AI avatars enter the job interview
For some job candidates, using AI in the application process is a reaction to a system that’s grown more machine than human.
Recruiters are encountering a peculiar breed of applicants in today's job market: artificial intelligence, or AI, avatars. These digital humans mimic the voice and appearance of a real job candidate, yet are in truth, a synthetic representation. According to Sydney-based recruiter Lana Kersanava, such AI avatars have surfaced in her interviews over the past six months.
She recounts the initial encounter as feeling oddly realistic, despite recognizing it was not a genuine human presence. After listening to the avatar's overly polished responses to a series of questions, Kersanava concluded the interview and eliminated the candidate from consideration. In the three interviews she conducted with AI avatar applicants, the candidates had applied for English-speaking roles, yet were non-native speakers.
They relied on AI to compensate for their language deficiencies. However, some candidates appear to leverage AI in the hiring process as a response to a system that has become increasingly mechanized. Applicant tracking systems employ AI to sift through resumes, and recruiters themselves may utilize AI avatars for initial interviews.
Written by urgent.news from Semafor's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
