Adzuna’s AI sentiment survey, conducted in March 2025, gathered insights from over 1,200 British and American jobseekers, to understand their AI habits, the impact, and their future outlook.
Nearly 90% jobseekers want more AI job search tools
In the UK, 59% of jobseekers have used AI in their job search. Among them, close to half (44%) report using AI frequently, with 19% relying on AI tools for every job application. Only 6% said they rarely used AI tools in job search.
Despite widespread AI adoption, the majority (86%) of jobseekers want more AI tools to support their job search. The most sought-after features include CV and cover letter writing (46%), interview preparation (44%), and automated job applications (41%) like ApplyIQ.
For over 14 years, Adzuna has been at the forefront of AI in the job market, leveraging the power of its technology and data expertise to support Number 10 in understanding the job market and match jobseekers to jobs. Today, Adzuna is delighted to announce its next AI-powered tool ApplyIQ, a free job search agent that harnesses the power of large language models (LLMs) to intelligently match users with jobs that align with their skills, experience, and career goals. Without altering users’ CVs, ApplyIQ automatically applies to the most relevant roles on their behalf in near real time – even when they are sleeping.
Adzuna rolled out the alpha version of ApplyIQ back in December 2024, inviting more than 6,000 jobseekers to test the platform. 73% of ApplyIQ early adopters have rated the cutting-edge tool as user-friendly, and nearly 40% secured at least one interview since signing up.
AI is disrupting the job market for the better
Overall, British jobseekers are overwhelmingly positive about the role of AI in their job search. Two-thirds (67%) agree that AI tools like ApplyIQ are improving the job market. 74% said AI has streamlined their job search process. 31% reported saving more than 30 minutes per application on average.
AI has been particularly impactful for female jobseekers, with almost half (47%) reporting a significantly faster application process with AI, and a further 7% saying AI has helped them save more than 2 hours per application on average.
Additionally, 67% agree AI has helped them feel more confident in their job search, with more than a third (33%) strongly agreeing.
Three in five jobseekers think using AI is not cheating at all
Despite widespread media coverage of candidates using AI to cheat in job interviews, the majority (57%) of jobseekers do not consider using AI tools in job search as cheating. More than a quarter (27%) think it is cheating but justifiable, while one in six (16%) see it as cheating but don't feel guilty. Meanwhile, close to a quarter think it remains cheating even if the user reviews the AI-regenerated response.
Looking closer, more jobseekers find it acceptable to use AI to prepare for interviews (acceptable 85% vs unacceptable 15%), optimise job applications (75% vs 25%), mass apply to jobs (54% vs 46%), and write CV and cover letters from scratch (53% vs 47%).
Conversely, more jobseekers think it is unacceptable to use AI for generating answers during live interviews (unacceptable 69% vs acceptable 31%) and completing test assignments (unacceptable 71% vs 30%).
Doug Monro, co-founder and CEO of Adzuna, comments, “AI is revolutionising every industry, and the job market is no exception. Our survey reveals that in just two years since the ChatGPT breakthrough, more than half of UK jobseekers have already embraced AI, and the impact on job seekers has been overwhelmingly positive, with demand for even more AI-powered job search tools like ApplyIQ.
There’s a lot of AI hype out there, but also a need for real solutions. Candidates want AI tools, but employers don’t want to be flooded with irrelevant applications. As a pioneer in AI-driven job matching for over a decade and a firm believer that AI can be a force for good in recruitment, we are proud to present ApplyIQ, a responsible AI-powered job search agent. ApplyIQ prioritises relevance and quality above all else.
ApplyIQ sets a new benchmark for the industry and truly delivers on our promises to both jobseekers and employers – helping jobseekers find better, more fulfilling jobs and empowering employers to make smarter hiring decisions and find the candidates they need efficiently.”