Preparing for AI Job Interviews
AI Bots Are Increasingly Conducting Job Interviews, Requiring Candidate Preparation and Adaptability
Anonymous
Your next job interview might not involve a human at all. Recruiters are increasingly using AI chatbots, phone bots, and video avatars to screen candidates — and the trend is accelerating fast, according to Associated Press. As of 2025, 99% of hiring managers report using AI in some part of the hiring process, per Insight Global.
The shift is being driven by a flood of AI-generated job applications overwhelming recruiters. Companies say these tools cut hiring time and cost — saving an average of $23,000 per hire, according to Careertrainer.ai. But job seekers are not happy. A full 72% reported negative mental health impacts from automated hiring processes, and 66% of Americans say they would not apply for a job if they knew AI was making the final call, according to Pew Research Center.
How AI Bots Are Taking Over Screening Interviews
Companies are deploying AI at multiple stages of hiring. Some use text or phone chatbots to check basic eligibility. Others go further, using hyper-realistic video avatars that conduct structured first-round interviews, analyze soft skills, and send instant summaries to HR teams, Associated Press reported. By late 2024, 51% of firms were already using AI in hiring — a number projected to hit 70% by end of 2025, according to Resume Builder.
The economic backdrop is key. Economists describe the current job market as "low-hire, low-fire" — companies are keeping workers but not adding many new ones. That creates a bottleneck. Recruiters get buried in applications, many of them AI-generated, and turn to AI tools just to keep up. AI screening can process 75% more applications than manual review, saving teams roughly one full workday per week, according to LinkedIn.
Candidates Feel Uncomfortable — and Experts Say That Is the Point
Many applicants report feeling unsettled when interviewed by an AI avatar. Experts say that discomfort is actually useful data for employers. Candidates who are uneasy may be fraudulent, unprepared, or simply not serious, Associated Press noted. The "creepiness factor" has become a real filter in the process.
Not everyone thinks this is acceptable. Meredith Whittaker of the AI Now Institute called proprietary hiring tech "profoundly disturbing," arguing it has no solid scientific basis for judging workers by their mannerisms, according to The Washington Post. UK government guidance from 2024 warned that AI interviews risk "digital exclusion" — locking out older applicants or people without fast internet and quality video setups, per GOV.UK.
How to Prepare Before Facing an AI Interviewer
Career coach Amanda Augustine says the core rules of interviewing still apply. "The more prepared you are, the easier it will be to tailor your responses," she told Associated Press. Her top advice: use an online interview simulator to practice. These tools mimic timed AI interview formats and help you get comfortable answering questions on a screen with no human feedback.
Other experts suggest using AI tools to research the company before the interview. Greenhouse CEO Daniel Chait recommends having a bot analyze a company's recent reports to help personalize your answers, according to Associated Press. However, Glassdoor chief economist Daniel Zhao warns against leaning too hard on AI-written materials, saying they risk making every applicant "sound the same" — which defeats the purpose of standing out.
Regulators Are Struggling to Keep Pace With AI Hiring Tools
New York City began enforcing Local Law 144 in July 2023. It requires companies to run annual bias audits on AI hiring tools and tell candidates when AI is being used. But New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli called the enforcement "ineffective," saying job seekers still deserve "a fair and transparent process," according to an audit released in 2025.
Oversight is getting patchier at the federal level. The Trump administration rolled back Biden-era AI protections in January 2025, reducing scrutiny of algorithmic bias in hiring, according to Holland & Knight. Meanwhile, the EU is moving the other direction. The EU AI Act classifies recruitment AI as "high-risk" and will begin issuing fines of up to €15 million for violations starting in August 2026, per SQ Magazine.
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