The ethical use of AI in interviews, particularly in technical roles, is an increasing focus as AI tools become more sophisticated and widespread. AI is often employed to help candidates prepare for interviews, providing resources like simulated scenarios, potential questions, and model answers. While this can be beneficial in building confidence and refining skills, it also introduces significant ethical dilemmas when the boundary between legitimate preparation and cheating is blurred.
A quick search online reveals a significant amount of easily accessible advice on how to use AI for interview preparation. These resources often include tips on drafting responses, generating code snippets, and simulating live interview experiences. However, this easily accessible guidance can be misused. For instance, candidates might resort to using ChatGPT during a live interview to generate answers or solutions to technical questions in real time. This practice undermines the fairness of the interview process and gives those who rely on AI an unfair advantage over those who depend solely on their own knowledge and skills, and arguably have a deeper knowledge of the technical component that the interviewer is looking to assess.
The use of AI in technical interviews raises serious ethical concerns. These interviews are designed to evaluate a candidate's problem-solving abilities, technical knowledge such as coding expertise or specific platform usage skills, and understanding of complex concepts. When a candidate uses AI to produce answers during the interview, it creates a false representation of their abilities. This not only misleads the interviewer but can also have long-term consequences for the company, such as reduced productivity, increased training costs, and potential project failures if the hired individual lacks the necessary expertise.
Using AI during a live virtual interview also carries the risk that it can be obvious to the interviewer. Telltale signs such as eyes darting around the screen, audible keyboard use, long pauses in conversation, and repeated requests to repeat the question can be giveaways that a candidate is looking up the answers to questions as they are being asked. In isolation, these can be real and valid references to genuine notes that a candidate has made beforehand. However, when combined, it is often clear that the individual is looking to another source to answer the question. Although new technologies are emerging to mask these behaviours, they still tend to be very noticeable to the person conducting the interview.
The misuse of AI in interviews also risks devaluing genuine skills. As more candidates turn to AI for assistance, hiring managers may find it increasingly challenging to distinguish between those who are truly qualified and those who have simply mastered the use of AI tools, and the tools that disguise its use. This situation could lead to a dilution of the standards expected in technical roles, ultimately harming both the industry and the individuals who have honed their skills through genuine effort.
It's essential for recruiters to ensure they are presenting candidates with genuine skills to hiring managers. Consultants are increasingly encountering the use of AI in early interviews and are addressing it openly. No good-quality recruiter would ever recommend a candidate if they believed the individual lacked the required skills or was not being truthful about their capabilities. An open conversation between the candidate and interviewer about the use of AI for specific tasks promotes transparency. This allows for clear decisions on whether AI usage is acceptable or if the candidate's own knowledge is non-negotiable.
Using AI to prepare
Using AI to prepare for interviews in a constructive way involves leveraging these tools to improve your understanding of key concepts and to practice your skills. For instance, AI can help identify gaps in your knowledge by generating challenging questions that mirror the type of queries you might face in an actual interview. You can also use AI-driven code analysis tools to review your coding solutions, offering insights on how to optimise your approach or correct mistakes. These uses of AI are beneficial and align with ethical preparation practices, as they contribute to your overall development and readiness.
However, the line between preparation and cheating is crossed when AI is used during the interview itself to generate answers or solve problems in real time, and the answer is being passed off as genuine knowledge. This misuse of AI can occur when a candidate relies on AI tools to write code, answer technical questions, or generate solutions on the spot, presenting these AI-generated responses as their own work. This not only misrepresents the candidate’s true abilities but also undermines the fairness of the interview process. The interviewer expects to assess the candidate's personal knowledge, skills, and thought processes—not the output of an AI tool.
Another area where AI use can become problematic is when it is used to memorise and regurgitate answers to potential interview questions. While practising with AI-generated questions is ethical, simply memorising answers provided by an AI and reciting them during the interview can border on deception. This approach does not demonstrate genuine understanding or the ability to apply knowledge in new contexts, which are key attributes that interviewers are looking to evaluate.
To maintain ethical integrity, it’s important to use AI as a tool to enhance your skills and knowledge, not as a shortcut to bypass the effort required to succeed on your own merits. In competency-based interviews, genuine situational examples should be used that relate to past employment, particularly because further, deeper questions are often asked. Candidates should focus on using AI to identify and strengthen weak areas, practise problem-solving, and simulate interview conditions. The emphasis should be on learning and improving, ensuring that when you sit down for the interview, the abilities you demonstrate are truly your own.
While AI can undoubtedly enhance interview preparation, its use during live interviews to answer technical questions is ethically problematic. For candidates, the focus should be on using AI to support their learning and preparation, rather than as a crutch to create a false impression of their abilities. The key is to strike a balance where AI is used to enhance, not undermine, the authenticity of the interview process.
Make sure you won’t be discounted from the process due to a breakdown in trust from using AI. Have confidence in yourself and rely on your own knowledge, and if you're feeling nervous, take your time to respond. If you don’t know the answer, be honest and explain which tools you would use in a real-life situation to find the solution. Showing how you would tackle a problem, even if you don’t have the answer immediately, demonstrates resourcefulness and integrity. Ultimately, honesty is always the best approach.