Information intervention on „AI use in occupations“ and occupational interest of Swiss Adolescents: A Representative Survey

Last registered on January 02, 2026
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Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Information intervention on „AI use in occupations“ and occupational interest of Swiss Adolescents: A Representative Survey
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0017201
Initial registration date
November 14, 2025

Initial registration date is when the trial was registered.

It corresponds to when the registration was submitted to the Registry to be reviewed for publication.

First published
November 19, 2025, 1:42 PM EST

First published corresponds to when the trial was first made public on the Registry after being reviewed.

Last updated
January 02, 2026, 5:48 AM EST

Last updated is the most recent time when changes to the trial's registration were published.

Locations

Country
Switzerland
Region

Primary Investigator

Name
Roman Theiler
Affiliation
University of Zurich
Contact Primary Investigator

Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name
Uschi Backes-Gellner
PI Affiliation
University of Zurich
Contact Investigator
PI Name
Patricia Palffy
PI Affiliation
University of Zurich
Contact Investigator

Additional Trial Information

Status
In development
Start date
2026-01-12
End date
2026-12-31
Keywords
Behavior, Education, Labor
Additional Keywords
adolescents, occupational choice, survey experiment
JEL code(s)
I20, J24, M53, M12
Secondary IDs
Prior work
This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.
Abstract
Digitalization and the spread of artificial intelligence (AI) are transforming labor markets
and reshaping required skills. Yet, little is known about how information on AI use in
everyday work affects adolescents’ career choices. We conduct a randomized vignette-
based survey experiment with adolescent users of Switzerland’s largest pivate
apprenticeship platform. Participants are randomly assigned to view one of several
hypothetical apprenticeship descriptions.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Backes-Gellner, Uschi , Patricia Palffy and Roman Theiler. 2026. "Information intervention on „AI use in occupations“ and occupational interest of Swiss Adolescents: A Representative Survey." AEA RCT Registry. January 02. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.17201-1.1
Sponsors & Partners
Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
randomized vignette-based survey experiment.
Intervention Start Date
2026-01-12
Intervention End Date
2026-09-30

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
Our primary outcomes of interest are stated intention to apply, word-of-mouth intentions, the interest in collecting more information about the occupation and the choice-based outcome.
Primary Outcomes (explanation)
To analyze the effect participants will be asked how likely they would be to apply for the position (intention to apply) and how likely they would be to recommend the apprenticeship to a friend (word-of-mouth intention). Both outcomes will be measured on a 5-point Likert scale. The interest in collecting more information is assessed by asking participants whether they would like to learn more about the occupation (yes/no). If they answer “yes,” a link is displayed directing them to the corresponding occupation page on a job board as it would also be found by a regular search for this occupation. The choice-based outcome is measured by participants’ stated preferences across four choice sets in which they select between two alternative apprenticeship offers.

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
We conduct the field experiment among German-speaking Swiss adolescents registered on the largest and most relevant private online job board for apprenticeship positions in Switzerland. The experiment will be carried out in collaboration with the respective job board. Randomization will be implemented using a cloud-based survey platform.
Experimental Design Details
Not available
Randomization Method
Randomization is carried out by a cloud-based platform for surveys.
Randomization Unit
individual
Was the treatment clustered?
No

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
N/A
Sample size: planned number of observations
We estimate that the final sample will comprise approximately 2,750 to 4,950 participants. This projection is based on results from a pilot survey conducted on the same platform, in which the response rate was around 5 percent without reminders and after accounting for attrition. With the use of additional measures such as reminder messages, we expect the response rate to increase by 2 to 4 percentage points, resulting in an overall response rate of approximately 7 to 9 percent. In 2025, the job board counted around 55,000 active users within our target population, all of whom will be invited to participate in the survey. Applying the expected response rate to this population yields the anticipated sample size range stated above.
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
approx. 305-550 individuals per treatment arm.
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
Supporting Documents and Materials
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
Human Subjects Committee of the Faculty of Business, Economics and Informatics (OEC Human Subjects Committee), University of Zurich
IRB Approval Date
2025-11-10
IRB Approval Number
OEC IRB # 2025-102
Analysis Plan