AI-powered screening tools are transforming early-stage hiring, forcing applicants to adapt to a new interview gatekeeper.

New data shows companies are heavily relying on AI for hiring, with many using it for first-round job candidate interviews.

According to a 2025 survey by HRTech Outlook, 78% of companies are deploying AI in talent acquisition. Those companies reported a 40% reduction in time-to-hire, the survey noted. A separate study found that 87% of companies rely on AI in at least one hiring component.

With AI hiring on the rise, job candidates should not be surprised when their first interview is with an AI agent.

“The impact of AI on job interviews cannot be overstated,” said Nathan Soto, a career expert at Resume Genius. “Our recent survey of 1,000 hiring managers found that 48% of hiring managers use AI to screen resumes before a human reviews them, and 19% use AI to help them conduct video interviews.

AI interviews usually fall into two main formats: on-demand video or audio recordings, and chat-based interviews.

“Candidates either record their answers or type them out, and the system looks at both the content and the delivery, things like clarity, structure, tone, pacing,” said Jared Navarre, CEO of the business consulting firm Keyni.co, and a creative strategy AI Expert. “Then it compares those responses to whatever ideal profile the company set for the role.”

The result is simple, with a ranked list and a short write-up that a recruiter skims to decide who actually moves forward. “Honestly, it’s a lot more mechanical than people think, but it drives the first cut in most places now,” Navarre said.

That’s a big reason why career experts say AI is reshaping the first-round interview more than any other step in the hiring process.

“Many companies now use automated screeners, one-way video interviews, or AI-driven assessments to handle large applicant volumes,” said Michelle Perchuk, co-founder of New York City-based MTV Coaching, an executive search firm.