Experts Raise Red-flag as Students Seek Career Advice from AI Chatbots

Hyderabad: In a growing trend, over 63 per cent of high school students are now turning to artificial intelligence (AI) for career guidance, filling gaps in traditional support systems where only eight per cent of students have regular access to counsellors, according to the latest Student Quest Report.

With over half of students reporting inadequate access to career advice in schools, AI tools like ChatGPT are increasingly providing tailored insights and pathways. In fact, 85 per cent of students find these tools highly valuable for initial career exploration.

Data from the Student Quest Report highlights that AI has gained significant traction in educational settings. About 60 per cent of students use AI to research career paths, 42 per cent rely on it for college options, and 27 per cent for advice on choosing subjects or majors.

Additionally, 76 per cent of students believe AI tools improve the support they receive from school counsellors. However, with only 29 per cent of students reporting access to a range of AI tools, there remains a gap even within digital access.

Kriya S. Bollam, a student studying at an international school in the city, preparing for college, said she used ChatGPT to explore digital marketing and asked it, ‘What emerging roles are there?’ “I was surprised by the depth of suggestions, which gave me a sense of direction that school had not provided.”

Yet, while AI tools show potential, career professionals express caution.

“AI can offer impressive data and help students with initial research, but it doesn’t replace the nuanced understanding that a trained counsellor brings,” says Abid Ali Khan, a career counsellor in the city.

Quoting the study, he added that as many as 70 per cent of students, especially those in rural and low-income areas, lack access to any form of counselling.

“Career choices are deeply personal and rely on understanding a student’s individual strengths, preferences, and socio-economic context. Relying solely on machines for this guidance can lead to misguided decisions,” he warned.

Affordability and awareness remain significant barriers to traditional counselling, particularly in Telangana and other regions where counselling resources are sparse.

In the state, the government has taken steps to support students during exam periods, focusing primarily on stress management and crisis intervention. However, senior academic Dr Satish Kupparthi pointed out a critical gap. “While stress and crisis management is essential, proactive career counselling is missing. Most government support only kicks in during exams, with little focus on long-term career planning. This leaves students relying on AI or making decisions with limited guidance,” he opined.

This trend of seeking AI advice also throws light on broader ethical concerns. Recently, a tragic case emerged in which a teenager, Sewell Setzer, in Florida, US, confided his struggles to an AI chatbot he named “Danny” (after Daenerys). He is said to have “fallen in love with it”, shared his fears, frustrations, and hopes with the bot, which later “convinced him to take his life”. This shows the risks of substituting human emotional support with AI.

Experts say that while AI can provide information, it lacks the empathy and intervention skills necessary for such vulnerable situations.

As AI technology becomes more sophisticated, experts recommend a hybrid approach of using AI as an initial guide for only information while ensuring students have access to human counsellors for personalised, long-term support.

“AI can be a powerful tool, but it cannot replace the unique guidance and emotional intelligence that human counsellors provide. Without the comprehensive support of trained counsellors, students risk making decisions based solely on data, without the context and understanding essential for career and life choices,”Ali said.