Many workers are considering a change in their job or career, and they’re leaning on artificial-intelligence tools to make their decision.
That’s what Southeastern Oklahoma State University found when it surveyed more than 1,000 workers about their use of generative AI tools. About 52% of the workers said they were considering a job or career change, and about one in three said they have used an AI tool like OpenAI’s ChatGPT to make a career decision.
By generation, Gen Z was most likely to be pondering a career change, at 57%, followed by millennials at 55% and Gen X at 50% — whereas just 12% of baby boomers said they were mulling a job or career change.
About 18% of the respondents said AI tools suggested a career path they had not considered before.
David Whitlock, interim president at Southeastern Oklahoma State University, said AI isn’t outright replacing traditional career advice, but it is clearly supplementing it.
“We’re witnessing a major shift in how Americans approach their careers,” Whitlock said in an email to The Playbook. “The fact that over half of workers are considering a job change, and that one in three are using AI like ChatGPT to guide that process, shows a growing demand for accessible, immediate career support.”
The survey also found that:
- 43% of those who used AI used it to write a resume or cover letter.
- 19% asked AI to identify high-paying or high-demand roles.
- 9% used it to choose a school or online program.
- 5% asked it to choose a college major or grad program.
Concerns about AI use
There are some clear pitfalls that come with a reliance on AI tools to make big decisions.