In a moment when starting a career is increasingly complex for young people, Kaufland România comes with an initiative that combines technology with professional guidance. The company launches Kari Era, an artificial intelligence-based avatar created to support young people in making career-related decisions. The project is a response to the real challenges faced by the younger generation and the growing need for personalized guidance in an ever-changing job market.

Study: 63% of young people cite lack of experience as the main obstacle, and nearly a third of 18-19 year olds don't know where to start

Kaufland România launches Kari Era, an AI career guidance avatar dedicated to those just starting out, available through direct conversation on WhatsApp, developed in partnership with Digital Nation, in a context where starting a career is marked by uncertainty for many young people.

The launch event took place on April 29th at Halo Events Center in Bucharest and brought together students, media, special guests, and company representatives in an interactive format built around the real challenges faced by young people at the beginning of their careers. The program included contributions from the Kaufland România team and partners involved in developing the project, as well as artistic and interactive moments during which participants could discover and directly test how the Kari avatar works.

The project starts from a reality confirmed by young people themselves, following a dedicated study: starting a career is increasingly difficult in a constantly transforming job market. Many face a gap between academic preparation and employers' real requirements, changing recruitment processes, and difficulty identifying opportunities that truly suit them, both in terms of interests and skills. In response to these challenges, Kaufland România developed Kari Era, an AI avatar that provides concrete guidance for making informed career decisions. The company thus takes on an active role, both as an employer and as a partner in the professional orientation process.

"The data from our study shows that young people are ready to enter the job market, but need more clarity to make informed choices from the very beginning. For us, this meant rethinking the way we offer support: both through available roles and through a tool that can concretely answer the questions young people have at every stage, from 'what suits me?' to 'what are the next steps?'. Through Kari Era, we set out to bring this type of guidance closer, in an accessible format adapted to the way young people interact today, offering relevant answers in real time. We want this initiative to contribute to better-informed decisions and a clearer career start, based on well-founded choices," says Estera Anghelescu, Recruitment and Employer Branding Director, Kaufland România.

According to the data, starting a career remains a process marked by uncertainty and lack of direction for many young people. Only 37% say they feel comfortable when looking for a job, while nearly 4 in 10 feel insecure in this process. The main barrier is lack of experience, mentioned by 63% of respondents, followed by the perception that education is not sufficiently aligned with current job market requirements (50%).

At the same time, the difficulty is not just about opportunities, but also about clarity: nearly a third of 18-19 year olds say they don't know where to start, and many feel the lack of relevant information and concrete steps to follow. In this context, more and more are turning to digital solutions: 21% already use artificial intelligence tools for career guidance, but young people still need relevant answers for their situation and clear guidance on what to do next.

On the other hand, the study also indicates a clear openness to innovative solutions: 71% of respondents consider the Kari Era concept innovative, and 63% say they would use such a mentor in their professional journey, confirming the real need for relevant digital tools adapted to the current job market context.

Career guidance based on dialogue and personalized recommendations

Unlike traditional job search tools, Kari does not function as a recruitment platform or a tool that offers standard answers, but as a digital mentor specialized in professional orientation for young people. Kari asks the right questions to understand each user's profile, motivations, and context, and only then offers personalized, easy-to-implement recommendations.

Through natural and accessible conversations, Kari provides support in the career decision-making process:

• conducts a mini career diagnostic

• provides detailed CV feedback

• suggests roles suited to the individual profile

• identifies skill gaps and recommends relevant courses or resources

• offers updated perspectives on the Romanian job market

• recommends real opportunities within Kaufland

According to the iZi Data study, young people want from an AI mentor information about salaries and the job market (92%), suitable job recommendations (91%), and personalized CV feedback (84%), as well as a friendly and empathetic tone (82%). Kari meets these expectations through a human approach, adapted to each person.

The project was developed in partnership with Digital Nation, an organization specialized in digital education and the integration of technology into learning and professional development processes.

"For us, the real utility of technology means concrete impact on people's lives. Kari Era is not a simple AI experiment, but a tool built to help young people find their direction more easily. A concrete example is that of a 22-year-old student who voluntarily taught piano to children, without considering that this experience counted professionally. Following her conversation with Kari, she discovered that skills such as patience, structuring a lesson, or one-on-one communication are relevant to employers. Two weeks later, she told us: 'I didn't know that what I had done could matter so much.' Kari helps you see what you already have and build your next steps more clearly. And Kaufland had the courage to build a tool that puts the young person first, not recruitment. It is the first major employer in Europe to take this step," says Paul Apostol, founder of Digital Nation.

Kari, available in universities and on WhatsApp

Kari is available via WhatsApp, in a simple and direct interaction. To bring the experience closer to students, Kaufland has also integrated the avatar into digital booths placed in universities in the main university centers: Bucharest, Iași, Timișoara, Cluj-Napoca, Constanța, Sibiu, Alba Iulia, and Craiova.

Students can start the conversation at the booth and continue it later on their own phone, receiving concrete recommendations for their next career steps.

Currently, the majority of young people rely on job platforms (76%) for career guidance, while only 21% use AI-based tools, highlighting the high development potential for digital solutions such as Kari Era, capable of offering constant, personalized support that is easy to access and use at any time.

Through the launch of Kari Era, Kaufland România strengthens its positioning as an employer oriented toward innovation and professional education. The initiative reflects how technology can be used responsibly to reduce uncertainty and transform the start of a career into a clearer, more structured process.

Kari Era is available to anyone seeking more clarity in their professional journey and decision-making, and the conversation can be started at any time on WhatsApp via the dedicated link digitalnation.ro/chat-with-kari or using the phone number +1 555 838 6344.

iZi Data study methodology:

The launch was supported by a study conducted on a sample of 1,967 respondents aged 18-27, together with iZi Data, showing that starting a career remains one of the most difficult stages of a professional journey. Data collection period: December 15, 2025 – January 20, 2026.

Through the launch of Kari Era, Kaufland România marks an important step in how technology can be used to support the professional orientation of young people. The initiative transforms the start of a career into a clearer, more structured, and more accessible process, placing emphasis on the real needs of the younger generation. Kari thus becomes not just a digital tool, but a point of support at an essential moment in professional development.