The future of professional development

: adoption of AI-powered career platforms

Abstract

As artificial intelligence enters increasingly personal aspects of life, this thesis explores its role in career development - specifically through AI-powered career coaching platforms. While traditional coaching methods are often costly, generic, or inaccessible, AI-based tools promise scalable, personalized guidance. However, adoption remains limited, particularly in trust-sensitive domains like career planning. To investigate the factors that drive adoption and sustained engagement, this study applies an integrated framework combining the Technology Acceptance Model and the Diffusion of Innovation theory. A survey of 130 participants from German-speaking countries measured user traits, technology perceptions, and feature preferences. Both quantitative (regression analysis) and qualitative (thematic coding) methods were used. The results show that perceived usefulness, trust in data handling, and explainable recommendations are the most influential predictors of adoption. Psychological readiness and familiarity with AI significantly outweigh demographic traits in shaping openness. Users primarily value operational features such as CV optimization and cover letter writing, while more strategic services are secondary. These findings suggest that AI-career tools should focus on delivering early value, ensuring transparent data practices, and building user trust through explainability. The study offers practical guidance for platform providers and contributes new insights to technology acceptance research in private, emotionally complex domains.

Date of Award	23 Jun 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Rute Xavier (Supervisor)