Artificial intelligence usage is on the rise. One of AI’s newest applications is interviewing job applicants. Some people are disturbed.
404 Media reported on one interviewee’s experience with the technology. Jack Ryan was an unimpressed interviewee when he had to speak to the non-humans.
In a short online clip, Ryan was observed speaking to an AI “woman” avatar on a webcam.
The red-haired avatar prompts Ryan to answer interview questions in a specific way to aid with the technology’s process.
“I find it helps when candidates tell me a story in answering the questions.”
The technology continues with standard interview questions,” I’m looking for examples from your work experience.”
Ryan is seemingly uncomfortable with the interaction. He worries that, as a person with disabilities, he may not get a fair shake without human interaction. Ryan believes that being evaluated on answers only may immediately disqualify some candidates like him. The job-seeker spoke about his apprehension when answering questions about his health.
“As a disabled individual who is reliant on remote work, I am already concerned about openly stating I am disabled in the forms that companies put at the end of their job applications,” he explained to 404
. “To add an AI component into this mix, I imagine, would have the opposite effect of [diversity, equity, and inclusion].”Ryan’s concerns are valid, as the public has little data available on how using AI in this manner affects potential workers.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, a social media user posted about applicants using AI to answer interview questions. As many places of employment still offer human-to-human interaction, the user warns against using AI for an interview.
The post stresses the importance of intonation and facial features as indicators employers use to decide on a potential new hire. The caption reads as a message to applicants:
Dear Applicants:
“We can tell when you’re reading right from a script that AI created for you during the interview, and it’s weird. We want to hire a real person and hear how you really speak on the fly with words and cadence from your own brain.”
AI technology appears to be here to stay. The technology is currently being used to summarize college lectures, create notes, write Sports Illustrated articles, and function as personal assistants, among other things. It may be time to stop resisting and hop on board.
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