AI-generated resumes pile up for recruiters

Human resource professionals are overwhelmed with a stark rise in applications for their job postings. Several attribute it to AI tools like ChatGPT that mass-customize resumes or even apply automatically.

For example, a remote tech job in Utah racked up 1,200 applications within days. Recruiters call this phenomenon an “applicant tsunami” as they sift through near-identical submissions that make it harder to identify genuine candidates.

LinkedIn now reports 11,000 job applications per minute—a 45% increase over last year—underscoring the widespread nature of the trend.

To cope, companies are deploying AI of their own, such as Chipotle’s chatbot Ava Cado, which reduces hiring time by 75%. Another platform, HireVue, runs automated video interviews and skill assessments.

But job seekers are also gaming these tools, using AI to cheat automated assessments.

This AI-resume vs. AI-hiring loop has created new problems, including fake applicants, identity fraud, and algorithmic bias. Gartner predicts that by 2028, one in four applicants could be a dummy.