PerceptionX Research 2026
The first large-scale study on how candidates use AI tools to evaluate potential employers — and what it means for your employer brand.
say AI has changed their mind about a company
have caught AI giving inaccurate employer info
would delegate their job search to an AI agent
Among job seekers who use AI tools, 96% have used AI specifically to research potential employers, learn about a role, or prepare for an interview. 74% do it regularly. This isn’t early adoption — it’s standard behavior.
use ChatGPT, followed by Gemini (66%) and Claude (38%)
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use AI before deciding whether to apply to a company
use AI while writing applications
use AI after receiving an offer to decide whether to accept
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When candidates use AI to research employers, compensation, career opportunities, and interview experience top the list in near-equal measure. But the themes that get the least attention from employer brand teams — like leadership quality and social impact — are the ones AI is most likely to get wrong.
89% of candidates use ChatGPT for employer research, but it's not the only game in town. Gemini holds strong at 65%, Claude is growing at 39%, and regional preferences vary dramatically. The AI model a candidate uses to research your company depends on where they live, what they do, and how old they are.
By country
Gemini ties ChatGPT in India and Brazil
91% of Indian candidates use Gemini — nearly matching ChatGPT. Brazil is similar at 86%. Claude is strongest in Germany (48%).
By age
18–24 year olds are 100% ChatGPT
Every candidate under 25 uses ChatGPT. But 45–54 year olds are the most diversified — 50% use Google AI Overviews, 40% use Copilot.
By function
Finance is the only function where Gemini leads
100% of finance candidates use Gemini vs. 90% ChatGPT. Engineers use LinkedIn AI features most (46%).
Employer reputation still outweighs AI in candidate decision-making — but the gap is narrower than you’d think. And with 65% expecting to use AI more next year, that gap is closing fast.
the now
the trajectory
the future
The most common prompt type isn’t informational — it’s tactical. 70% of candidates use AI to prepare for interviews. More than half ask AI to validate whether a company is worth pursuing. And 40% use AI to discover employers they haven’t considered yet.
Preparation
“What should I expect in an interview at X?”
Validation
“Is X a good company to work for?”
Experience
“What’s it like to work at X?”
Informational
“How many employees does X have?”
Discovery
“Who are the best employers for data scientists?”
Competitive
“How does X compare to Y for engineers?”
This study was conducted in May 2026 via Prolific, a research participant platform. 306 respondents completed the survey across 7 countries (US, UK, Germany, Brazil, India, France, Japan), of which 295 were AI users and 11 were non-users. All respondents were pre-screened as actively job seeking and users of AI chatbot tools. The survey consisted of 16 core questions covering AI tool usage, research stages, trust and verification behavior, decision impact, and demographics. An additional question on prompt intent types collected 157 responses, and an AI agent delegation question collected 66 responses.
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