The job market is harsh in 2025 and has become even tougher as both applicants and companies started to use AI for all kinds of tasks. My name is Artem, and I’ve been using and reviewing dozens of AI tools. At the same time, I’ve been tracking application responses for the past year, and the numbers are brutal. Most people send out 200+ applications before getting interviews. Stories of this struggle are everywhere on LinkedIn or X, and in such a situation, people consider using better AI to write cover letters that aren't bland and generic. AI tools differ from each other, but should you use one for your application? If yes, what kind of tool?

This article reveals my findings on whether it's okay to have AI write your cover letter. I've tested this for 8 months, and after landing three job offers, I can tell you exactly what works and what doesn't.

AI Cover Letters are Not for Lazy People

Lots of people still spend 2-3 hours on each cover letter. That's insane when you're applying to 50+ jobs. While you can spend time researching the company and writing personalized content, the response rate is often a pathetic 3%. Something has to change.

That's where AI comes in. Not to replace all of your writing or research, but to speed up the boring parts. The difference is often immediate. Suddenly, you can apply to 20-50 jobs per week instead of 5. Not only that, but the response rate can also skyrocket because applications written with AI are often more relevant. The math is simple: more applications + better quality = more interviews.

Contrary to popular belief, AI isn't about being lazy. It's about being more strategic. Use it for dull structural work so you can focus on personalization & research more. Another thing users just started to talk about is how you can use multiple ai models at the same time and produce better results in shorter ammount of time. This is how easy model switch is on Writingmate. Models different to GPT usually help to write specific cover letter better. In my opinion, it is not about lazyness, rather about effectiveness.

The Truth About AI Cover Letters (Based on Real Data)

Here are some numbers that matter. A friend who recently started using WritingMate for every application got a job! Here’s a comparison with time and response rate for that job search:

Without AI assistance:

• Time per cover letter: 2.5 hours

• Response rate: 3%

• Applications per week: 5

• Total responses: 4 out of 87 applications

With smart AI use:

• Time per cover letter: 35 minutes

• Response rate: 12%

• Applications per week: 20

• Total responses: 23 out of 156 applications

The difference isn't just efficiency. You can already be applying to more jobs with better quality. When you can spend 35 minutes instead of 3 hours per application, you potentially apply to better-matched positions instead of settling for whatever you can finish.

I have recently written a detailed article on best AI tools for document review, and there are couple of unexpected entries. Read it here: https://writingmate.ai/blog/ai-document-review

What Reddit Gets Wrong About AI Cover Letters

The ai cover letter reddit discussions are mostly fear-mongering. People say "hiring managers can tell." Sure, they can spot the obvious ones – the copy-paste jobs with phrases like "I am writing to express my sincere interest." But they can't detect what I call “smart AI use.”

I've hired people too. Trust me, I’d rather read a well-structured AI-assisted letter than a rambling human mess, but only if it is relevant and not a generic AI slop. What matters is whether you sound qualified and interested in THAT specific job. Most human-written cover letters fail this basic test.

The Reddit wisdom that actually works? Use AI for structure, humans for specifics. The people getting hired aren't avoiding AI; they're using it better than everyone else. But if you would like to see a quick result without logging in or using any complex AI tool, you can try our free AI Cover Letter writer tool, available here.

Best AI Tools for Cover Letters (And Why)

I've tested every major platform. Here's my honest ranking of the best AI software for cover letter editing:

ChatGPT (My Daily Driver, but…)

ChatGPT now does 80% of my cover letter work. It's great for brainstorming and structure, though sometimes it gets too formal (you can prompt it to be less so). The key is giving it specific instructions about tone and length.

What I use it for:

• Creating first drafts from job descriptions

• Rewriting awkward sentences

• Generating company-specific talking points

• Brainstorming ways to connect my experience to their needs

My go-to prompt: "Write a cover letter for [job title] at [company]. Focus on [specific requirement from job posting]. My relevant experience: [2-3 key achievements]. Keep it under 250 words, conversational tone, show enthusiasm for THIS specific role."

I use GPT4o and openAI o3-mini both inside Writingmate.ai. It is both cheaper and has much less limits. It is avaliable for free or starting at 9 dollars per month, right at new.writingmate.ai. It also includes useful features like AI agents (assistants to help you with various tasks) and Prompt libraries (not to retype your prompt each time and to enhance any prompt).

