The Role of Artificial Intelligence in the Career Expectations of Ukrainian Students: Implications for Higher Education

The article presents the results of an empirical study on the attitudes of students at Ukrainian higher education institutions toward the role of artificial intelligence (AI), particularly ChatGPT, in the context of their future professional careers. The aim of this study is to determine whether students perceive ChatGPT (a generative AI tool) as a threat, an opportunity, or a multidimensional phenomenon that requires critical evaluation. The research methodology included the construction of two composite indices. These were the ChatGPT Opportunities Index and the ChatGPT Threats Index, both related to career development. The indices were based on responses from 354 students. All participants took part in the international "Global ChatGPT Student Survey". Data analysis employed descriptive statistics, analysis of variance (ANOVA), correlation analysis, clustering, and the χ² test. The results showed that the ChatGPT Opportunities Index was moderately higher than the ChatGPT Threats Index. This indicates a predominantly cautious optimism in students’ attitudes toward AI. At the same time, statistical analysis did not reveal any significant relationships between these indices and such variables as level of education, gender, or confidence in future employment. Cluster analysis identified three types of student attitudes: Realists, Reflective Optimists, and Disengaged. A synthesis of the results indicates that students show both interest in ChatGPT and a need for support from educational institutions in developing critical interaction skills with intelligent technologies. The study concludes that there is a need to integrate AI literacy into academic programs. It also highlights the importance of developing interdisciplinary training models and implementing educational interventions that foster adaptability and digital resilience among students.