Navigating careers in the digital age: The influence of AI-powered social media platforms on Chinese graduate students’ career decision-making

This article investigates the role of AI-powered social media platforms in shaping the career decision-making processes of graduate students in China. Drawing upon qualitative data from 20 semi-structured interviews, it explores how user-generated content (UGC), cultural capital, and social reproduction intersect in influencing career perceptions and choices in the context of China’s rapidly digitalizing society. The findings reveal that platforms such as Douyin, Weibo, and Xiaohongshu serve not only as sources of career information but also as spaces where peer narratives, curated success stories, and algorithmic visibility shape graduate students’ aspirations and anxieties. Moreover, AI algorithms significantly impact students’ career aspirations through UGC which are mediated by cultural capital and social reproduction. Digital inequality emerges from algorithmic biases, hence exacerbating social reproduction. This study contributes to the literature on AI-powered digital media and youth transitions by contextualizing career choice in China’s unique sociocultural landscape. It highlights the importance of critical digital literacy, inclusive AI, and ethical algorithm design to support equitable career outcomes.