118. Why AI Makes Financial Coaches More Essential, Not Obsolete

The Financial Coach Academy® Podcast

There's something happening in the financial coaching world that's got a lot of us feeling uneasy. Maybe you've heard the whispers, or maybe you've been losing sleep over it yourself.
AI is coming for our jobs, they say. Clients can just ask ChatGPT for financial advice now. Why would they need us?
I've been watching this conversation unfold in coaching groups and on Reddit, and I've got to tell you—the fear is real, but it's also missing the point entirely. Because here's what I've learned from working with coaches who are already experimenting with AI, and from my own experience using these tools: the question isn't whether AI will replace us. It's how we're going to use it to become even better at what we already do.
Think about the last time a client came to you. Did they need someone to crunch numbers? Or did they need someone who could see the hesitation in their voice when they talked about starting that business? Someone who noticed their body language shift when debt came up? Someone who understood that their financial decisions weren't really about money at all, but about the stories they've been telling themselves for years?
That's the thing about transformation. It's messy in a way that AI simply can't navigate. And transformation is what we're really in the business of, isn't it?
I've had clients try AI tools for financial guidance, only to come back because they missed something they couldn't quite name. They missed the relationship. They missed being truly seen and understood. And they missed having someone who cared about their success in a way that went beyond just giving them the right answer.
And while AI can't replace what we do, it can absolutely make us better at doing it. I've been experimenting with ways to use AI as my behind-the-scenes assistant, handling some administrative stuff that drains my energy so I can focus on the human work that only I can do. And the results have been pretty remarkable.
This week, I’m sharing more about this timely topic and why AI isn’t going to replace you. Instead, I want you to understand exactly what makes you irreplaceable so you can use technology to lean into those strengths even more.
Links & Resources:

• Ultimate Growth Guide
• Join the Facebook group

Key Takeaways:

• AI can analyze numbers, but it can't feel the pit in your stomach from buyer's remorse or recognize the fear behind someone's excitement about starting a business. THIS is what makes you irreplaceable.
• Use AI to handle the mechanical tasks so you can spend more time on the meaningful work that transforms lives.
• What is rare becomes priceless. As technology advances, human connection becomes increasingly valuable, not less.
• Your clients need more than information. They need someone who notices their body language when discussing money topics and hears the hesitation in their voice.
• Pick one repetitive task that doesn't require your unique expertise and experiment with AI handling it this week.
• Be upfront with clients about how you use AI in your business. This builds trust and shows them where technology ends and your human expertise begins.
• Double down on your humanity. The coaches thriving with AI aren't replacing their human touch. Rather, they're using technology to create more space for deeper, more personal client interactions.