Are candidates using AI to pass interviews? And… should we be okay with that?
Ashish Tripathi
Strategic Associate Product Executive | Driving Innovation & Growth in Marketing, E-commerce, and Energy Commodities | Expert in Product-Market Fit & Cross-Functional Leadership
Are candidates using AI to pass interviews? And… should we be okay with that?
A friend recently interviewed a candidate and, mid-answer, she heard an AI-generated voice. The candidate panicked, muted, and then stumbled through a response. At first, my friend gave her the benefit of the doubt—maybe her phone glitched? But later, she noticed something strange: another candidate gave the exact same answer to the same behavioral question. AI was in the interview room.
I’m conflicted. I advocate for AI—it’s a tool, not a threat. I also struggled with interviews myself, once missing a promotion because I bombed the process. So, I get it. Interviews are stressful. But if AI is answering for you, are you demonstrating your experience—or just your ability to use ChatGPT?
Gen AI For Behavioral Questions
To explore this, I ran an experiment. I took a behavioral question and fed it into three AI tools—ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude—using a real resume. Here’s how they answered:
?? Claude: Gave a broad, structured response based on cross-cultural collaboration at Boeing, focusing on process improvements.
?? Perplexity: Framed a conflict at Annalect, aligning analytics and marketing teams with measurable business impact.
?? ChatGPT: Used the STAR method, balancing stability vs. speed in a software rewrite, with a clear business outcome.
At first glance, these seem great. They’re structured, detailed, and even include metrics. But here’s the issue: none of these are truly personal. AI can shape an answer, but it can’t replicate your thought process, emotions, or the messy reality of conflict resolution.
So, here’s my tip for using AI for When prepping for interviews:: Make it personal. ?? Use AI to structure your answer, but rewrite it in your own words. ?? Bring in emotions: How did the conflict feel? How did you grow? ?? Add personal details AI wouldn’t know—specific interactions, surprises, or pivots.
My Own Powerful Interview Tip
I may be bad at interviewing, but I do have one tip that I believe works. I always ask two questions at the end of the interview:
Can AI Help with This Approach?
Let’s see if AI can enhance my interview tip. I asked ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude how to approach the two questions.
?? Claude: Suggested responding with confidence and reframing gaps as opportunities for growth.
?? Perplexity: Recommended aligning skills with the job description and using data-driven responses.
?? ChatGPT: Focused on the importance of storytelling, urging candidates to emphasize impact over responsibilities.
Each of these approaches has merit, but again, AI can only do so much. The ability to adapt in real time, read the interviewer’s body language, and create a connection is something only you can do.
Takeaways
??AI can help structure answers but not replace authenticity.
??Asking the right questions at the end of an interview can reveal red flags.
??Conflicts in interviews aren’t bad—they provide clarity.
??Your unique experiences and problem-solving approach matter more than a perfectly structured AI response.
Final Thought: Should We Accept AI-Assisted Answers in Interviews?
What do you think? Should candidates use AI to assist with interviews, or does this cross a line? Let’s discuss!
Product Owner- Mobile Apps @ BQE Software | Ex- QA
2 周I don’t see a considerable harm in candidates taking the assistance of AI for interviews when they are going to use it anyway for most of their work after getting the job (with or without AI help). However, we need to understand to what extent can AI be used to assist. As long as it only assists and not replaces the candidates in the process, it should be acceptable. With the noise around AI replacing humans in various jobs, has it already started replacing candidates in the interviews? Haha times will tell! ??