The secret is being specific. Remember:

Generic prompts create generic letters.

Grammarly (for Final Polish)

This one works well for catching tone issues I miss. Their AI suggestions often improve clarity without changing meaning. I run every letter through Grammarly before sending.

Pro tip: Use their tone detector. If it says "formal" when you wanted "confident," revise. Most jobs want confident, not formal.

Claude (When I Need Professional Tone)

Best for finance, healthcare, and law applications. Sounds more "adult" than ChatGPT. I use it when applying to traditional companies or senior roles.

Claude 4 Sonnet and Opus are both available either with Anthropic chatbot or WritingMate, which includes 200+ AI models and tools, including the latest Claude 4 Sonnet & Claude Opus 4.

Why I prefer Claude: ChatGPT might write "I'd love to help grow your user base." Claude writes "I'm excited to contribute to your customer acquisition strategy." Same meaning, different professionalism level.

WritingMate (My Secret All-in-One Weapon)

This is where I go when I need serious firepower. Instead of switching between different AI tools, I get everything in one place at Wr ScitingMate:

• GPT-4o and 4o mini for all kinds of content generation

• O3 mini for analytical thinking about job requirements

• Claude 4 Sonnet for sophisticated professional communication

• Mistral for diverse writing styles

• New Llama 4 Scout + Maverick for technical accuracy

• Gemini 2.5 for comprehensive analysis

Plus, image generation for creative roles. It's like having every AI tool in one interface, which saves me from juggling multiple subscriptions. The best part? It starts from 9 dollars per month, giving you access to dozens of models and additional tools, inside an easy-to-use interface. No API keys needed. And you can start for free as well, without even attaching your card.

Why does this matter? Different AIs have different strengths. I use GPT for brainstorming, Claude for tone, and compare results. This multi-model approach consistently produces better letters than using any single AI.

Try Writingmate for free here.

My Step-by-Step AI Cover Letter Process

Here's exactly how I recommend you to create a cover letter in 35 minutes or less:

Step 1: Brief Research (15 minutes)

This is where humans beat AI. I spend real-time here because personalization is everything.

What I research:

• Company news from the last 3 months

• Recent LinkedIn posts from employees

• Glassdoor reviews for culture insights

• Their recent job postings (shows growth areas)

• Competitors and industry challenges

Pro tip: Look for problems you can solve. If their Glassdoor mentions "fast growth causing process issues" and you've built processes at scaling companies, that's your angle.

Step 2: Create the Framework (5 minutes)

I use this structure for every letter:

Paragraph 1: Why this specific job interests me (not just any job) Paragraph 2: My most relevant experience with numbers Paragraph 3: What I bring to their specific challenges Paragraph 4: Natural call to action

This framework works because it answers the hiring manager's main questions: Why us? Why are you qualified? What's in it for us?

Step 3: AI First Draft (5 minutes)

I feed my research and framework to AI with specific instructions about tone and focus. The key is giving context, not just asking for "a cover letter."

Step 4: Human Edit (10 minutes)

This is where the magic happens. I add personality, include specific company details, remove obvious AI phrases, and match my actual speaking style. The goal: sound like me on my best day, not like a robot.

Common AI Mistakes That Kill Your Chances

As a person who sometimes recruits people as well, and also from my colleagus' experience, I would like to name a couple of "red flags" to avoid in any submission you make.

The "AI Voice" Problem

AI loves certain phrases that scream "robot wrote this." I keep a list of banned phrases:

• "I am excited to contribute to your team's success"

• "I would welcome the opportunity to discuss"

• "Thank you for your consideration of my application"

• "I am confident that my skills align"

Sound too generic, too AI-written. I would often replace those with:

• "I'd love to help with [specific challenge they mentioned]"

• "Happy to discuss how I handled [similar situation]"

• "Looking forward to hearing from you"

• "I think my experience with [specific thing] could help"

The difference? Natural language uses contractions and sounds conversational. When using Writingmate, you can prompt GPTs or Claude or Llama to write in a less generic way as well.

