STAMFORD, Conn., July 31, 2025

AI Fuels Mistrust Between Employers and Job Candidates; Recruiters Worry About Fraud, Candidates Fear Bias

Only one-quarter (26%) of job candidates trust AI will fairly evaluate them, even though just over half of candidates (52%) believe AI screens their application information, according to a survey by Gartner, Inc.

A 1Q25 Gartner survey of 2,918 job candidates found that 32% were concerned about AI potentially failing their applications, and 25% said they trust employers less if they are using AI to evaluate their information. Furthermore, only half of candidates trusted that the jobs they were applying for were legitimate.

While candidates are concerned about employer use of AI, they are leveraging the technology in their own applications. A 4Q24 Gartner survey of 3,290 job candidates found that four in 10 candidates (39%) said they used AI during the application process. Those who leveraged the technology did so to:

• Generate text for résumé/CV (54%)
• Generate text for cover letter (50%)
• Generate text for writing sample (36%)
• Generate text for answers to questions on the assessment (29%)

“It’s getting harder for employers to evaluate candidates’ true abilities, and in some cases, their identities. Employers are increasingly concerned about candidate fraud,” said Jamie Kohn, Senior Research Director, in the Gartner HR practice. “Candidate fraud creates cybersecurity risks that can be far more serious than making a bad hire.”

A 2Q25 Gartner survey of 3,000 job candidates found 6% admitted to participating in interview fraud — either posing as someone else or having someone else pose as them in an interview. Gartner predicts that by 2028, one in four candidate profiles worldwide will be fake.

Uncertainty surrounding AI could make candidates even more selective when it comes to the job application process. According to Gartner research, 51% of candidates accepted a job offer in their most recent application process (2Q25), a substantial decline from 2Q23, when 74% of candidates accepted their most recent offer.

To combat candidate fraud, while retaining candidate trust, employers should have a multi-layer fraud mitigation strategy that focuses on three steps:

• Setting clear expectations and communicating hiring standards. Employers should explain to candidates how they define acceptable use of AI and emphasize their fraud detection efforts including the legal consequences if fraudulent behavior is detected.
• Using the assessment process to uncover fraud. Recruiters should know how to detect evasive behaviors and assessment tools should include anti-cheating safeguards such as conducting in-person interviews. Gartner research found 62% of candidates said they are more likely to apply to a position if the organization requires in-person interviews (2Q25).
• Refining assessment methods throughout candidate evaluation. Fraud prevention must extend beyond the initial hiring phase. Employers should focus on system-level validation rather than individual surveillance – tightening background checks, using risk-based data monitoring and embedding detection tools like identity verification and anomaly alerts in recruiting systems.