Would you trust AI to do your job interview?

Where AI is concerned in replacing human-led tasks, 43% of Americans draw the line at interviewing for a job with one, according to new research.

An exclusive survey conducted for Newsweek by Talker Research explored sentiments around AI job interviews.

The survey, conducted between Oct. 21-24, 2024, sampled 1,000 Americans, with results showing that 43% expressed discomfort with the idea of AI conducting a job interview.

A third of respondents were more open to the idea, with 32% saying they’d feel comfortable with AI leading their interview process.

On the other hand, one in four are left undecided, unsure of what that might even look like (26%).

From a generational standpoint, older survey-takers were the likeliest to be uncomfortable with AI leading a job interview, with baby boomers leading that group (56%) and 40% of Gen X sharing the same sentiment.

Lars Nyman, chief marketing officer of CUDO Compute, provided insight into why this may be the case.

“The discomfort stems from a fundamental fear of dehumanization and loss of dignity; it's akin to pitching your life story to a vending machine," Nyman told Newsweek. “Certain AI applications, like scheduling or data analysis, are welcomed because they simplify life without stripping it of its human touch. In contrast, when AI steps into roles requiring empathy and judgment, like job interviews, the reception is chillier.”

However, Philip Gjørup, co-founder of Nord Comms, sees potential for AI to aid in hiring.

"I believe it is very likely that AI will be used for job interviews in the near future, as companies can train AI to identify precisely the attributes and qualifications they seek," Gjørup said to Newsweek.

Additionally, Nyman supported the idea that AI may help speed up the process and provide insight on how AI is already being used within hiring processes.

"The leap to AI-led interviews was only a matter of time," Nyman said.

However, he added that job interviews are inherently personal, requiring the kind of nuanced interpersonal skills that current AI still struggles to interpret, with Gjørup backing the sentiment that AI isn’t infallible.

"That said, it's unlikely that AI will completely replace human interviewers — at least for now," Gjørup said.

Survey methodology:

Talker Research surveyed 1,000 general population Americans; the survey was commissioned by Newsweek and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between Oct. 21 and Oct. 24, 2024.

We are sourcing from a non-probability frame and the two main sources we use are:

• Traditional online access panels — where respondents opt-in to take part in online market research for an incentive
• Programmatic — where respondents are online and are given the option to take part in a survey to receive a virtual incentive usually related to the online activity they are engaging in

Those who did not fit the specified sample were terminated from the survey. As the survey is fielded, dynamic online sampling is used, adjusting targeting to achieve the quotas specified as part of the sampling plan.

Regardless of which sources a respondent came from, they were directed to an Online Survey, where the survey was conducted in English; a link to the questionnaire can be shared upon request. Respondents were awarded points for completing the survey. These points have a small cash-equivalent monetary value.

Cells are only reported on for analysis if they have a minimum of 80 respondents, and statistical significance is calculated at the 95% level. Data is not weighted, but quotas and other parameters are put in place to reach the desired sample.

Interviews are excluded from the final analysis if they failed quality-checking measures. This includes:

• Speeders: Respondents who complete the survey in a time that is quicker than one-third of the median length of interview are disqualified as speeders
• Open ends: All verbatim responses (full open-ended questions as well as other please specify options) are checked for inappropriate or irrelevant text
• Bots: Captcha is enabled on surveys, which allows the research team to identify and disqualify bots
• Duplicates: Survey software has “deduping” based on digital fingerprinting, which ensures nobody is allowed to take the survey more than once

It is worth noting that this survey was only available to individuals with internet access, and the results may not be generalizable to those without internet access.