Supporting Ethical, Responsible, and Human-Centred AI Use in Career Development
Artificial intelligence is changing how people learn, work, communicate, create, and make decisions. Across the career development sector, professionals are exploring how AI can support research, writing, client service, teaching, business operations, professional learning, and many other areas of practice.
Alongside these opportunities come important questions about professional responsibility, privacy, transparency, fairness, accuracy, and the role of human judgment.
In response to this rapidly evolving landscape, Career Professionals of Canada has released its Position Statement on Artificial Intelligence, including 10 Guiding Principles for Ethical AI Use in Career Development Practice.
The statement affirms CPC’s support for the thoughtful, informed, and responsible use of AI in learning, work, professional practice, and organizational activities. It also reinforces an essential principle: technology can support career professionals’ work, but it does not replace the human relationships, professional expertise, ethical judgment, and accountability at the heart of our profession.
10 Guiding Principles for Ethical AI Use
The position statement provides broad guidance across the many ways career professionals may encounter or use AI. Its 10 guiding principles address:
- Human-Centred Service
- Professional Accountability
- Professional Judgment
- Ethical and Responsible Use
- Transparency and Trust
- Privacy and Confidentiality
- Fairness and Inclusion
- Safety and Security
- Academic Integrity
- Continuous Learning
The Position Statement is grounded in CPC’s existing professional and organizational standards. CPC’s Code of Professional Conduct establishes the ethical principles, values, and expectations that guide professional practice and organizational activities. CPC’s Academic Integrity Policy reinforces honesty, authenticity, fairness, respect, responsibility, and trust throughout CPC’s learning programs and certifications.
Together, these standards provide a foundation for approaching AI with curiosity, care, and professional responsibility.
A Shared Responsibility
Career professionals have an important role in helping individuals understand the opportunities, limitations, and potential effects of AI on careers, workplaces, industries, and communities.
Read the Full CPC Position Statement on Artificial Intelligence
We invite CPC members, career professionals, educators, organizational leaders, and other interested partners to review the full statement and consider how its guiding principles apply to their work and professional practice.
The future of our profession is changing, and CPC is excited to help shape what comes next.
With appreciation,
Skye Berry
Executive Director
Career Professionals of Canada
This article was edited with the support of ChatGPT (developed by OpenAI). The ideas and insights shared are entirely the author’s own.
Image generated with ChatGPT.