Google’s AI can now tell you what to do with your life

Got a degree and no idea what to do with it? Google’s newest AI feature can help. The company announced on Wednesday the release of Career Dreamer, an AI tool that can recommend careers that best suit you based on your experience, education, skills, and interests.

The process begins with the user constructing a Career Identity Statement (CIS), which can be included in their resume or professional profile, by sharing the title of their current or previous professional position, such as “freelance technology journalist” or “Senior Editor — AI,” and the industry within which they work. Once entered, the AI will return a list of potential tasks performed in those positions for the user to choose from, like “Research and analyze emerging technologies and trends” or “Interview industry experts and thought leaders.”  The user will then be prompted to select at least three skills, such as “research,” “self-motivation,” and “editing” before the system activates Gemini to generate the CIS.

In this writer’s tests, Career Dreamer returned the following as my CIS:

I am a technology journalist and content creator with a proven ability to translate complex technical information into engaging narratives for diverse audiences. Through interviews with industry leaders and in-depth research, I unpack emerging trends and technologies, crafting compelling multimedia content that informs and inspires. My adaptability, self-motivation, and time management skills allow me to thrive in the fast-paced media landscape.

That’s a good enough summation of what I do for a living, I suppose, if not a bit bland and sounding nothing like how I actually write. Still, it’s a decent starting point for further iterations and revision, especially for people who aren’t professional writers.

The system then presents users with an idea cloud of related careers and positions, ranging from obviously related fields like Technical Writer and Copywriter, to nearly off-topic suggestions like becoming a Software Engineer or a Public Relations Specialist. Hovering your mouse over any of the ideas listed will pop a window that shows the typical minimum education and experience requirements as well as a link that navigates to the position’s information page that lists the average salary, job responsibilities and offers for Google certifications that could help increase your chances of landing that job.

“We hope Career Dreamer can be helpful to all kinds of job seekers,” Google wrote in its announcement post. “During its development, we consulted organizations that serve a wide range of individuals, such as students navigating their first careers, recent graduates entering the workforce, adult learners seeking new opportunities, and the military community, including transitioning service members, military spouses and veterans. If you’re ready for a career change, or just wondering what’s out there, try Career Dreamer.”

The tool is free to use on Google Labs’s Experimental site. Note, however, that while Career Dreamer can help you find a position that matches your skill set and interests, it will not actually show you active job listings for it. You’ll still have to seek them out manually on the likes of Career Builder or LinkedIn.