'Having AI interview me for a job felt wrong'

A comedian and writer says he turned down a job interview after learning the questions would be coming from Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Richard Stott, from Beverley, East Yorkshire, said he had applied for a freelance copywriting role but turned down the interview after he was told it would be "led by AI".

"It didn't sit well so I told them if interviewing in person wasn't worth their time then the role wasn't worth mine and I left it," he said.

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) said employers need to "strike the right balance between AI and human interaction when hiring".

Mr Stott, who is a freelancer, voiced his concerns about the AI interview on social media and said he received "unanimous support" from people saying it was "not a good idea".

"It felt disrespectful that they weren't willing to put time into speaking to candidates," he added.

"When you're going into a company or team personality is important and you can't quantify that in data, so to have AI remove that seems counterintuitive."

Despite this, Mr Stott said AI "can be fantastic" when used correctly, such as taking away jobs that are laborious.

"Not everyone can turn down a job interview but if they're using AI and enough of us say no then it won't take off," he added.

Luke Bottomley, 37, director at James Ray Recruitment in East Yorkshire, said AI was becoming "increasingly important".

"I think AI will be something that needs to be integrated into business or they will be left behind.

"It's on a one-way train at the moment and everyone needs to be looking at it.

"That said, when it comes to the human element, I don't think it will be replaced."

Mr Bottomley explained that using AI for job applications would mean that businesses "will miss out on potentially exceptional candidates".

"Having a one-to-one interview gives the chance to know an individual and what they can bring to a role, you can't get that through a robot," he added.

Hayfa Mohdzaini, senior technology adviser at CIPD, which is the professional body for HR and people development, said: "Employers need to strike the right balance between AI and human interaction when hiring and consider candidate preferences so that they don't miss out on great talent.

"While an AI chatbot might be a cost-effective option for an employer, it might put off some candidates from applying.

"Employers should tell candidates upfront when AI will be used and explain how it will benefit them."

Additional reporting by Richard Madden and Eleanor Maslin.

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