Abstract

Generative Artificial Intelligence is increasingly becoming part of students’ educational and career planning offering personalised information about occupations skills qualifications and employment opportunities. For first-generation university students who often lack family-based academic and professional guidance AI may provide new forms of informational and aspirational support. This paper examines how generative AI is transforming career expectations among first-generation university students in India. It focuses on AI-assisted career exploration perceived employability professional aspirations decision-making skill development and dependence on automated advice. Drawing upon recent scholarship on artificial intelligence higher education career development and social inequality the study argues that generative AI can partially compensate for limited access to traditional social and cultural capital. However unequal digital literacy access to advanced AI tools algorithmic limitatio