About a third of South Africans use AI tools to help prepare their CVs, according to a new survey by cybersecurity company Kaspersky.
The survey also found that almost one in every two South African respondents uses AI tools for work tasks. The study was done at Kaspersky’s request in 2026 and included 1,000 interviews in South Africa, IOL reported.
The survey covered the Middle East, Turkey and Africa region. Kaspersky used the results to share advice for job seekers who want to use AI on their CVs safely.
According to the report, people disagree about the role AI should play when applying for jobs. Some say AI helps people shape each application for a specific job. It can also add the right keywords to get past automatic screening systems.
Others warn that leaning too much on AI can lead to bland wording. They say a CV can lose the personal touch that makes a candidate stand out.
Kaspersky said job seekers should remove private details before giving a CV to a chatbot. This includes their name, phone number, home address, email address, company names and any scanned documents.
The company said language models learn from the data people give them. It warned that there is always a risk the AI could expose that information to other users by mistake.
Kaspersky advised users to check a chatbot’s settings first. It said people should switch off the option that lets the AI learn from their questions. Users should also check that the service has a full privacy policy.
“Never submit anything to the chatbot that you don’t want to accidentally stumble upon on the Internet,” the company said, calling this the golden rule.
The report said most large and mid-size companies already use an Applicant Tracking System. This is HR software that collects and sorts job applications. Kaspersky said these systems are adding more AI tools that track and filter every CV sent in.
But the company said a human HR worker will still read a CV that passes the first AI check. It warned that a CV written in an obvious AI style may leave a weaker impression on that person.
Kaspersky said job seekers can shape a CV for AI screening tools. But it strongly advised them to keep human readers in mind while writing it.
The company suggested that people write the first draft of their CV themselves. They should first list the points they think matter most, and only then turn to AI.
Kaspersky said the AI should work like an editor. It can improve wording and structure, and point out the experience that suits the job. Without this approach, the company said, people risk ending up with tired phrases that do not show their real skills and experience.
Source: this article is based on reporting by IOL Technology. Image: IOL Technology. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice Technology desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Werner Jacobs covers technology for Tzaneen Voice. Werner reports on mobile networks, data prices, internet access, smartphones, apps, AI, cybersecurity and South African tech companies. Each story explains what a new product, price change or policy means for ordinary users in South Africa.