Employers in the UAE say artificial intelligence is complicating candidate assessment, as the technology helps jobseekers produce polished CVs and convincing interview answers that don't always reflect genuine ability. 60 percent of hiring professionals say it has become harder to judge candidates' real capabilities. The report also found that the share of employers unsure how to evaluate AI-related skills doubled, from 16 percent in 2025 to 32 percent in 2026.
Aws Ismail, co-founder of Onyx AI Solutions, said candidates now routinely use AI to write stronger applications, meaning a CV alone reveals less than it used to. "Candidates now use AI to write better applications, so the CV alone tells you less than it used to," he said, adding that while AI can help someone write about a skill, it cannot help them fake that skill in a live conversation.
Nickie Wilson, executive director at Genie Recruitment, said the core challenge is that candidates are also using AI to optimise their CVs, making it harder to distinguish genuine experience from well-crafted text. Nisha Nair, recruitment manager at Innovations Global, said the shift calls for a more evidence-based, competency-driven approach that tests what candidates can actually do rather than what they claim on paper.
In response, companies are increasingly turning to practical assignments, technical evaluations, scenario-based interviews, and live, AI-assisted interviews with follow-up questioning — tools designed to verify real skill rather than rely on a CV or rehearsed answers alone.