Anne Hathaway Rejects Applicants Over 1 Identical ChatGPT Thank-You Note
Updated
Updated · Fortune · Jun 18
Anne Hathaway Rejects Applicants Over 1 Identical ChatGPT Thank-You Note
3 articles · Updated · Fortune · Jun 18
Summary
Hathaway said candidates for a recent role all sent the exact same AI-written thank-you note, turning what first looked professional into an immediate red flag.
Word-for-word duplication exposed the use of ChatGPT, she said, prompting a warning that applicants relying on canned AI messages may reveal themselves instead of standing out.
Meryl Streep, reacting to the story, said that kind of low-effort follow-up could sink every candidate on a shortlist for a rare opportunity.
The episode lands in a brutal job market where applicants often send hundreds of applications, but Hathaway’s takeaway was that a short personal note can still differentiate a candidate.