CiCi in Forbes: How the UK’s AI Careers Chatbot is Shaping the Future of Career Guidance

When global business media like Forbes takes notice, it signals something significant. CiCi, the UK’s award-winning AI-powered careers chatbot developed by CareerChat, has been spotlighted for its innovative blend of technology, safeguarding, and human expertise. In a landscape where AI is under intense scrutiny, CiCi is proving that chatbots can empower, not replace, people in making confident career decisions.

Why Forbes Recognition Matters

Forbes is one of the world’s most influential business publications, known for spotlighting innovation. Its feature on CiCi positions the chatbot among pioneering technologies reshaping education and the workplace. This is not only a vote of confidence in CiCi – it’s a recognition of the urgent need for trustworthy, ethical AI in career guidance.

In an era when tools like ChatGPT have sparked global debates around plagiarism, safeguarding, and responsible use in schools, Forbes’ choice to highlight CiCi sends a clear signal: it’s possible to harness AI responsibly while protecting learners and supporting educators.

Built on Human Expertise and Social Technology

Unlike generic chatbots, CiCi was designed by career development professionals, led by Dr. Deirdre Hughes OBE. From day one, its purpose has been clear: use AI to extend, not replace, the reach of qualified advisers.

Dr. Hughes told Forbes:

“We have made a firm bet on conversation flows, so CiCi is not a blank piece of paper but a social technology.”

This distinction matters. Where mainstream AI tools can produce unfiltered, unpredictable responses, CiCi’s design ensures conversations are structured, relevant, and crucially safe for young people and adults alike.

A key differentiator for CiCi is its ability to transform complex labour market data into clear, accessible advice. For example, CiCi’s Applications Program Interface (API) can extract relevant insights from government publications such as the Skills and Productivity Report (UK Government) and the Labour Force Survey (Office for National Statistics). Instead of learners trawling through dense statistics, CiCi presents this information in simple, narrative form — directly answering questions about career prospects, industry growth, and skill demand.

This approach is especially powerful in higher education contexts. University course descriptions can often be highly technical or lengthy, making them hard to digest. By simplifying and contextualising this information, CiCi helps reduce mismatches between student expectations and course realities — saving people from going round in circles looking for answers.

As Dr. Hughes notes: “Data is only useful if people can make sense of it. CiCi bridges the gap between big reports and real decisions.”

A Track Record of Recognition

Before Forbes, CiCi had already built a strong reputation:

• Finalist in the Nesta CareerTech Challenge (2021), showcasing innovations to support adults in a rapidly changing labour market.
  
• Winner of the UK Career Development Award for Use of Technology (2024).
  
• Included in the International Labour Organisation’s Digital Career Guidance Inventory, recognising global best practice.
  

Each milestone reinforces CiCi’s credibility not just as an innovative chatbot, but as a trusted part of the UK’s career development infrastructure.

Why Schools, Colleges, Universities, Careers And Employability Providers Choose CiCi

Forbes recognised CiCi’s strength lies not only in its technology, but in the practical benefits it delivers.

• Time-saving for teachers and advisers: CiCi answers routine questions and pre-populates information, freeing staff to focus on meaningful one-to-one support.
  
• 24/7 access for individuals: Learners can explore careers in their own time whether that’s after school, at weekends, or even while relaxing at home.
  
• Safeguarding built in: Unlike ChatGPT, CiCi escalates sensitive or complex issues to human advisers and complies with professional ethics codes.
  
• Trusted labour market data: CiCi uses verified datasets such as the UK’s LMIforAll, ensuring guidance is current and evidence-based.
  

As Dr. Hughes puts it: “CiCi never tries to be everything, it recognises its limits and knows when to hand it over to a human.” That blend of AI speed with human judgment is what gives schools and colleges confidence.

Why Forbes Called CiCi a “Social Technology”

The Forbes feature highlighted one of CiCi’s most important innovations: its ability to create conversations that feel personal, structured, and safe.

 In Dr. Hughes’ words: “We see CiCi as part of a wider ecosystem. It’s there to empower users, but it also strengthens the human system around them, teachers, advisers, and parents.”

This collaborative role is what sets CiCi apart from mainstream AI chatbots. It’s not simply a tool for students; it’s a partner for educators and institutions.

From Pandemic Pressures to Future Policy

The pandemic underscored the need for digital solutions in education. Many learners missed out on careers support as schools and services moved online. CiCi filled that gap, providing instant, safe guidance when face-to-face support wasn’t possible. Now, with ongoing skills shortages and rapid workplace change, that role is even more vital.

Looking ahead, CiCi aligns closely with government priorities on:

• Lifelong learning and reskilling.
  
• Preparing young people for the green and digital economy.
  
• Supporting equity and inclusion, ensuring guidance is accessible to all.
  

What’s Next for CiCi

CareerChat UK isn’t stopping here. Future development includes deeper integration with education MIS systems, more sophisticated data dashboards for teachers, and expanded accessibility features like multilingual support and speech-to-text. The team is also exploring how CiCi can help local/combined authorities plan provision by analysing anonymised trends in chatbot users aspirations and needs.

Why This Matters for the Future of AI in Education

The Forbes profile isn’t just a badge of honour, it’s a case study in how AI can be done differently.

Where some AI tools have caused concern among educators, CiCi shows what’s possible when design starts with ethics, human partnership, and safeguarding. It’s a model others in the edtech sector can learn from.

With the UK government emphasising lifelong learning and skills development, tools like CiCi are becoming essential. By providing accurate, verified career information, CiCi supports national workforce strategies, helping students and adults navigate changing labour markets and emerging industries.

A Trusted Guide for the AI Era

As Forbes rightly highlighted, CiCi isn’t trying to replace teachers or career development professionals. Instead, it provides a trusted digital companion, always available, always safe, always grounded in expert data.

For schools, colleges, universities, careers and employability providers, this means a scalable way to support every learner with personalised, responsible guidance.

Book a demo today to see how CiCi can save time, support safeguarding, and empower your learners.