Can ChatGPT Boost Students’ Employment Confidence? A Pioneering Booster for Career Readiness

This study examines the impact of ChatGPT on university students' employment confidence, utilizing comprehensive methodologies such as regression analysis, Inverse Probability Weighting (IPW), and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The results indicate that the regular use of ChatGPT significantly enhances students' confidence in securing employment, with stronger effects observed among undergraduate students and those in social sciences. Additionally, this study reveals that students' experience with ChatGPT plays a partial mediating role in this effect, underscoring the importance of user interaction in realizing the benefits of AI tools. These findings suggest that ChatGPT not only improves cognitive abilities and career-related knowledge but also boosts students' proactive job-seeking behaviors, fostering increased job market readiness. The implications are far-reaching, highlighting how AI tools can enhance career development support, particularly for students at earlier stages of their academic journey. As AI technologies continue to influence education, this study offers valuable insights into how such tools can effectively prepare students for the job market, potentially contributing to future research and shaping educational practices in ways that address employment challenges.