conversations continue with clients about AI’s impact and amongst coaches, to understand how we move from fear of being replaced by AI, to embracing AI as a resource. How does the coaching profession utilize this technology ethically and practically?

as a student coach in 2025, coming from a marginalized village in Africa where coaching was new to me, my understanding was profoundly shaped through training and ethical supervision which deepened my self-awareness, strengthened my boundaries, and reinforced my commitment to the ICF-Code of Ethics. This journey expanded my worldview and affirmed that ethical, reflective practice is foundational to effective coaching.

The industry of coaching is expanding still and while this is a great thing, one of the issues that may arise from this trend is incompetence.
I have participated in over 10 coaching courses in the last 24 months, and I notice an open-door policy on two fronts; firstly, anyone can make courses given the perception that the learning is academic. Secondly, there is no check on participants that may come to the industry light-minded and sometime ignorant of the values and responsibilities.

competencies, while helpful to start with, become less relevant as we gather experience. Relational skills and collective work begin to matter more. Being able to bring the proper focus, mindset, and attention to match the coachee’s needs at any given moment is essential. Learning is less effective in silos and more transformational in collaboration with peers.

The future of coaching is twofold: growing, globally relevant, and more needed than ever—yet also called to deeper transformation. It must move beyond technique and root in awareness, ethics, presence, and authentic human connection. Coaching should bridge inner and outer change, AI and human wisdom, performance and wholeness, how things work and why they matter. Coaching must cultivate ethical sensitivity as power, identity, and digital boundaries become more complex and challenges of our time.