Part of Kathy Caprino’s series “Supporting Today’s Evolving Workforce”
Creating and launching the ‘Kathy Caprino AI’ clone with the help of the innovative team at Delphi.ai and my awesome team has been one of the most transformative, stimulating, and challenging projects of my career. As a career and leadership coach and writer with close to two decades of coaching and training experience, a former corporate leader, and a trained therapist, I’ve worked to make meaningful guidance accessible to those who need and want it. Building rewarding careers aligned with values and visions can be a bumpy journey, and my mission is to help professionals bypass costly mistakes and achieve clarity on what they truly want in their lives and work.
Alongside this career focus, in this past year, I’ve deeply enjoyed using generative AI tools such as ChatGPT in my own life, to help me think through complex questions and problems and gain new knowledge and insight.
This Kathy Caprino AI project has expanded how I offer support, pushed me to embrace emerging technology, and helped me understand myself more deeply. It’s also added a new way to deliver value in this evolving digital landscape.
I’d love to share a bit of the behind-the-scenes of this project in the hopes that this info will be helpful not only for folks who are exploring AI for their career growth but also for those considering building their own AI tools.
Why Create an AI Coaching Clone?
The idea to develop an AI clone arose from a deep wish to scale my impact without sacrificing the personal touch that defines my coaching work. Over the years, I’ve fielded countless questions from professionals seeking clarity on career, leadership, and personal growth. While I’ve written extensively, delivered coaching, and offered courses, podcasts, workshops and trainings, I’ve felt limited by the constraints of time and availability.
An AI clone trained by me offers a scalable way to share insights while retaining my voice, expertise, and empathic approach. It also makes career support more widely accessible, reaching individuals globally who might not have access to one-on-one coaching.
Vision and Planning
The catalyst for this project was the outreach from Dara Ladjevardian, co-founder of Delphi.ai. Dara spent time discussing the potential of Kathy Caprino AI to deliver guidance that mirrors my in-person coaching style and guidance.
My audience—predominantly mid- to high-level professionals, the majority of whom are women—often seeks actionable advice delivered with empathy, insight and encouragement. With that in mind, I outlined three primary objectives:
- Expertise: The AI needed to draw on my 40+ years of professional experience, including my articles, 2 books, newsletters, research-based coaching frameworks, and more.
- Authenticity: Responses had to reflect my voice, tone, and nuanced way of addressing challenges.
- Accessibility: The clone needed to offer valuable insights for a diverse audience seeking different types of career and personal growth support, including professional transition guidance, leadership and communication success strategies, personal breakthroughs, and more.
Training the Clone
Training Kathy Caprino AI involved uploading intellectual property and content I’ve produced, including books, lectures, webinars, podcasts, articles, newsletters, video courses, and answers to frequently asked questions. It also entailed creating a substantial list of custom instructions and fine-tuning numerous key settings that helped shape the clone’s ability to generate personalized responses in a style similar to my own.
A critical step was ensuring the clone’s answers matched my preferred length and depth. Typically, I aim to provide concise yet thought-provoking responses that spur realizations, usually around 200–350 words. The platform’s customization features helped align the clone’s output with this standard.
I also extensively reviewed and tested the AI’s responses, and had the help of a number of trusted colleagues, clients and course members as beta-testers, helping me refine tone and accuracy. For instance, when addressing salary negotiation and other compensation issues, the clone needed to balance practical advice with encouragement and an understanding of other parameters of the user’s life and career. Additionally, I put in place safeguards to help ensure that the advice would “do no harm” — a principle rooted in my therapist training — by prompting users to examine key factors before making decisions.
Overcoming Challenges
Ensuring the clone avoids generic statements or unfounded claims was a significant focus. My coaching philosophy emphasizes evidence-based guidance, and I worked to align Kathy AI with this commitment to clarity and precision.
Another challenge was addressing ethical considerations. I wanted users to understand the AI’s limitations and not mistake it for direct, one-on-one coaching with me personally (in the flesh). Transparency became a priority, and I included disclaimers, FAQ’s and other resources to guide users effectively.
Launching the Clone
Kathy Caprino AI launched in mid-December 2024, just in time to offer it as a unique holiday gift. I structured the subscription model with two tiers: the Foundational Level and Career Breakthrough Level. Both offer unlimited access to the clone, with the latter including additional bonuses and hands-on and group support. This structure ensures accessibility while providing added value for those seeking more personalized interaction.
The response has been overwhelmingly positive. Users have expressed great excitement and gratitude for 24/7 access to tailored advice and shared how the clone has provided clarity on key decisions ranging from career changes to leadership development to dealing with interpersonal challenges. Many have remarked that it feels like they’re talking directly to me.
Lessons Learned
Creating Kathy Caprino AI has been a profound learning experience for me. It’s shown me how technology can extend human impact while highlighting the importance of grounding innovation in empathy and authenticity. The clone is not a replacement for my work but a complement, allowing me to reach more people while freeing up time for deeper engagements and group work.
This project has also deepened my understanding of the challenges professionals face. Common questions the clone receives mirror key themes I’ve encountered in coaching, including fear of failure, impostor syndrome, feeling forced to change direction, balancing ambition with well-being, and evaluating career decisions and pivots. These insights will continue to inform my work.
Future Plans
Looking ahead, I’m excited to enhance the clone’s capabilities. Plans include incorporating interactive features such as video responses and guided exercises, to deepen engagement. I’m also exploring partnerships to make the clone a resource for organizations, universities, and other groups.
Additionally, I hope to train Kathy AI to analyze clients’ responses to several of my proprietary career assessments and surveys, offering high-level insights into their challenges, skills, and interests. This will help users learn firsthand, deeply, about their unique career trajectories and what their personal experiences reveal as a way to shape their careers in the most productive directions.
Ultimately, Kathy Caprino AI embodies my mission to empower individuals worldwide to create fulfilling, successful professional lives (on their terms) and make a positive impact while balancing personal well-being, meaning and fulfillment. By leveraging AI, I’ve found a way to scale this mission while staying true to the values that guide my work.
This journey has been a testament to the power of innovation and the possibilities that arise when we embrace new technologies. I’m eager to see how Kathy AI will continue to support individuals and groups in achieving their most thrilling visions and goals, while teaching me invaluable lessons along the way.
As many professionals navigate the complexities of career growth, I hope this tool and my journey in creating it will spark ideas for you on how technology can amplify impact and accessibility. I welcome and appreciate your candid comments and feedback. Thank you for being part of this exciting journey alongside me.
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To explore how Kathy Caprino AI might support your career journey, visit Kathy Caprino AI . For details about my other programs and courses, please visit KathyCaprino.com. And if you’re interested in exploring building your own AI tool, check out Delphi’s plans and/or contact me with any questions or comments.