Generic Achievement Statements

AI creates boring, safe content. Your job is making it specific and compelling:

• "I have strong communication skills and leadership experience"

• "I've presented quarterly results to 200+ person audiences and rebuilt our team's workflow after losing 3 key people in one month"

Numbers and context turn generic claims into believable achievements.

Missing the "Why This Company" Element

This is the biggest killer. AI can't research why you want to work at THAT specific company. It defaults to generic enthusiasm.

Bad: "I'm excited about this opportunity because your company values innovation" Good: "Your recent expansion into renewable energy storage caught my attention because I've been tracking this space since my thesis on battery technology."

Specific details prove you actually researched them.

Industry-Specific Strategies That Work Well

Let me now name a couple of industries and strategies that tend to work there when it comes to writing cover letters with AI.

Tech Jobs

Be direct, skip the corporate speak right away. Tech hiring managers want to see problem-solving and impact.

My tech prompt: "Write a cover letter for senior developer at [startup name]. Focus on scale and technical impact. I reduced API response times by 60% and built features used by 100k+ users. Keep it technical but conversational, under 200 words."

What works: Specific technologies, performance improvements, user numbers, system scaling challenges you've solved.

Sales Roles

Numbers are everything in sales. AI helps structure your achievements for maximum impact.

My sales template approach:

• Problem: What revenue challenge they're facing

• Solution: How I've solved similar challenges

• Results: Specific numbers with context

Example: Instead of "exceeded quota," write "exceeded quota by 140% in a down market by developing a new prospecting strategy that increased qualified leads by 300%."

Creative Jobs

AI for structure, humans for personality. Creative hiring managers are the fastest to spot AI-generated content.

I let AI organize my portfolio projects and achievements, then completely rewrite in my voice. The structure stays, but every sentence gets personalized.

The trick: Use AI to identify which projects best match their needs, then describe those projects in your own words.

The "Is AI Cheating?" Debate

People constantly ask is it bad to use ai for cover letter writing. Here's my take based on actually hiring people:

It's problematic if: You're fabricating experience or letting AI write about skills you don't have It's smart if: You're using AI to organize and present your real experiences more effectively

I've never lied about my qualifications. AI just helps me present them clearly and persuasively. That's no different from using spell-check or grammar tools.

The reality: Companies use AI to screen applications. You're not cheating by using AI to write them. You're leveling the playing field.

Advanced AI Techniques That Actually Work

If you want to be a step further than most people that already use AI, you can try this.

The Multi-AI Approach

I use different AIs for different strengths available at WritingMate:

• ChatGPT for creative brainstorming and multiple options

• Claude for professional tone and industry-specific language

• Grammarly for final editing and tone consistency

Why this works: Each AI has different training and capabilities. Combining their strengths produces better results than relying on any single tool like usual ChatGPT and limiting yourself to that.

The AI Cover Letter Generator from Job Description Method

This technique dramatically improves relevance:

1. Copy the entire job posting into AI

2. Ask: "What are the 5 most important requirements in this posting?"

3. Match each requirement to your specific experience

4. Build your letter around those connections

Example result: Instead of generic qualifications, you address exactly what they prioritized in their posting.

The Industry Context Technique

Feed AI information about industry trends and company challenges:

"This SaaS company probably faces customer acquisition costs rising 40% year-over-year like most B2B companies. Here's how I've helped previous employers improve CAC and retention..."

AI uses this context to create more sophisticated, business-aware content.

Free vs. Paid: What's Actually Worth It

Best free ai cover letter generator options that work:

• ChatGPT free tier (with usage limits)

• Claude free (good for professional tone)

• Google Bard (decent for research synthesis)

Paid upgrades that pay for themselves:

• ChatGPT Plus ($20/month) - faster responses during peak hours

• Grammarly Premium ($12/month) - tone detection and advanced suggestions

• WritingMate Pro - 9 dollars per month. Access to multiple premium AI models in one simple interface + AI agents and prompt libraries as a bonus

I don not now pay for ChatGPT Plus but use Writingmate instead, because speed and variety of tools matters when you're applying to time-sensitive postings. The productivity gain justifies the cost which is also quite affordable.

ROI calculation: If paid AI helps you apply to 5 more jobs per week with better quality, and that generates one additional interview, it's paid for itself. When it comes to Writingmate, there is also a free tier with quite a lot of capabilities. Try it here.

