If you want the TL;DR answer, it's no. Creative industry employers are savvy to it, and they don't like it. Read on to find out why.
Getting ChatGPT or another AI tool to whip up a cover letter sounds like a great way to achieve a polished piece of writing in next to no time, right? But while you may end up with a letter that looks like it ticks all the right boxes, it could also be a shortcut to your application ending up on the rejection pile.
This all comes down to what creative industry employers are looking for when they ask you to write a cover letter, or any kind of personal statement or answer in an application form. They'll already have the basic information about your career history and achievements from your CV or the info you've painstakingly entered into an application form, so the cover letter is about providing insight into who you are and why you'd be a great fit for the role and their organisation. If the job description asks for excellent communication or writing skills, it's your chance to show these skills. If it asks for a passion for a specific subject – whether it's books, publishing, theatre or something else – it's your chance to show that passion.
A good cover letter shows your personality, conveys your passions and demonstrates your writing and communication skills. Even the best AI can’t do these things – only you can.
A cover letter that's generated by AI might hit lots of keywords and it may well sound impressive when you give it a quick read through – but to the recruiter who receives it, it's likely to feel generic and lacking in personality. Since you didn't write it yourself, it won't convey a sense of who you are. Writing generated by AI can leave the reader an uncanny valley feeling – the sense that something's not quite right... and a definite red flag for recruiters.
If you're still tempted to go down the AI route, it's worth noting that some employers are now explicitly asking people not to use AI in their job application. Here's what a few employers have said in recent job ads (we've grabbed these from jobs posted in November 2024):
Industry organisation The Advertising Association
*Think of using AI in your application? Read this first – we understand the benefits of AI ... However, we want to know about the real you, so please ensure your cover letter and application questions are your own thoughts and tell us about you personally
Comms consultancy Headland
We scan all applications for use of AI. Applications found to have used AI in their answers will be rejected, so please do not use AI in any part of the application process
Production company Twofour
We ask that candidates refrain from using AI (excluding spellcheck and grammar correcting tools) when completing their application. Twofour retains the right to omit from the shortlisting process any application which they believe has not been fully originated by the candidate
Whether the employer is using software to screen for suspected use of AI, or relying on the instincts of the human reader, we recommend avoiding AI when writing your cover letter.