

FREE LIVE EVENT: Master AI in Coaching: Evolve while keeping your integrity with Fran Bruning

What role can AI play in supporting a thriving coaching practice — and how do you integrate it in a way that enriches the coaching experience for you and your clients?

Join us on 📅 Monday, July 21st | 5-6:30 PM CEST (60 minutes)

This isn't another AI hype session. Fran's research-grounded approach will help you explore what's real, what's risky, and what's possible with AI in coaching — so you can make informed decisions that align with your values.

[REGISTER HERE - 60 Minutes That Could Transform Your Practice]

About todays conversation

What happens when a researcher sets out to study AI coach bots expecting to find security concerns, but discovers something completely different?

Fran Bruning's master's research revealed a surprising truth: the biggest concern wasn't safety or privacy, it was the irreplaceable value of human connection in coaching. In todays conversation, Fran shares what she learned from interviewing coaches about AI, why perfect questions aren't always what clients need, and how the coaching industry might evolve alongside artificial intelligence.

This episode covers:

• The critical difference between AI tools vs. AI coach bots that actually do the coaching
• Why AI can follow the GROW model perfectly but still miss the client completely
• The "anthropomorphic danger" - why humans naturally empathize with machines
• Real stories from coaches: job opportunities vs. contract cancellations due to AI
• The power of silence and spaciousness that no algorithm can replicate
• Practical guidance for making ethical AI decisions in your practice

Key Insights:

[02:10] The Research Reality: Fran's discovery that technology capabilities are developing faster than her research could capture

[08:12] Perfect vs. Human: Why AI can ask perfect questions and follow coaching models flawlessly, but miss what clients actually need

[11:27] The Silence Factor: How AI coach bots can't handle the powerful tool of silence that human coaches use intuitively

[14:11] The Labyrinth Metaphor: Why coaching often requires twists, turns, and "wrong" paths that lead to unexpected discoveries

[21:25] Personal Choice Spectrum: How coaches' values around intellectual property and privacy influence their AI decisions

[26:54] Potential Harms: Inaccuracies, security risks, and the underaddressed anthropomorphic dangers

[31:13] Values-First Framework: Fran's guidance for making AI decisions based on your personal coaching values and ethics

[40:39] The Human Vision: Fran's hope for preserving authenticity, imperfection, and intuition in a tech-enhanced world

About Fran Buning:

Fran is a professional coach who recently completed her MBA in Coaching, Mentoring, and Leadership from the University of York St. John in the UK. Her dissertation focused on the impact AI coach bots are expected to have on the coaching industry and professional coaches, and her research has been published in the academic Journal of Work-Applied Management.

With over 30 years of experience in diverse international environments and five years as an independent professional coach, Fran brings both academic rigor and practical insight to AI conversations. She's holds extensive qualifications including Executive Coaching, Professional Coaching Mastery, Group & Team Coaching, and Agile Systems Coaching certifications.

Her deep understanding of information technology combined with comprehensive research and practical experience qualify her to offer insights into the future of coaching and AI integration.

Connect with Fran:

• Event Registration: https://christibyerly.simplero.com/events/e/WQ16vsLhQ2LpRapp
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fran-bruning/

Continue the Discussion:

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