Introduction
Although disruptive innovation is not novel, its uniqueness and relevance continue to rise in the contemporary world. It provides young businesses with a chance to realize their potential and secure their spot in the market. In this context, the current research paper elaborates on the possibility of disrupting the market for personal training and coaching with the help of artificial intelligence, providing arguments that support its viability.
Coaching Market
The coaching market is currently in transition due to technological advances. In this context, virtual mentoring refers to the coaching process conducted via digital media (McReynolds et al., 2020). As the trend of working from home constantly grows in popularity, virtual mentoring can address its various adverse effects, such as social isolation and a lack of sense of belonging.
AI Capabilities
The necessary disruptive change can be achieved through a technological solution that drives innovation. In this context, artificial intelligence (AI) is a perfect opportunity. Its ability to gather, process, and generalize substantial data has long been acknowledged in contemporary scientific and business fields (Clutterbuck, 2020). The personal training and coaching market is no exception: training an AI to assume the role of an educator bears excellent potential.
Coaching AI
There are numerous pieces of evidence of the success of AI-powered coaching approaches. For instance, one can use intelligent coaching systems as supplementary mentors(Clutterbuck, 2020). Alternatively, AI can replace human mentors at the basic levels of disciplines (Passmore &Woodward, 2023). However, to revolutionize the market, it is not enough. To achieve market disruption, an AI mentor must be able to personalize and adapt to its learners. It will take time and resources to train it in a particular fashion; however, the cost of subsequent maintenance will be relatively low. Meanwhile, an AI coach that is accessible anytime, anywhere, and that allows for personal coaching preferences can become the necessary breakthrough in the coaching market.
Conclusion
Overall, the advantages AI technology can bring to the coaching market become apparent in the context of learner needs. Given the evidence of its current application in the field, one should slightly alter the direction of innovation in machine learning to achieve the necessary disruptive effect. An AI coach that is more accessible and affordable has all the means to replace human mentors and coaches.
References
Clutterbuck, D. (2020). The challenges of coaching and mentoring in a digitally connected world. In R. Wegener et al. (Eds.), Coaching im digitalen Wandel (pp. 19-29). Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht.
McReynolds, M. R., Termini, C. M., Hinton Jr, A. O., Taylor, B. L., Vue, Z., Huang, S. C., & Carter, C. S. (2020). The art of virtual mentoring in the twenty-first century for STEM majors and beyond. Nature Biotechnology, 38(12), 1477-1482. Web.
Passmore, J., & Woodward, W. (2023). Coaching education: Wake up to the new digital and AI coaching revolution! International Coaching Psychology Review, 18(1), 58-72. Web.
Plummel, M. (2022). The importance of becoming a disruptor in 2023. Forbes. Web.