A new study reveals that a significant number of businesses in the Middle East report that AI has led to an increase in irrelevant job applications.
AI is rapidly transforming the hiring landscape in the Middle East, enabling job seekers to apply for roles at scale. However, this shift is also leaving many businesses overwhelmed and making it harder to identify top talent, a study released on Monday found.
New research from global talent solutions partner Robert Walters shows the extent of this change, with nearly 25 per cent of businesses saying AI-assisted job applications have negatively affected the hiring process. The study also found that 36 per cent of employers reported receiving too many applications, while 42 per cent said they are now receiving more irrelevant applications.
Meanwhile, 65 per cent of professionals say they use AI tools such as chatbots and automated CV builders to apply for jobs at scale, while 18 per cent report doing so on a regular basis.
“The surge in job application volumes we are seeing today reflects a hiring landscape where technology has made applying easier, but also less transparent. Using AI to refine CVs or improve LinkedIn profiles has been common in the Middle East for some time. However, candidates are now going further, applying to dozens of roles at once using automated tools and scripts that complete the process in seconds. This trend is accelerating rapidly across the region, resulting in businesses being flooded with largely irrelevant applications and turning what should be an efficient hiring process into an overwhelming manual task, making it harder to identify suitable talent,” said Jason Grundy, Managing Director at Robert Walters Middle East.
AI-enabled platforms now help job seekers generate professional summaries, tailored CVs, and customised cover letters within minutes. Others can match CVs against job descriptions to optimise applications for tracking systems, while chatbots enable large-scale personalisation by adapting CVs and producing tailored cover letters. These tools improve accessibility and visibility for job seekers, but with highly polished, keyword-optimised CVs becoming standard, employers face growing difficulty in distinguishing genuine skills from AI-enhanced profiles.
“There is a real risk in over-tailoring. When every CV is algorithmically optimised to say the right things, the individual behind it becomes less visible,” Grundy said. “AI can help job seekers present themselves more effectively, but it also places greater responsibility on employers to look deeper and assess the person, not just the document.”
As organisations across the Middle East deal with rising application volumes, similar-looking CVs, and pressure to hire faster, many HR teams are finding that traditional manual processes are no longer sufficient, slowing decisions and reducing the quality of the candidate experience.
The hidden cost to genuine candidates
While employers face much of the strain, AI-driven mass applications are also affecting job seekers. As application volumes rise, hiring processes are becoming slower and more cautious, and the candidate experience is deteriorating. Genuine applicants who apply thoughtfully are increasingly at risk of being overlooked amid the growing noise created by mass submissions.
“What is often missed in this discussion is the impact on genuine candidates—the individuals who take time to apply for the right role for the right reasons. When employers are reviewing hundreds of applications, even strong candidates can be missed simply because the volume makes detailed screening difficult,” Grundy added.
