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Javier Pastor
Senior WriterComputer scientist turned tech journalist. I've written about almost everything related to technology, but I specialize in hardware, operating systems and cryptocurrencies. I like writing about tech so much that I do it both for Xataka and Incognitosis, my personal blog.
Alba Mora
WriterAn established tech journalist, I entered the world of consumer tech by chance in 2018. In my writing and translating career, I've also covered a diverse range of topics, including entertainment, travel, science, and the economy.
A young woman named Ken recently posted a 25-second video on her TikTok account that quickly went viral. In the video, she shared her experience during a job interview. The issue was that the recruiter wasn’t a real person, but rather a virtual assistant that began to malfunction.
Interviews conducted by robots. Both recruiters and candidates use AI to navigate an already flawed selection process. However, the implications for candidates are far more severe. Individuals searching for jobs are used to a dehumanizing experience, often facing unresponsive recruiters and disjointed procedures. With the introduction of AI, these challenges are only getting worse.
A hallucinating interviewer. In a conversation with 404 Media, Ken shared her unsettling experience with the bot, developed by AI company Apriora. During the job interview, she watched as the virtual avatar got stuck and repeated the phrase “vertical bar pilates” 14 times for no apparent reason.
@its_ken04 It was genuinely so creepy and weird. Please stop trying to be lazy and have AI try to do YOUR JOB!!! It gave me the creeps so bad #fyp ♬ original sound - Its Ken 🤍
A creepy experience. Although the company had warned Ken that AI would be involved in the selection process, it did little to ease her discomfort. “I thought it was really creepy and I was freaked out. I didn’t find it funny at all until I had posted it on TikTok and the comments made me feel better,” she told the outlet.
The video has already garnered more than 3,600 comments, with a unanimous display of support for Ken. Many viewers reached similar conclusions about the troubling state of the job interview process.
No more AI interviewers. Ken has made it clear that “if another company wants me to talk to AI, I will just decline.” Many of those who commented on her video echoed similar sentiments. One comment said, “If they’re not taking the time to interview me, I’m not taking the time to try to work there.” Another user, who had responded to an offer for a position in HR, shared, “Why would I want to work HUMAN resources for a company that won’t even dignify me with human interaction?”
The promise of robot recruiters. Founded in 2023, Apriora claims that its robotic recruiters can help companies “hire 87% faster” and “interview 93% cheaper” by allowing multiple candidates to be interviewed simultaneously. Co-founder Aaron Wang told Forbes, “Job seekers prefer interviewing with AI in many cases, since knowing the interviewer is AI helps to reduce interviewing anxiety, allowing job seekers to perform at their best.”
@petobsessed777 Should I email them? I was expecting a real human. They didnt tell me ahead of time theyd use AI. #ai ♬ original sound - Freddie
Widespread rejection of AI interviews. Slate reported on the experience of videographer Tyler Jensen, who found himself bogged down during an interview with an AI.
Other users who have undergone this process have responded by posting spoof and satirical memes and videos on TikTok, trying to highlight the increasingly dehumanizing experience. Many express their disappointment at discovering an AI agent is interviewing them. They share an overall sentiment of frustration regarding the growing dehumanization of an already challenging and often demoralizing process.
What the experts say. Mike Peditto, a consultant specializing in interviewing practices, explains that technology can certainly assist in screening candidates. He emphasized that this trend is only going to grow: “It’s becoming a huge thing. I do think we’re heading to where [being interviewed by an AI agent] will be pretty commonplace.” However, he also acknowledged that “there’s a slow willingness to adopt [this technology] by job seekers, which I totally understand.”
AI everywhere. Artificial intelligence has long impacted the job search landscape. Interviews are just one part of the process. Candidates often seek to ease their workload by applying to multiple positions simultaneously and using AI to create and tailor their resumes for each job. Moreover, candidates may use tools like ChatGPT to simulate interactions with recruiters. While AI can be helpful, it also introduces new challenges for both job seekers and employers.
Algorithms can fail. There are dangers in delegating certain processes to machines and algorithms, particularly in job searches. For months, some companies have used AI systems to analyze and filter resumes. A study from the University of Washington revealed that these AI systems favor resumes with traditionally male names associated with Caucasian men 85% of the time. The same study indicated that Black men face significant disadvantages, being rejected by these systems almost 100% of the time.
Image | Lynn Van den Broeck
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