Red Flags Hiring Managers Actually Notice

I've interviewed dozens of recruiters and hiring managers. Here's what they actually catch:

Dead giveaways:

• Perfect grammar with no personality (humans make small mistakes)

• No contractions (we naturally say "I'm" not "I am")

• Overly formal tone for casual company culture

• Generic enthusiasm without company-specific details

• Identical structure to other AI-generated letters they've seen

How to avoid detection:

• Add natural imperfections (like starting a sentence with "And" or "But")

• Use contractions consistently

• Match the company's communication style (check their website copy)

• Include specific, researched details about their business

• Vary your structure from standard AI templates

The paradox: Hiring managers care more about whether you seem like a good fit than whether you used AI assistance.

My Personal Opinion on AI Ethics in Cover Letters

Most people use AI wrong. They want it to do everything, which is both lazy and obvious to hiring managers.

The best AI for cover letter use is true collaboration:

• You provide: Research, genuine experiences, specific interest in the role

• AI provides: Structure, professional language, efficient organization

• You add: Personality, company-specific details, natural voice

This collaboration beats pure human writing (too slow, often poorly structured) AND pure AI writing (generic, detectable, lacks research).

My prediction: In 2026, AI assistance will be expected, like spell-check today. The competitive advantage goes to people who master human-AI collaboration now, and who can use some of advanced AI features and do even more stuff effectively, with the same (or smaller) ammount of time.

Quality Control: Check My Cover Letter

Before sending any letter, I run through this checklist:

✅ Company name spelled correctly (embarrassing but common mistake)
✅ Specific details about the role (not just job title)
✅ Quantified achievements (numbers make everything more credible)
✅ Conversational but professional tone (match their culture)
✅ Under 300 words (respect their time)
✅ Clear next step (don't just end with "thank you")
✅ Proper formatting (readable on mobile devices)
✅ No obvious AI phrases (run through my banned phrase list)

The 24-hour rule: I write letters at night, then read them fresh the next morning. Amazing how many improvements become obvious with fresh eyes.

Real Results After 8 Months

Here's the honest data from my colleagues job search:

First 4 months (traditional approach):

• 127 applications sent

• 6 responses (4.7% response rate)

• 3 interviews

• 0 offers

• Average time per application: 2.8 hours

Next 4 months (AI-assisted approach):

• 203 applications sent

• 31 responses (15.3% response rate)

• 18 interviews

• 3 job offers

• Average time per application: 38 minutes

The math: Same qualifications, same market conditions, dramatically better results. The difference was rather in presentation and volume, not experience.

What's Coming Next in AI Job Applications

AI detection tools are improving, but so is AI writing. This creates an interesting arms race.

My predictions for 2025-2026:

• AI assistance becomes standard, like using spell-check today

• Personalization becomes more important as AI handles basics, making human research matter more

• Multi-modal applications including video + text + AI-generated visuals become normal

• Real-time customization with AI that adjusts applications based on company response patterns

The winners: People who master human-AI collaboration while others are still debating whether to use it at all.

Writingmate to do any Task with AI

When I need to create multiple versions quickly or compare different AI approaches, WritingMate is my go-to platform. Having access to GPT-4o, Claude 4 Sonnet, O3 mini, Mistral, Llama 4, and Gemini 2.5 in one interface saves me from juggling multiple subscriptions.

Real workflow example: I use GPT for initial brainstorming, Claude for professional tone refinement, and Gemini for final quality checking. This multi-model approach consistently produces better results than any single AI.

Its image generation feature also helps with creative portfolios, something most cover letter tools completely ignore.

Final Thoughts: The Smarter Way Forward

Cover letter using AI isn't about replacing human creativity. It's more about being efficient and effective in such a brutal job market that we all take part in now.

I still research every company thoroughly. I still write from genuine personal experience. I just use AI to organize thoughts faster and communicate more clearly. The result: more time for high-value activities like networking and interview prep.

The job market rewards results, not methods. Use every advantage you can get, but use them strategically. AI is a tool, not a replacement for doing the work.

Your career deserves better than generic applications and 3% response rates. Learn to collaborate with AI effectively, and watch your interview rate transform.

For detailed articles on AI, visit our blog that we make with a love of technology, people and their needs.

See you in the next articles!

Artem