45% of Employers Now Distrust AI-Generated Cover Letters

Nearly half of Belgian employers say they can no longer trust motivation letters as a reliable measure of candidate quality, according to a major new survey that exposes a widening gap between employer perceptions and actual AI usage among job seekers. The findings, published by Het Laatste Nieuws, signal a fundamental crisis of authenticity in the hiring process.

The Survey

The research, conducted by Belgian HR service provider Partena Professional in collaboration with labor economist Professor Stijn Baert of Ghent University (UGent) and market research firm iVOX, polled 1,000 employees and 250 employers between January 27 and February 10, 2026. According to the Partena Professional press release, the findings reveal a significant crisis of trust in the job application process.

The Perception Gap

One of the most striking findings is the disconnect between what employers believe and what employees actually do. While 53% of employers think that at least half of all applicants use AI, only 18.1% of employees admit to having used AI to write a cover letter, and just 15.8% have used it for a CV. Dieter De Waegeneer, Chief Growth Officer at Partena Professional, noted that “AI gets a lot of media attention, making it seem like every applicant uses it. In reality, it’s still a minority. Employers clearly overestimate its use.”

As HR Magazine reported, nearly three in ten employers believe that 70% or more of candidates use AI — a figure that stands in stark contrast to the actual data.

The Trust Crisis

The survey paints a stark picture of declining trust. According to the research, 45.3% of employers admit they can no longer distinguish genuine candidates from those using AI to fulfill application requirements. Additionally, 45.5% report their inboxes are flooded with generic, hollow AI-generated cover letters, and 48% say AI makes it harder to assess candidate authenticity and honesty.

As HR Magazine detailed, Jonas Pollet, General Manager HR-core at Partena Professional, explained: “The problem isn’t that candidates use AI, but that applications are starting to look more alike. Recruiters have to look through a layer of generic texts to discover the person, the motivation, and the real match.”

The Generational Divide

The data reveals a clear generational split. Among workers under 35, 30.9% have used AI for cover letters and 29.6% for CVs — roughly double the rate of those aged 35 and older. Professor Baert noted that younger workers feel more competent with AI, but even they rate their AI skills at just 5.13 out of 10.

Expert Advice: Authenticity Is the New Gold

Professor Baert offered clear guidance for job seekers. “If you don’t just say you’re meticulous or stress-resistant, but also attach a real story to it, that has enormous predictive power,” he told HLN. “Write about how you kept the office running in your previous job or how you caught errors in orders that no one else saw. That really stands out. Authenticity is the new gold in the labor market.”

Baert also warned against relying too heavily on AI screening tools, noting that research shows AI can replicate human biases — specifically, ChatGPT may overlook candidates with non-Flemish sounding names.

What’s Next?

The survey comes at a pivotal moment as the EU AI Act is being finalized, which will impose new requirements on AI systems used in employment contexts. Experts recommend that employers move away from traditional cover letters toward skills-based assessments, video pitches, and case-based interviews. For candidates, the message is clear: use AI for form and language correction, but keep the content authentic and personal.

With 36.5% of companies already facing increased workloads due to the surge in AI-generated applications, the pressure is mounting on both sides of the hiring table to adapt to a new reality where authenticity has become the most valuable currency in the job market.