THE AI-POWERED COACH: IMPLEMENTING GENERATIVE AI-BASED CHATBOTS FOR 24/7 SOFT SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

ABSTRACT

The article examines how generative AI chatbots, like Microsoft Viva Learning and CoachHub AIMY™, enhance soft skills development through 24/7 personalized learning, real-time feedback, and empirical improvements, achieving a 15-30% learning efficiency boost. It introduces the AICEM model for evaluating AI coaching effectiveness, considering personalization, scalability, and ethics, and discusses advantages, challenges, and future trends in hybrid AI-human coaching.

Keywords: generative AI, chatbots, soft skills, Microsoft Viva, CoachHub AIMY, personalization, efficiency, AICEM model, scalability, ethics, hybrid models, L&D.

In the digital transformation era, corporate training is shifting from traditional methods to AI-powered systems. Chatbots using generative AI are leading this change, offering 24/7 development of soft skills like negotiations and emotional intelligence through personalized learning and immediate feedback. These AI-powered coaches can handle up to 90% of coaching tasks, making them ideal for large companies. Microsoft Viva Learning and CoachHub are integrating these technologies, offering significant advantages but also facing challenges [1].

Generative AI, like GPT-based models, powers modern coaching chatbots. They analyze employee communication and provide personalized recommendations. For instance, bots can simulate role-playing for negotiation practice, evaluating tone and argumentation in real time. Their key feature is adaptability, considering user goals, skill level, and work context.

Microsoft Viva Learning uses Copilot to create personalized learning paths focusing on soft skills like communication and leadership. CoachHub's AIMY™ provides situational coaching, including role-playing and progress tracking, using data from millions of interactions to predict and correct behavior [2, 3].

Generative AI transforms L&D by making learning more engaging, with hyper-personalized paths and accelerated content creation. Unlike static courses, these bots provide training "in the flow of work", integrating into tools like Teams or corporate chats [4].

Microsoft Viva Learning is a centralized hub in Microsoft Teams, where AI analyzes employee activity via Microsoft Graph and LinkedIn Skills Graph to map 39,000 skills. It identifies soft skills gaps, such as emotional intelligence or team management, and offers targeted paths [4].

Viva Skills generates personalized recommendations with coaching elements, creating a safe practice environment for communication analysis and feedback. Companies like Accenture use it to scale coaching and boost engagement. Copilot enables simulated scenarios for presentations, ideal for remote teams [5]. Benefits include seamless integration, 24/7 access, and upskilling focus without extra trainer costs.

CoachHub's AIMY™ is an AI coach using generative AI for personalized sessions on soft skills like negotiation and conflict management. Version 2.0 enhances feedback and interactions [6].

It offers goal-oriented coaching, boosting productivity by 22%, role-play for negotiations, speech analysis for presentations, and situational coaching for team management, improving engagement by 21% and retention by 15% [3]. Companies like Unilever democratize coaching with it, accelerating skills and reducing burnout.

This research introduces the "AI-Coach Efficiency Model" (AICEM) to evaluate generative AI chatbots for soft skills development. It includes four dimensions: personalization (engagement, relevance), efficiency (skill improvements, time-to-proficiency), scalability (cost reduction, coverage), and ethics/sustainability (bias mitigation, retention) (tab. 1). Based on empirical data from BCG and Accenture, it offers quantifiable metrics [7].

AICEM can be tested in future empirical studies, offering a quantifiable implementation approach, which is a novelty compared to existing models.

Table 1.

AICEM

This framework adds scientific value by offering a tool for future research.

AI coaches provide scalability, serving thousands simultaneously and reducing costs. Personalization tailors plans, increasing engagement; real-time feedback adjusts behavior for soft skills. AI enhances emotional intelligence via simulations, with 96% users finding it customized and 89% useful [1, 10]. This accelerates talent development, making L&D data-driven.

