No. PwC UK's early careers policy says AI tools, AI-enabled services and any third-party help must not be used to generate, edit, rewrite, summarise, coach or otherwise complete assessment responses unless PwC explicitly authorises it. PwC says it reviews applications for signs of this, and that it will withdraw applications where responses are not the candidate's own work.
What PwC says it checks for
PwC's candidate professional conduct section lists the checks it runs across applications and assessment activity:
- Duplicate accounts.
- Highly similar responses between candidates.
- Identical transcripts, which matters for the recorded video interview.
- Indicators of third-party or AI-assisted support.
What happens if PwC finds it
PwC says it will withdraw the application from the process. It also reserves the right to notify relevant academic institutions, professional bodies and regulators. For someone heading towards a chartered accountancy qualification, a note to a professional body is a far bigger cost than a lost application. And because of the once-a-year rule, a withdrawn application is also a lost year.
Does PwC use AI to mark you?
PwC says it does not. The same policy states that while the firm uses AI in its business, it does not use AI to assess candidate performance in the early careers selection process. Video interview answers are reviewed afterwards by an assessor.
What is allowed: preparing beforehand
The policy is about your assessment responses being your own work. Preparing in advance is a different thing, and PwC encourages it: its candidate e-learn tells applicants to research the assessment types, familiarise themselves with question styles and complete practice assessments, and it points to SHL's practice tests.
So the line is simple. Practise as much as you like before the assessment, with whatever resources help you learn the reasoning. Once the real assessment is open, work alone and unaided.
Source: PwC UK early careers assessment and selection page, checked 20 September 2026; PwC UK candidate e-learn, Online applications and assessments.
Frequently asked questions
Can PwC detect ChatGPT in the online assessment?
PwC says it undertakes regular reviews of applications and assessment activity, including checks for highly similar responses, identical transcripts and indicators of third-party or AI-assisted support. It does not publish how those checks work.
What happens if you use AI in a PwC assessment?
PwC says it will withdraw your application if it finds responses are not your own work, and it reserves the right to notify academic institutions, professional bodies or regulators.
Does PwC use AI to assess candidates?
PwC states that it does not use AI to assess candidate performance within its early careers selection process.
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