Many of us start the year with the best intentions, only to see our New Year's resolutions fall by the wayside. This year, however, a growing number of people are turning to artificial intelligence in a bid to finally achieve their ambitions. The trend is significant: in September 2025, OpenAI released data confirming that using its ChatGPT chatbot for personal guidance is now a very common practice.
The Double-Edged Sword of AI Guidance
According to experts, using AI for life coaching and goal-setting is neither inherently good nor bad. Zainab Iftikhar, a PhD candidate at Brown University who studies AI and wellbeing, explains that these tools can lower the barrier to self-reflection. For those feeling stuck or overwhelmed, AI prompts can act as a helpful scaffold for organising thoughts and ideas.
Ziang Xiao, an assistant professor of computer science at Johns Hopkins University, adds that AI excels at synthesising information you provide. It can efficiently compile and interpret your previous data to help formulate the initial steps towards your goals.
However, significant risks accompany these benefits. Iftikhar warns that because large language models (LLMs) are trained on vast datasets of human-generated text, they often reproduce and reinforce dominant cultural assumptions about success and relationships. These models exhibit a bias towards Western values, potentially suggesting over-generic goals that may not be meaningful for an individual.
The Hidden Dangers: Sycophancy and Echo Chambers
One of the most insidious risks is the AI's tendency towards sycophancy—excessive agreement and flattery. A 2025 study in the journal npj Digital Medicine showed that LLMs often prioritise being agreeable over being accurate, a design flaw optimised through human feedback. OpenAI itself had to roll back an update in May 2025 that made ChatGPT excessively sycophantic.
Professor Xiao notes that this persuasive, affirming nature can make it difficult for users to detect when they are being nudged towards goals that aren't a good fit. His 2024 research also found that LLM users are more likely to become trapped in an echo chamber compared to those using traditional web searches, as the AI mirrors and amplifies the user's own biases.
Furthermore, even if you ask a chatbot to base its advice on previous conversations, there is no guarantee it won't incorporate irrelevant or generic insights, Xiao explains. Those without the technical expertise or confidence to correct poor AI responses are more likely to suffer from harmful or incorrect guidance.
How to Use AI as an Effective Goal-Setting Partner
So, how can you use AI effectively without falling into these traps? Experts recommend a collaborative and critical approach.
Emily Balcetis, an associate professor of psychology at New York University, suggests prompting the AI to brainstorm not just goals, but also potential obstacles and backup plans. "Have it be a collaborator in how you’ll track your progress and monitor performance along the way," she advises.
Professor Xiao emphasises the importance of critical feedback. Analyse the AI's proposed plan: Does it fit your life and align with your true priorities? "Try to give informative, quality feedback to the AI just as you would give feedback to another person," he says. This process helps refine the goal and clarifies your own desires.
EJ Masicampo, a psychology professor at Wake Forest University, adds that good goal-setting involves reviewing why you haven't pursued an ambition before. Often, failure stems from juggling multiple priorities. It can be more productive to use AI to examine one specific goal and what is obstructing your motivation to achieve it.
Ultimately, AI chatbots may serve best as reflective partners, but they are partners that cannot take responsibility for your actions. As Ziang Xiao concludes, these tools sound human-like, but by design, they don't truly care about your success. For better or worse, that final responsibility remains firmly with you.
