In hiring, the newest technology is starting to feel strangely old. AI interviews spread very quickly: Greenhouse’s 2026 report says 63% of U.S. job seekers have already experienced one. But the same report shows a strong backlash against fully automated screening. In the U.S., 38% of candidates say they have already withdrawn from a hiring process because it included an AI interview, and the biggest complaint is the pre-recorded video interview scored by AI with no human present. Just as important, 70% said AI was not clearly disclosed before the interview, and only 18% thought most employers had clear AI policies. (greenhouse.com)
Still, this is not a simple anti-AI story. Only 19% of U.S. candidates say they want less AI in hiring. Many are asking for a better balance instead: clearer explanations, human review of AI decisions, and the option to talk to a real interviewer. That means the current “move away from AI interviews” is really a move away from cold, one-sided, fully automated interviews. Candidates seem more willing to accept AI when it supports the process rather than replacing human contact. (greenhouse.com)
Employers also have legal reasons to slow down. In Illinois, companies that use AI to analyze recorded video interviews must tell applicants in advance, explain the general kinds of characteristics the AI evaluates, and obtain consent. In New York City, certain automated hiring tools cannot be used unless they have passed a recent bias audit and candidates receive notice. At the federal level, the EEOC has warned that AI hiring tools may violate the Americans with Disabilities Act if they disadvantage people with disabilities. (ilga.gov)
There is also a practical problem: trust. Years ago, HireVue stopped using facial analysis after concluding that visual analysis no longer added meaningful value. More recently, some large employers, including Google, Cisco, and McKinsey, brought back in-person interviews for some roles because AI-assisted cheating and even fake candidates have become harder to detect online. So the future of hiring may not be “AI versus humans.” It may be a more careful mix in which technology handles routine tasks, while people take back the most human moment of all: the interview itself. (hirevue.com)










