Amazon Bans AI Tools in Job Interviews to Ensure Fairness and Skill Assessment

Amazon has banned the use of artificial intelligence tools during job interviews, as reported by Business Insider, referencing internal documents from the e-commerce giant. The company specifically criticizes real-time assistance tools that act as prompts for candidates, stating that chatbots provide an «unfair advantage» and hinder the accurate assessment of actual skills.

«To ensure a fair and transparent hiring process, please refrain from using AI tools during the interview unless explicitly permitted. Violating these guidelines could result in disqualification from the hiring process,» the company’s recommendations state.

Amazon has shared several tips with interviewers to help identify the use of AI tools. For instance, a candidate who is typing in response to questions may raise a red flag. Other indicators include reading responses instead of answering naturally and a wandering gaze during the interview.

Concerns were sparked by the hiring of an individual at Amazon who reportedly used a coding assistant during their interview, according to a source from Business Insider.

Telecommunications, media, and communications analyst Ian Silvera warns that the reliance on such tools not only leads to robotic and formulaic responses from candidates but also encourages them to depend even more on these solutions, thus limiting their own skill development.

Chainey Hamilton, a representative from research firm Bloor Research, pointed out that using these tools does not enhance a candidate’s or employee’s long-term knowledge. She likened this practice to cheating on exams: while it may result in passing the test, it doesn’t prove genuine understanding of the material.

Amazon is not the only company restricting candidates’ use of AI. The AI startup Anthropic has also implemented a ban on the use of AI at any stage of the application process, explaining that it aims to gauge the genuine interest of potential employees in Anthropic without the influence of AI systems.