More job seekers are meeting a bot before they meet a person. TestGorilla’s 2025 report found that 65% of employers use AI somewhere in hiring, and 20% already use AI to interview candidates. LinkedIn has also launched an early-stage AI interview feature for Hiring Pro: recruiters can invite applicants to complete a voice or video screening as the first step, then receive a transcript, an AI summary, and a rating. The goal is easy to understand: companies want to screen large numbers of applicants faster, and candidates can answer when it is convenient for them. (testgorilla.com)
But speed is not the whole story. Many people still feel nervous when a machine helps judge them. Gartner reported in July 2025 that only 26% of job applicants trust AI to evaluate them fairly, while 32% worry that AI could wrongly fail their application. Companies know this is a serious issue. LinkedIn says its AI screening interviews are optional, and candidates are not automatically disqualified if they choose not to take part. HireVue also says its video assessments do not use facial analysis, video, or audio data to score candidates; instead, it evaluates only the transcript of what they say. These AI interviews are usually used early in the process, while humans still make the final hiring decision. (gartner.com)
Rules are growing, too. In New York City, employers cannot use an automated hiring tool unless it has had a bias audit within the last year, the audit information is public, and candidates receive notice. US federal disability guidance also warns that AI hiring tools can unfairly screen out qualified people with disabilities, so employers may need accessible tests or other adjustments. In other words, AI interviews are spreading, but trust, fairness, and human oversight matter more than ever. For job seekers, the lesson is clear: the first interviewer may be a bot, so clear examples and calm communication are becoming important new job-hunt skills. (nyc.gov)









