Leveraging AI-Generated Visuals for Enhancing Management of Career Orientation: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Abstract This research explores the impact of visuals in short educational videos produced by artificial intelligence (AI) on students’ orientation toward management careers with the social cognitive career theory (SCCT). The quasi-experimental pre-test–post-test study enrolled 150 Indian higher secondary commerce students who underwent random assignment with the use of Excel RAND function to either an experimental group (AI-enhanced videos and workshop) or a control group (only a workshop). The major purpose of the intervention was to increase career-related self-efficacy, predictive outcome expectations, interest in management (INT), and reduce the career stereotypes. Although no significant differences were found in SCCT metrics across groups over time, AI visuals exposure led to a higher knowledge acquisition and INT careers among participants. The findings reveal that AI visuals may enhance awareness and engagement, but they are insufficient to change basic motivational beliefs. The findings illustrate the potential generative AI has as an education tool that is scalable and inclusive especially in resource-scarce regions. Nevertheless, it insists that such interventions should be placed in continuous, interactive, and thought-provoking learning contexts. The study also investigates how issues such as intervention duration, diversity of participants, and the ethical considerations on the production of authentic visuals can affect findings, providing implications for future studies.