If you’ve ever used a virtual assistant, bought something online, or even typed a query into a search engine, then you’ve used AI – it’s pretty hard to avoid these days. But what about when it comes to recruitment? Should you get help from AI for a job application? And is that fair? Last year we set out to find answers to these questions, and we created our first report Perspectives on AI in Charity Sector Recruitment.
But a lot can change in a year (and it has!). So, we’ve updated our report with fresh insights. The new version revisits many of the same questions, introduces some new ones, and compares how things have changed over the past year.
We analysed responses from 3,207 candidates and 145 recruiters. In this blog, we highlight some of the key findings from the candidate survey, focusing on how AI is being used in the job application process and candidates’ perspectives on it.
You can read more about how recruiters are using AI and their views on it here. For the full findings, download the Perspectives on AI in Charity Sector Recruitment 2026 report.
Do candidates use AI for job applications?
64% of candidates said they had used AI to help them with a job application. This is a large increase on the previous year, where just under half said they had, and demonstrates a clear growth in AI usage among candidates.
We asked those who answered ‘no’ or ‘don’t know’ how likely they would be to use AI to help them in the future. More than half said they’d be unlikely to use it and only a quarter said they would be likely to use.
Those who used AI were asked which parts of the job application they used it for. The top three uses were as follows:
Candidate views on AI
Candidates were asked to rank how strongly they agreed or disagreed with a series of statements. We saw that nearly three quarters of respondents said they were concerned about the future of AI. We didn’t explore the specific reasons behind these concerns, but comments left in the open text question at the end of the survey highlighted worries about over-reliance on AI and its potential misuse.
We also found that 84% of candidates would prefer a recruiter to review their application rather than AI, suggesting uncertainty around the reliability of AI in assessing applications. Additionally, 69% felt it was harder for their application to stand out due to increased use of AI in job applications. However, 41% agreed that using AI improves their chances of success in the application process.
Candidate awareness of AI policies
When asked whether they review an organisation’s AI policy before applying for a role, more than a third of candidates said they check and stick to any guidelines. However, a large proportion either didn’t check for these policies or haven’t come across them at all.
Is it fair to use AI for job applications?
We asked candidates whether they agreed it was fair to use AI to help them with a job application. A quarter of respondents disagreed, but more than half agreed. We also saw that those who had previously used AI were more likely to agree with this statement than those who hadn’t, 73% vs 20% respectively.
Final comments from candidates on using AI for job applications
At the end of the survey, candidates were invited to share any final thoughts they had on AI. Responses were mixed, with many reiterating that the increased use of AI has made it harder for their job application to stand out.
Concerns were also raised around recruiters using AI to assess applications, causing high quality candidates to be overlooked. Despite these concerns, candidates still viewed AI as a valuable tool for refining cover letters and improving clarity, helping them communicate their skills and experience more .
Overall, the findings show growth in AI use among candidates and that its benefits are being embraced. However there’s still a strong preference for human judgement in the recruitment process and for a balanced approach to be taken.
To find out more about candidates’ usage and perspectives on AI, please download the full report.
