Looking for a job can already be stressful. Now, many companies use artificial intelligence to read résumés, ask interview questions, and rank candidates. Although AI can make hiring faster, many job seekers worry that a computer may reject them before a person sees their application.

A 2025 Gartner survey found that only 26% of job candidates trusted AI to evaluate them fairly. About one-third were worried that AI might wrongly reject their applications. Some people also trusted an employer less when it used AI to study their information. (gartner.com)

These fears have continued. In a 2026 international survey, 28% of British job seekers said they would be much less likely to apply for a job if AI assessed them. Many candidates want companies to explain when AI is used and how important it is in the final decision. (morganmckinley.com) Another 2026 report found that 65% of candidates preferred speaking with a human rather than a chatbot during the hiring process. (hirevue.com)

However, job seekers also use AI themselves. In a 2026 U.S. survey of 590 job seekers, 80% said they used AI during their search. It helped them write résumés, prepare applications, and apply for more jobs. At the same time, 93% worried that AI-written applications made it harder for good candidates to stand out. (clutch.co)

This creates a strange situation: employers use AI to check applications, while candidates use AI to create them. Both sides may save time, but trust can disappear. Companies can reduce this anxiety by clearly explaining their systems, checking AI results for unfair decisions, and allowing candidates to contact a real person. AI may be a useful assistant, but many job seekers do not want it to have the final word.