Artificial intelligence is transforming the world of learning, but can it really teach confidence, courage, or connection?
I created an avatar of myself as an experiment. Could I use it instead of me in my online course? It would save huge amounts of time, money, and energy (more on why I considered that route in next week’s article: What I Learned from Creating an Online Course).
Although my avatar said exactly what I said, and even looked and sounded like me (with a slightly Australian accent that made me question whether I sound like that!) – it wasn’t as engaging. It lacked something essential: presence.
So, while AI is smart, efficient, and scalable, it didn’t feel right for what I was teaching: human connection, human confidence, the human touch.
That’s when I knew: My course needed a human. But avatars could still play a valuable role.
Inside The Confidence Breakthrough Online Programme, I use avatars to bring fictional workplace characters to life. They act out challenging situations, show how thoughts and emotions drive behaviour, and let learners practise skills safely and engagingly.
But I also knew that, while AI can support the learning process, it can’t replace the learning moment.
The Magic in Human Moments
Real transformation doesn’t happen when someone understands a concept; it happens when they feel it.
When a participant goes quiet after realising their fear of speaking up has held them back for years. When someone finally says, “I don’t need to be perfect – I just need to be me.” When laughter, empathy, or shared vulnerability breaks the tension in a room.
Those are the moments that change people, and no algorithm can simulate that heartbeat-level connection.
What AI Can Do Well
AI can absolutely enhance learning. It can:
- Model scenarios safely and consistently.
- Reduce costs so development becomes more accessible.
That’s why I use avatars within The Confidence Breakthrough – they help learners see the impact of thoughts, feelings, and behaviours in action.
But when it comes to deep inner work – rewiring self-doubt, building courage, and developing emotional intelligence – that requires something AI can’t replicate: human intuition and empathy.
The Evidence in the Results
After one of my recent face-to-face programmes, I received this message:
“I actually feel like a new person, and I’m sure it’s down to your skill of finding the key. I was having a difficult time at work and almost didn’t come. By the end of the second day, it felt like a switch had been flicked – the heavy feelings gone. It’s hard to describe, but it feels profound and powerful; like you’ve given me access to something that’s been blocked for a very long time.”
John H.
Another participant wrote:
“The course has helped me deal with my inhibitions and limitations – not only to become more confident as a professional but also as a better individual. It’s changed the way I think, parent, and solve problems, in a simple, practical way.”
I’ve yet to meet an avatar – however advanced – that can create that.
Where AI and Humans Belong
AI is brilliant at simulation, structure, and scale. Humans excel at connection, compassion, and change. The future of learning isn’t one or the other – it’s both.
AI can show us how behaviour looks. But only humans can help someone understand why they behave that way and what it means for them.
The Takeaway
Confidence, courage, and communication aren’t just skills, they’re deeply human experiences.
Technology can guide the journey, but only humans can walk it with you.
That’s why The Confidence Breakthrough blends both: intelligent design and irreplaceable humanity. Because growth might start online, but it becomes real in human connection.
👇 Over to you:
Where do you think AI genuinely helps in learning and development, and where must humans stay centre stage?