Coinbase Launches AI Coach for Employee Performance Feedback

Coinbase launched a beta version of Coinbase Coach, an internal AI tool that provides employees with private and candid feedback on their professional performance. The system analyzes data from Slack messages, GitHub commits, meeting transcripts, and Google Docs to deliver weekly insights regarding an employee's efficiency and communication style.

Chief Technology Officer Rob Witoff uses the tool to identify instances where his communication is too tactical or unclear, noting that the AI provides impartial feedback that colleagues might otherwise avoid. CEO Brian Armstrong also employs the technology through reverse prompting to evaluate his own leadership and identify disagreements within his teams.

The deployment of the AI coach aligns with a broader organizational shift toward proactive coaching. This transition follows a reduction in middle management after the company laid off approximately 700 workers in May.