The Rise of AI Job Interviews: Separating Fact from Fiction
Recently, TikTok videos showing AI interviewers malfunctioning during job interviews have gone viral, sparking concern among job seekers. However, a closer look reveals that many of these videos are satirical or staged.
One such example is a video posted by @petobsessed777, which appears to show a chatbot repeating gibberish while a man looks on in confusion. The video has been viewed over 8 million times, with many commenters expressing their distrust of AI interviews. However, the creator’s bio reads ‘Live, laugh, lobotomy. All satire,’ suggesting that the video was not a genuine representation of a job interview.
On the other hand, there have been real instances of AI glitches during job interviews. Leo Humphries, a 25-year-old job seeker, shared a video of his AI interviewer getting stuck in a loop, asking him to ‘circle back’ and share a story. Despite some speculation that the video was staged for promotional purposes, Leo insists that it was a genuine interview.
To gain a deeper understanding of AI job interviews, we spoke with Mike Peditto, a Chicago-based recruiter with over a decade of experience. According to Mike, AI video calls are being used more frequently in high-volume hiring situations, primarily as a first-round screening tool. However, he emphasizes that human recruiters and hiring managers still make the final decisions.
Mike also debunked a common misconception that AI is already making hiring decisions without human oversight. ‘Just about all hiring decisions and pass/fail decisions are being made by people,’ he said. ‘I do think this will change over time, though.’
As for job seekers, Mike advises them to familiarize themselves with AI tools and use them to their advantage. ‘Take the time to learn it beyond simple chatbot features or asking it to write a résumé,’ he suggested. ‘Play around, experiment, learn to use tools, build a tool yourself.’
By embracing AI and understanding its role in the hiring process, job seekers can stay ahead of the curve and increase their chances of success.
