42% of Middle East Employers Are Drowning in AI-Generated Job Applications, Survey Reveals – MIT Sloan Management Review Middle East

The growing ease of generating AI-polished CVs, cover letters, and professional summaries makes it increasingly difficult for employers to separate genuine talent from inflated profiles.

The rise of AI-powered job applications is creating a new challenge for employers across the Middle East, as recruiters grapple with a growing volume of submissions that are increasingly difficult to assess. 
According to a new survey by Robert Walters, 36% of employers say AI has driven a surge in job applications, while 42% report receiving more irrelevant applications despite the increase in volume.
“The surge in job application volumes we’re seeing today is the result of a hiring landscape where technology has made applying much easier, but also less transparent,” said Jason Grundy, Managing Director, Robert Walters Middle East.
As AI becomes more accessible to job seekers and employers, 65% reported using tools like chatbots and automated CV builders during their job applications, while 18% regularly use these tools to submit multiple applications at scale.
​“Using AI to sharpen a CV or improve a LinkedIn profile is something we’ve observed for some time in the Middle East. But increasingly, candidates are applying to dozens of roles simultaneously through automated tools that do the work for them in seconds,” Grundy noted.
According to him, the growing ease of generating AI-polished CVs, cover letters, and professional summaries is making it increasingly difficult for employers to separate genuine talent from inflated profiles.
“When every CV is algorithmically optimized to say the right things, the individual behind it disappears. Organizations are genuinely struggling to distinguish strong candidates from strong CVs,” he said.
The report also highlights the flip side of AI’s growing usage in job applications, resulting in hiring teams taking longer to review candidates and becoming more cautious during shortlisting, increasing the risk that qualified applicants get overlooked.”
“What often gets lost in this conversation is the impact on the genuine candidate,” Grundy said. “When employers are sifting through hundreds of applications, even strong candidates can fall through the cracks simply because the volume makes thorough review almost impossible.”
​As regional businesses look for ways to balance the efficiency offered by AI with the human judgment needed to make effective hiring decisions, he states that authenticity remains a differentiating factor for job seekers. “Authenticity remains one of the most powerful differentiators in hiring. Organizations must look beyond the algorithm to ensure genuine talent and real potential are not lost in an increasingly AI-driven application process,” he said.

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