Using AI on your CV is cheating, according to Lord Alan Sugar

Let’s be real, who wouldn’t be a scarier boss than Lord Alan Sugar?

As host of the hit TV show, The Apprentice, Lord Sugar has made a career out of hiring new business talent. But it seems he’s not a fan of the recent trend of AI in job applications.

AI tools like ChatGPT can help make workloads much more efficient. That’s one reason why the government heralded AI as the answer to the UK’s productivity crisis in its AI Action Plan, unveiled earlier this month.

However, Lord Sugar doesn’t seem to agree. In an interview with the BBC, The Apprentice host described using these tools as “cheating”, taking aim at job applicants who employ AI to help with their applications, as well as employees who don’t want to return to the office full-time.

Jobseekers are turning to AI to write their CVs

AI systems like ChatGPT are popular for a reason, and one of them is its ability to write just about anything, including a fully-fledged resume.

And job seekers have been quick to catch on, with 45% using generative AI to write, update or improve their CVs, according to a study by Canva and Sago.

It’s no secret that creating a CV and cover letter isn’t a fun task. It’s a long and tedious process filled with reading countless worsening job descriptions, researching hundreds of companies and constantly tweaking and saving heaps of resumes in the hopes of landing at least an interview.

So, many job seekers are turning to generative AI because it tackles this exact problem. Not only can it create multiple versions of a resume for specific job postings, but it can also suggest relevant keywords to ensure it passes through a company’s Applicant Tracking System (ATS).

However, the main drawback of AI-generated resumes is that they lack personalisation, which could make it harder for a CV to stand out. Moreover, AI may not be able to accurately represent a candidate’s suitability for a role, which could lead to hiring regret for the employer.

More businesses are adopting AI to write their job descriptions

Of course, it’s not only job seekers who are leveraging AI, as more employers are also incorporating it into their recruitment process, including through job descriptions. Even Indeed – one of the most popular job search sites – is marketing its own AI-powered job description tool for businesses. 

According to research by Carv, 30% of companies are using AI to create job descriptions. Meanwhile, a study reported by SmartRecruiters revealed that 57% of hiring managers said using AI made it quicker and easier to create job descriptions.

Lord Sugar roots for a return to the office

As well as his evident contempt for AI-generated CVs, Lord Sugar has also been vocal about employees returning to the office full-time, particularly apprentices.

“I’m a great advocate of getting them back to work, because the only way an apprentice is going to learn is from his colleagues,” he commented. “That is lacking from this work-from-home, zoom culture.”

Lord Sugar’s comments follow closely with Lord Stuart Rose, former boss of Marks and Spencer and Asda, who described remote work as “not proper work”.

Despite this, there is still a strong demand for flexible working, with half of UK employees wanting more flexibility in their roles. Younger employees in particular value flexibility and the ability to work from anywhere, with 84% of Millenials and 74% of Gen Z wanting more remote work options. Additionally, 34% of workers aged 25-34 are more likely to resign if RTO mandates are enforced by their employers.

Lord Sugar’s comments, combined with the younger generation’s preference for hybrid models or fully remote working show a clear generational clash in workplace preferences. Moreover, the use of generative AI for both job seekers and businesses isn’t slowing down anytime soon, meaning we’re likely to see more “cheating” CVs over the next year.