If you’re preparing to apply to business school, you’re stepping into a process that now includes more than traditional evaluations. Artificial intelligence is reshaping how admissions teams handle essays, interviews, fraud detection, and applicant engagement. From behind-the-scenes review tools to personalized chatbots, schools are using AI to streamline decision-making and increase fairness. But that also means your application needs to reflect genuine, human effort—while showing you understand the impact of technology in business education. In this article, you’ll learn how AI is being used, how it affects your chances, and how to present yourself as a future-ready applicant.
Essay Review Is Getting Smarter
Admissions essays have always been your opportunity to present the human side of your application. But now, many schools use AI to help identify tone, structure, and originality in those essays. You’re no longer writing only for a person—you’re also writing for systems designed to flag inconsistencies, detect AI-generated content, or highlight standout themes. These tools aren’t replacing human readers, but they’re helping surface traits that align with the school’s leadership and values metrics.
You’ll want to ensure your writing is clear, specific, and unmistakably yours. Don’t rely on generic prompts or language pulled from AI drafting tools. Instead, focus on real stories, unique challenges, and lessons you’ve actually learned. Your voice should feel like someone who understands business, not someone rehearsing for it.
Video Interviews Are Evaluated by Algorithms
If you’re invited to a video interview, there’s a good chance it will be scored—at least in part—by AI. Platforms like Kira Talent and HireVue are used by top programs to evaluate your verbal response, facial expression, and even how confidently you maintain eye contact. The point isn’t to catch you off guard but to ensure fairness across interviews conducted globally.
To prepare, think less about memorizing responses and more about presenting naturally. AI looks for authenticity and fluency, not perfection. Practice responding to business prompts while staying relaxed and focused. Your job is to connect, even through a screen, and show the traits that make you an effective communicator in high-pressure settings.
Schools Are Flagging AI-Written Applications
With applicants increasingly using AI to write personal statements, schools are implementing tools that can detect automated writing. Whether it’s a sentence too polished or a structure that mirrors AI-generated formats, software like GPT detectors or Originality.ai is helping admissions teams filter inauthentic content. These systems aren’t perfect—but they are improving.
Your safest strategy is to treat AI like spell-check, not like a ghostwriter. Use it for grammar suggestions or structure checks, but make sure the core content comes from your own experiences. Admissions committees are still looking for people who can reflect, explain, and lead. AI can’t teach character—it can only mimic it.
Holistic Review Is Becoming More Balanced
AI also plays a role in reducing bias. Business schools want to evaluate applicants on more than test scores or job titles. With the help of AI, admissions teams can apply consistent evaluation metrics across all candidates, ensuring that someone from a non-traditional background isn’t overlooked because their experience doesn’t follow a standard path.
That’s good news for you if your story isn’t built on corporate internships or Ivy League degrees. What matters more now is your impact—how you’ve led, built, or influenced the people or systems around you. When AI supports holistic review, it helps schools identify high-potential candidates who bring fresh value to a cohort.
Application Fraud Is Getting Harder to Hide
Admissions fraud has always been a concern, especially with forged documents or inflated achievements. AI now helps verify transcripts, match recommendation letter writing styles, and cross-check LinkedIn profiles with submitted resumes. Some tools also flag inconsistencies between your video interview and written application, signaling a potential third-party ghostwriter.
To stay on solid ground, keep your documents clean and verifiable. Don’t stretch your job title or exaggerate your accomplishments. Authenticity matters more than embellishment, and AI tools make it easier for schools to validate what you claim.
AI Chatbots Improve the Applicant Experience
You’ve likely interacted with an AI chatbot on a school’s admissions page without realizing it. These bots now handle everything from answering FAQ questions to guiding you through application checklists. Some even offer reminders or follow-up messages based on where you left off in the process.
This helps you get answers fast and avoid missing deadlines, but it also signals how digitally forward the admissions process has become. If a school uses AI to make your experience smoother, take advantage of it. Ask smart questions, explore the suggestions the system offers, and treat it like part of your admissions support team—not just an automated reply machine.
Your Familiarity with AI Can Strengthen Your Application
Business schools are actively looking for applicants who understand AI—not just as a tool, but as a business driver. If you’ve worked with data tools, created automation, or used machine learning in any context, mention it in your resume or essays. Programs want people who will contribute to classroom discussions on AI ethics, deployment, and business use cases.
Even if you haven’t used AI at work, you can still show awareness. Reflect on how AI is changing your industry. Share how you stay up to date with new tools. The point is to show that you’re not just keeping pace—you’re engaging critically with the tools shaping business today.
Ways AI enhances admissions
- Flags AI-generated essays
- Scores video interviews
- Verifies application credibility
- Standardizes holistic review
- Guides applicants via chatbots
- Encourages AI fluency in applicants
In Conclusion
AI is improving the admissions process in real, measurable ways—from making interviews fairer to helping schools spot fraud to balancing reviews across diverse applicants. But your success still comes down to your clarity, integrity, and preparation. Use AI tools wisely, tell your story honestly, and make sure your application reflects the kind of leader you plan to become in a business world shaped by innovation.
For more insights on how technology is shaping MBA applications—and how to prepare your story for an AI-assisted admissions process—connect with me on Crunchbase.
Barry Bekkedam is an entrepreneur and finance executive focused on investment management and advisory. A former Villanova standout and member of Canada’s men’s national basketball team, he now leads ventures in asset management and philanthropy, including the Barry Bekkedam Foundation supporting education and community development.