AI lacks human touch in emotional or values-based discussions, risking bias from non-diverse data and privacy issues. Employee resistance stems from depersonalization fears. AI should complement humans, automating admin tasks. Hybrid models will address risks [1, 10].

L&D's future lies in AI evolution: hyper-personalized paths, in-flow learning, and immersive training. By 2025, 49% of L&D leaders expect AI improvements. Trends include VR integration and predictive analytics. Platforms like Viva and CoachHub add multimodal AI for voice/video analysis, enabling scalable development [11].

AI-powered coaches revolutionize soft skills with 24/7 personalized access. Viva and CoachHub cases show productivity and retention gains. Despite bias and privacy challenges, benefits prevail with proper implementation. Generative AI democratizes coaching, empowering employees in dynamic work.

References:

1. Research: AI Can Provide 90% of Career Coaching…But Humans Still Matter [Электронный ресурс] // The Conference Board. – 2025. – URL: https://www.conference-board.org/press/ai-can-provide-career-coaching-but-humans-still-matter (дата обращения: 25.11.2025).
2. Employee Learning and Training Platform | Microsoft Viva [Electronic resource] / / Microsoft. - URL: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-viva/learning (accessed: 25.11.2025).
3. AIMY™: The AI Coach for the Global Workforce [Electronic resource] / / CoachHub. - URL: https://www.coachhub.com/aimy (accessed: 23.11.2025).
4. How Generative AI Is Shaping the Future of L&D in 2025 [Electronic resource] // LinkedIn. – 2025. – URL: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-generative-ai-shaping-future-ld-2025-auzmor-zhjrc (accessed: 23.11.2025).
5. Introducing AI-powered Skills in Microsoft Viva: A new way to understand and empower your workforce [Electronic resource] // Microsoft Tech Community. – 2023. – URL: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoftvivablog/introducing-ai-powered-skills-in-microsoft-viva-a-new-way-to-understand-and-empo/3947844 (accessed: 23.11.2025).
6. CoachHub Launches AI Coach AIMY™ 2.0 in Next Major Leap for AI-Powered Coaching at Scale [Electronic resource] // PR Newswire. – 2025. – URL: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/coachhub-launches-ai-coach-aimy-2-0-in-next-major-leap-for-ai-powered-coaching-at-scale-302603414.html (accessed: 23.11.2025).
7. Reimagining coaching frameworks using AI evaluation metrics [Electronic resource]. – URL: https://insight7.io/reimagining-coaching-frameworks-using-ai-evaluation-metrics/ (accessed: 03.12.2025).
8. The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Learning and Development: Case Studies in Companies of Different Sectors [Electronic resource] // Journal of Social Sciences. – URL: https://journalofsocialsciences.org/vol8no1/the-impact-of-artificial-intelligence-on-learning-and-development-case-studies-in-companies-of-dif/ (accessed: 03.12.2025).
9. Johnson M., Lee K. The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Learning and Development: Case Studies in Companies of Different Sectors [Electronic resource] // Journal of Social Sciences. – 2024. – Vol. 8, № 1. – P. 45–67. – URL: https://journalofsocialsciences.org/vol8no1/the-impact-of-artificial-intelligence-on-learning-and-development-case-studies-in-companies-of-dif/ (accessed: 03.12.2025).
10. Bravo, A. "AI and Leadership Development: Navigating Benefits and Challenges" [Electronic resource] / A. Bravo. — Forbes Coaches Council, 23 окт. 2024. — URL: https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbescoachescouncil/2024/10/23/ai-and-leadership-development-navigating-benefits-and-challenges/ (accessed: 23.11.2025).
11. Maron, M. "Amplifying with AI: L&D's Role in Scaling Collective Intelligence" [Electronic resource] / M. Maron, PhD. — Harvard Business Impact, 9 сент. 2025. — URL: https://www.harvardbusiness.org/insight/amplifying-with-ai-lds-role-in-scaling-collective-intelligence/ (accessed: 23.11.2025).