From Research to Reality: How Our Research Shaped Our AI Coach

How do we know what we do is really helpful? At VOCA, we are driven by this question. We’ve had too many experiences with nonprofit missions that run on a singular experience–usually the founder–or sincere enthusiasm. We want more.

We yearn for work that solves a verified problem in the world. So we engage in rigorous research each year to learn what challenges people are facing at work, how faith shapes the way they handle those difficulties, and where they turn for solutions. We’ve had a sneaking suspicion over years of research–most people, even most committed, practicing Christians, do not look to God for help, guidance, or power in the pursuit of their careers.

Last year, as we concluded our annual study with the Barna Group, our hunch was sadly verified. Only 4% of workers and 9% of practicing Christians, process their work problems with any sort of spiritual resource or practice: Bible, Prayer, Counsel. This drove us to ask, how might we change this dismal statistic?

We know some things about work and God’s wisdom:

• God cares about every aspect of our lives, which most certainly includes our work. Work is where we express our created uniqueness. Work is how we serve our neighbors.

• Work issues emerge quickly and immediately, and so unless they are ongoing, there is a kind of lag between the challenge and getting help when we look to coaches or pastoral counseling.

We also know something about AI:

• AI is extremely interactive, attuned to its user and available 24/7.

• AI can be trained to use certain criteria, resources and even worldview in its counsel.

So the tragic lack of spiritual processing combined with the truths we know about God, Work and AI drove the creation of VOCA’s AI Spiritual Director (AiSD), a 24/7, spiritually grounded, coach for you at work.

Try AiSD