AI can predict career success from a facial image, study finds
A new study by researchers from four universities claims artificial intelligence (AI) models can predict career and educational success from a single image of a person’s face.
The researchers from Ivy League schools and others used photos from LinkedIn and photo directories of several top US MBA programs to determine what is called the Big Five personality traits for 96,000 graduates. It then compared those personality traits to employment outcomes and education histories of the graduates to determine correlation between the personality and success.
The findings highlight the significant impact AI could have as it shapes hiring practices. Employers and job seekers are increasingly turning to generative AI (genAI) to to automate their search tasks, whether it’s creating a shortlist of candidates for a position or writing a cover letter and resume. And data shows applicants can use AI to improve the chances of getting a particular job or a company finding the perfect talent match.
“I think personality affects career outcomes, and to the extent we can infer personality, we can predict their career outcomes,” said Kelly Shue, a study co-author and a Yale School of Management (SOM) finance professor.
