Navigating the AI Era: Artificial Intelligence Literacy, Career Anxiety, and Employability Confidence Among University Students

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming higher education and the global labor market, making AI literacy an essential competency for university students. This paper investigates the connection between the artificial intelligence (AI) literacy, career anxiety, and employability confidence of university students in Punjab and Sindh, Pakistan. Using a quantitative cross-sectional research design, data were collected with an online structured, published, and validated questionnaire. The sample included postgraduate and undergraduate students from various public and private universities, such as University of the Punjab, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Government College University Faisalabad, University of Karachi, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, and Sukkur IBA University. A convenience sampling technique was used to collect data from 397 respondents. The data were transferred to Microsoft Excel, where they were prepared for analysis in IBM SPSS Statistics. A variety of statistical analyses were conducted, including descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression as well as independent samples t-test and one-way ANOVA. The results demonstrated a positive correlation between AI literacy, employability confidence, and career anxiety. This study addresses a gap in the literature by empirically substantiating AI-skill-based curricular and career interventions from a career confidence perspective in response to digital disruption, thus offering university constituents and educational policymakers a means to enhance students’ career confidence.