AI is not innately bad, and can be a tool that you use to support your process but it is important that you have an understanding of what Universities are looking for in essays, the dangers of AI, how to do it ethicaly if you do use it, avoid plagiarism and academic integrity issues, and understand how important your personal experiences are to your statement and why these are things that AI can't.
Universities are not looking for perfection, in fact they are looking for imperfection. Grammar and spelling can get in the way of communication, so that is important to check, but perfection is not the goal-- communication should be. What is it that you want to say? It is the human details and the grit of reality that the human comes through, that your voice can be heard. They want statments and essays to be personal, to get to know you. AI cant do this, infact it does the opposit. It takes the details, the lived experience, the mistakes and the ethos of what makes you-you and turns it into ordinary-- the middle, the unexcptional.
If I am an essay reader, and I have read 30 essays, you as a writer want me to remeber yours, not have it blend in, looking like all other essays.
AI struggles with details and showing rather with telling, but these "little moments"
Also please note that every University has their own policies about AI and AI use. Some say, no, don't use it, some say site it, some say use it with care, and then define what they mean by "care" usually in an ethics policy. If you are going to use IA it behoves you to look up the AI policy stataments of your Universities and make sure that you are following those guidelines in your personal statment or essay.
Stay up to date with AI and AI ethics! It could make all the difference.
UK Personal Statmens and AI
Why not to use AI personal statments: "make it Average" - Yes, this is for a phd applicant but the questions she is asking are good resources for your thinking process.
The Essay Guy: AI And good Common Application Essays
How Colleges Detect AI Essays in 2026 (And How to Stand Out) UC PIQ Strategy for California Students
Other Resources
AI at Kings: Russel Group Principals