How Candidates Are Using AI in Job Applications—and What HR Teams Can Do About It

Candidates are using AI in job applications at an unprecedented rate. According to Cangrade’s AI-Enabled Candidates in Hiring Report, candidates are using AI in a variety of ways during the application process — from drafting responses to interview questions to completing skills assessments and submitting mass applications.

This shift is changing not just how candidates apply, but how hiring teams need to evaluate talent. As AI tools grow more sophisticated, HR teams must adapt fast. 

Learn how candidates use AI, the risks it creates for hiring teams, and the practical steps HR can take to maintain a fair and effective process.

The Many Faces of AI in Job Applications 

Candidates are using AI tools to gain a competitive edge, but not all applications are honest or transparent. Instead of just rewriting resumes or cleaning up grammar, many candidates are turning to AI for more hands-on help throughout the hiring process.

According to data cited in Cangrade’s recent hiring report:

• 29% have used AI to complete a test assignment or skills assessment
• 28% have used it to generate answers to interview questions
• 26% have used AI to mass-apply for jobs

While deepfaking interviews isn’t yet common, the report notes this could become a concern as candidates’ AI skills improve. And the pressure to compete is growing: 82% of candidates believe others are using AI to exaggerate or embellish their applications, prompting them to do the same just to keep up.

The line between strategic use and deception isn’t always clear — especially when tools are easy to access and difficult to detect. That leaves HR with the challenge of figuring out who’s genuinely qualified — and who had help every step of the way.

Why This Puts HR in a Tough Spot

AI in job applications creates a new kind of risk: the person who performs well during the hiring process may not have the skills or experience their materials suggest. 

When candidates rely on AI to enhance or even generate responses, hiring teams find it harder to tell who’s truly qualified. That disconnect can lead to poor fits, missed red flags, and disappointing performance on the job.

When candidates use AI to enhance or fabricate responses:

• Interview answers may not reflect real-world experience or communication skills.
  
• Soft skills and personality traits may appear stronger than they are.
  
• Cultural fit can be harder to assess when materials are overly polished.
  

Structured hiring is designed to reduce bias and improve accuracy. However, even the best systems can lose their edge when AI clouds the human signal. HR teams need tools that cut through the noise without adding unnecessary complexity.

Practical Steps HR Teams Can Take Now 

Candidates are already using AI to change how they present themselves during the hiring process. HR teams need clear, practical strategies to respond — ones that support fair, accurate, and consistent decision-making.

1. Prioritize behavioral and cognitive assessments.
While AI can polish a resume, it can’t replicate how someone thinks, solves problems, or interacts with others. Incorporating pre-hire assessments that measure behavioral traits and cognitive skills helps you evaluate real potential beyond what’s written on paper.

2. Be transparent about your hiring process.
Candidates are more likely to lean on AI tools when they don’t understand how they’ll be evaluated. Share upfront how your process works, especially if you use structured interviews or assessments. Setting expectations early encourages more authentic participation.

3. Train your team to spot AI-generated red flags.
Recruiters and hiring managers don’t need to be AI experts, but they should know what to look for:

• Responses that sound overly polished or vague
  
• Follow-up answers that seem disconnected
  
• Gaps between written materials and in-person communication
  

Simple additions — like brief real-time writing prompts or practical exercises — can reveal whether a candidate’s skills align with what their materials suggest. The goal isn’t to penalize AI use but to surface genuine ability and ensure a fair, informed decision.

Redefining Fairness in the Age of AI Applications

AI in job applications isn’t always dishonest, but it can make it harder to tell where preparation ends and misrepresentation begins. Most candidates just want to make a strong impression. Meanwhile, employers are expected to make fair, accurate decisions that hold up over time.

HR teams need to find the middle ground — maintaining a fair, consistent hiring process without making it harder for qualified candidates to apply. That requires looking beyond well-written resumes and prepared responses to see how someone thinks, interacts, and handles difficult situations.

Tools that highlight genuine potential, not just presentation, are essential to maintaining both equity and performance in hiring.

Explore how Cangrade’s structured hiring tools can help you evaluate candidates with confidence — grounded in data, not guesswork.