Almost 4 in 10 job candidates have dropped out of hiring events due to AI involvement

(SeaPRwire) –   Good morning!

Employees are concerned about AI replacing their jobs—and it appears they also dislike when AI is used in the screening process for positions. Virtual avatars and chatbots have now entered interview stages, leading some candidates to withdraw from consideration altogether.

According to a recent report by Greenhouse—a company that provides hiring software—about 63% of U.S. job seekers have participated in an AI interview, marking a 13% increase from just six months prior. Sharawn Tipton, chief people officer at Greenhouse, told HR professionals that organizations are using AI interviewers to “filter the flood” of applications amid a highly competitive job market.

“Recruiters are overwhelmed and fear being replaced. There’s a trust gap on both sides, and technology is advancing faster than change management can keep up. No one is explaining to candidates how the process has changed,” Tipton said. “The burden of all of this falls most heavily on candidates.”

However, many find the use of AI interviews deeply unappealing: approximately 38% of candidates have already withdrawn from a hiring process due to the inclusion of an AI interview, and another 12% say they would drop out if required to complete one. Even those who proceed often face uncertain outcomes—about 51% of candidates who completed an AI interview were either ghosted entirely or are still awaiting a response. It should be noted that the report did not provide comparative data against human-led interviews, which have also resulted in applicants going unanswered.

Tipton warned that poor experiences with AI interviewing could harm employers; candidates may share negative encounters with friends or post about them on social media.

“Candidates aren’t rejecting AI itself. They’re leaving because of bad experiences caused by poorly designed AI tools. They feel processed rather than valued,” the Greenhouse executive explained. “I recently spoke with someone who received a rejection email so harshly worded it made her feel insignificant.”

Tipton described the current AI-enabled interviewing process as an “arms race, not a hiring process.” Job seekers feel forced into a numbers game just to get noticed, while hiring managers deploy AI to quickly sort through thousands of resumes. In moving forward with AI interviews, Tipton advises employers to pause and evaluate their hiring practices. She recommends ensuring that human judgment reviews AI assessments and offering candidates the option to speak with a human interviewer.

“There’s too much focus on [AI] efficiency and productivity, without considering who benefits—and who doesn’t,” Tipton added, noting that it could widen the gap between candidates who receive coaching on these tools and those who do not. “If employers aren’t intentional about fairness now, AI hiring will accelerate existing inequities more rapidly than the industry has been trying to overcome them.”

Emma Burleigh
Success Reporter
emma.burleigh@.com