Management & Work

Why Career Coaches Advise Against Using AI to Write Cover Letters

There’s a strategic reason to do the initial drafting yourself.

A job seeker fills out an application during a career fair in Louisville, Kentucky, in 2016. Much about job-hunting has changed since then. But coaches still suggest crafting your application materials yourself and not leaving the first draft to AI.Photographer: Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg

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By Jo Constantz

January 29, 2026 at 5:54 PM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

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Artificial intelligence factored into a raft of layoffs announced this week by Amazon.com Inc., Dow Inc., ASML Holding NV and others. And it’s likely to play a role in the job-seeking efforts of affected workers (or anyone looking for a new position these days).