AI vs. AI: How Hiring Has Become a Game of Automated Deception

The modern job application process has devolved into a loop where candidates use AI to craft resumes and cover letters optimised for automated screening, while employers deploy AI tools to filter the resulting flood of polished submissions. Because automated systems reward keyword matching, applicants are incentivised to tailor language to the filters rather than reflect genuine experience, leaving employers with less useful information than before. Cover letters have become particularly absurd, with advice now circulating on how to make AI-written text appear human by deliberately introducing imperfections and removing telltale punctuation. Some employers attempt to cut through this by asking specific, opinion-based questions that reveal how a candidate thinks, though AI can convincingly answer even those when enough context is available online. Commentators argue that practical assessments centred on real problems would yield far more signal than another round of polished, formulaic paragraphs.