Bijo Thomas recently shared his experience interviewing for a senior AI solutions architect position at Experis, where he encountered an AI avatar named Sophie instead of a human interviewer. Thomas described Sophie as looking human and engaging throughout the conversation. After completing this AI-led interview, he participated in two subsequent rounds with human interviewers and secured the position.
Thomas’s experience illustrates a broader trend in recruitment, as AI technology increasingly moves from merely sorting resumes to conducting initial job interviews. Companies like Coinbase and Zapier are adopting AI to manage the high volume of job applications they receive—Coinbase alone gets approximately 1.5 million applications each year. This reliance on AI is growing in sectors beyond retail and manufacturing, now also targeting white-collar positions.
Despite the trend, many employers are hesitant to disclose their use of AI in the hiring process, largely due to ongoing debates about its implications. Concerns arise regarding whether AI can reduce human bias in hiring or, conversely, may dissuade candidates by stripping away the human element of interviews. Kyle Lagunas, an HR tech analyst, notes that the interview phase is traditionally viewed as the most human aspect of recruitment, leading employers to be cautious about outsourcing this process to AI.
Coinbase implemented AI interviews in August, utilizing an AI known as Milo for positions below the director level, resulting in over 240 new hires based on initial AI screenings. Similarly, Zapier has found success in utilizing AI interviews to screen a much larger applicant pool, identifying candidates who may otherwise have gone unnoticed.
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