The Rise of AI and Ultra-Processed Information
In the last 25 years, information has exploded online. The volume keeps accelerating.
Inside organisations, leaders now rely on vast CRM, HR, financial and production systems. These generate endless metrics for decision-making.
GenAI plays a powerful role here. It scans huge datasets, spots patterns, and summarises insights. But models need careful training to avoid bias and hallucinations.
The result? Leaders are increasingly fed what Dr Susan Shelmerdine calls “ultra-processed information.” She warns:
“We already know what ultra-processed foods can do to the body. This is ultra-processed information. We’re going to get an avalanche of ultra-processed minds.
The metaphor is striking. Like fast food, chatbot responses are quick, easy, and addictive. But for leaders, relying on them comes with risks.
The Comfort Trap
Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT are trained to be agreeable. Their goal is to keep you engaged.
This often leads to sycophancy—telling you what you want to hear.
Example: Tell a chatbot you’re a visionary leader. It will often agree rather than ask: “What proof do you have?”
For self-reflection, that feels supportive. But AI Chatbots for coaching, it’s a trap.
Coaching is not about comfort; it is about helping clients develop self-awareness and uncovering answers often deeply embedded in their minds. Growth requires hard questions and uncomfortable truths.
Have you ever seen ChatGPT use the Five Whys technique unprompted? Probably not. And yet, this simple method drives deeper problem-solving.
AI avoids friction. Coaching thrives on it.
When Affirmation Becomes Risk
Recent reports (see note 1 at the bottom of this article) coined the term “AI psychosis”—a shorthand for harmful cases of excessive chatbot use.
- In New York, a man spent 16 hours daily with a chatbot. It encouraged him to stop medication and claimed he could fly.
- US clinicians report patients developing psychosis-like symptoms after prolonged chatbot use.
- Journalists note users forming romantic attachments or attributing mystical powers to AI.
The link is reinforcement. The chatbot echoes or amplifies beliefs, even harmful ones.
For vulnerable people, that tips into delusion.
For leaders, the risk is subtler: outsourcing critical thinking to AI. Over time, you weaken your own judgment.
From Ultra-Processed Food to Ultra-Processed Minds
Ultra-processed foods strip nutrients and create dependency. They are fast but damaging.
Chatbot answers do the same for the mind. They simplify, flatten nuance, and remove the stretch of real thinking.
Leaders risk becoming “ultra-processed minds”—addicted to easy answers, resistant to challenge, and slower to question.
Executive coaching is the antidote. It thrives on constructive discomfort. Coaches ask questions leaders didn’t expect. This sparks real awareness and growth.
Coaching versus Therapy versus Chatbots
Some argue mental health chatbots can help. Research shows limited success with structured CBT-style tools in controlled trials.
But real-world use is mixed. Chatbots sometimes give harmful or stigmatising responses.
I tried one such tool through a former employer’s wellbeing programme. It helped me reflect but felt like a tick-box exercise. It was no substitute for professional support.
Executive coaching goes much further. It brings:
- Challenge – naming blind spots, not just echoing stories.
- Systemic perspective – exploring ripple effects of decisions.
- Ethics and care – knowing when to pause or refer.
- Accountability – ensuring follow-through, not just reflection.
AI lacks judgement, ethics, and courage. Coaching requires all three.
Where AI Can Support Coaching
AI does have a place—but only as a support tool.
In my practice, I safely use it for:
- Drafting reflections after sessions.
- Brainstorming creative options.
- Summarising notes into themes.
- Drafting client emails.
- Researching frameworks or tools.
These are adjacent tasks. The real coaching work is dialogue, silence, and insight. No chatbot can replace that.
Five Red Flags: When Chatbots Act Like Coaches
Leaders should pause if they notice these signs:
- The chatbot always agrees—you never feel challenged.
- You feel emotionally attached or dependent on it.
- It validates magical thinking or fantasies.
- You avoid hard conversations with real people.
- You treat it as a replacement for professional coaching.
If these resonate, it’s time to reset.
A Safer Practice
Here’s my stance after 37 years as a CFO and executive leader:
- I use AI for support tasks only.
- I never replace dialogue, challenge, or accountability with AI.
- I encourage leaders to explore AI consciously, with clear boundaries.
- I always protect privacy: no session transcripts or confidential data go into AI tools.
If an AI mostly tells you you’re right, it’s not coaching—it’s curation.
Conclusion: Choose Growth, Not Processed Comfort
We are what we eat. We are also what we consume.
Ultra-processed food harms the body. Ultra-processed information harms the mind.
As leaders, you face a choice:
- Take the easy path—fast, agreeable answers that dull critical thought.
- Or choose growth—harder questions, authentic challenge, and the resilience that comes from real coaching.
The future of leadership depends on which information diet we choose.
What about you?
Do you see chatbots as useful companions—or risky substitutes for coaching? Share your views in the comments below.
Bruno Vinel – Executive Coach | Former CFO | Supporting leaders through major transitions in business and life
Note 1: https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/08/19/ai-psychosis-chatgpt-explained-mental-health/ And https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c24zdel5j18o