Artificial intelligence and career development: Concerns and insights from first-generation college students

Artificial intelligence (AI) is disrupting workforce and posing an unprecedented threat of job displacement. However, our understanding of AI's role in shaping individual career development is limited. This study provides insights into AI and career development within the context of first-generation college students (FGCSs), a marginalized group that is arguably among the most vulnerable to the career disruption of AI. Employing mixed methods, this exploratory study examines the effects of FGCS status and career anchor on individual concerns about AI’s career impact and the perceptions of FGCSs and non-FGCSs regarding their career development. Using survey data from 70 students at a minority-serving public university in the United States, the quantitative analysis shows that FGCS status is positively associated with individual concern about AI’s career impact, whereas prior ChatGPT experience is negatively associated with this concern. However, we did not find evidence that a student’s career anchor affects their concerns about AI’s career impact. Meanwhile, the qualitative analysis revealed four themes that highlight employed FGCSs’ reliance on college education to change to a professional career or prepare for entrepreneurship. Our follow-up study revealed four types of individual attitudes toward AI’s career impact and suggested that the attitudes are influenced by generational status and career stage. We compare FGCSs and their peers in terms of career stage, career development and attitude toward AI’s impact and propose intervention strategies to help FGCSs mitigate AI-related job replacement risks. The study contributes to research on the AI impact on career development of a marginalized population. • We present a mixed-methods study of perceived AI's risk in shaping individual career development. • The study adopts career anchor lens and focuses on a marginalized workforce. • First-generation college students (FGCSs) are more concerned about AI’s career impact. • Four types of attitudes toward AI (negative, positive, neutral, and mixed) were revealed. • Three intervention strategies are proposed to help FGCSs mitigate the AI risk on career.