Mostly because it seems like a ramping up of an escalating war. If the essay needs to meet an algorithmically determined definition of “good”, then why not employ an algorithm to create that “good”? Why would we, as humans, choose to fight the AI? We would adapt to it and seek to create things that are pleasing to the AI.
It sort of reminds of me of how genAI engines today are quite sycophantic. They seek to please us. I would want to write to please the AI grading engine. I bet an AI engine could write to please pretty efficiently.
I guess it all comes down to whether we think that the genuine idea of writing a Common App essay is to both elucidate us but also to create a compelling story that interests and surprises readers. Now the goal will be to do the same for an algorithmically determined outcome. That, to me, might compel a writer to just solve for the problem versus writing something that they truly believe or think.
I could, of course, be very mistaken in this assertion.