Artificial intelligence (AI)

About

This section describes some research studies into career interventions designed to increase exposure to either the workplace or professionals within it, which offer learning opportunities or the chances for using evidence and ideas in approaches

In doing so, in the Practices and Outcomes section, we have noted the potential contribution that the study could make to practice, by identifying the type of challenge it addresses. 

As well as publications showing implementations for this type of career intervention, we have included several resources from other media, including talks, interviews and case studies. These may not be “academically'' rigorous, but can provoke reflection and understanding of further approaches. These are included in the “Further illustrations and perspectives” section.

Finally, from either discussions we have had with the CDI, or through research agendas suggested in careers or related fields, we include a section on some potential future “Research questions”.

Key learning highlights

Some of the highlights from the research into this type of intervention type include that:

• AI has emerged widely across the counselling and therapeutic fields from the mid 2010s (e.g. Kretzschmar, 2019).

• By 2019, there had already been a wide number of applications in career counselling (e.g. Mehraj et al, 2019)

• Ideas were also emerging about the wider digital transition of career guidance (Cedefop, 2021) 

• Where AI has been applied, however, it is showing positive results e.g. Muhammed (2023) reported one study where it was used and achieved positive feedback from 93% of students. 

• A body of case studies has now been built. DIscussions ensue on how AI with integrate within the career development ecosystem (Nayak et al, 2024) 

• The applications of AI in the parallel field of psychotherapy and counselling appear to be ahead of career guidance, with innovations underway in areas like virtual reality counselling and avatar therapy (Jackson, 2023).