Why Human Conversations vs. AI Chatbots?

AI Chatbots are already decreasing the demand for mental health services as they are reducing the demand for many other services that used to provide employment for humans. As of 2026 this trend towards displacing human services is still expected to rapidly accelerate. Chances are better than average that you too have used AI as a much cheaper (and always available) resource for coaching advice, medical advice and/or other services. AI chatbots typically provide superb assistance. This begs the question of "Why should you consider having mental health or social issues conversations with actual humans at all"?
   
We feel obligated to first remind you that our individual and group conversations are FREE, so cost is not necessarily a valid obstacle to having these kinds of conversations with other humans. So, what is gained from choosing human conversations over (or supplementally to) AI chatbot conversations?
   
The only accurate answer to that is "the answer depends on your own life experiences and how your mind thinks".
   
Possible Answer 1
Chatbots will provide you an answer to specific questions. But because of the way AI works, that answer will, in the most emotionally-satisfying case, be the one that is aligned with the way you already think. Other humans, on the other hand, will expose you to a range of thoughts and opinions that reflect the inevitable and healthy diversity of different humans with different life experiences, priorities and thought processes. 
   
If you have enough life experience behind you, then you already have experienced changing your opinions based on lessons learned from others. You already know that as much as you believe what you already believe, new information CAN periodically change how you think about important matters in ways that make your life feel like you've progressed or evolved in some way. 
   
You hopefully already intuit that, if you can remain intellectually open-enough, you will surely continue to experience these kinds of opinion changes even though there is no way for you to predict when and how these growth opportunities will arise… nor in what subject areas.
   
That kind of transformative evolution in life is less likely to happen using a Chatbot.
   
Possible Answer 2
The computerization of our lives has created an epidemic of loneliness and isolation that you almost certainly experience yourself at some level (spending too much time staring at your phone rather than drinking in the smiles and laughter from friends and loved ones). And if that's not the case, you surely have heard of this epidemic and/or know people effected by it.
   
Meeting with people is the only way to feel the biochemical and neurological impulses that our bodies are evolved to feel and actually need to feel emotionally and socially healthy.
   
Of course, live human conversations can backfire if conversations spin out of control into finger-pointing, accusations or judgmental body-language.
   
Laurie and I are trained as life coaches and have over 100 years of life experiences between us. That combination helps give us the tools we need to keep conversations feeling positive and constructive to everyone in a room regardless of how diverse the viewpoints are.

Like you, we have our own current, favored opinions on subjects. But we also are both viscerally and sincerely understanding of any viewpoints that are shared in service of honest, personal growth and expansion. We host all conversations with these explicit goals:

1. Provide "seed" information and/or questions that are topic-relevant and are designed not to convince but rather to provide conversational catalysts for all attendees regardless of their current beliefs.

2. Gently but firmly (if necessary) guide individuals away from "selling their own current beliefs" and towards "trying to genuinely listen to and understand" alternate beliefs that offer the possibility of actual personal growth rather than mere confirmation of one's current beliefs.

        
To the extent that all people remain intellectually open and thirsty, even otherwise "serious topics" can rekindle a child-like fascination with how complex issues that elude obvious "correct answers" are the vary magic by which human respect, love, and connection are built in our lives despite the inevitable diversity of our culture-bound experiences and beliefs.
   
Please consider inviting us to:

1. Have important conversations with you.

2. Have important conversations with some group you are a part of.