After years of relying heavily on virtual recruitment, Google is making a major shift in its hiring practices. The tech giant has announced plans to bring back in-person job interviews, a move backed by CEO Sundar Pichai, as concerns grow over the misuse of artificial intelligence tools during online assessments.
Virtual interviews became a standard practice during the pandemic, streamlining hiring and saving costs for companies worldwide. But with AI technology now readily available, a new challenge has emerged: candidates using AI-powered tools to cheat their way through interviews. This growing issue has prompted Google to rethink its approach and reintroduce face-to-face assessments to ensure fairer evaluations.
The shift gained momentum earlier this year when Google employees raised the issue during an internal town hall meeting. According to a CNBC report, one employee asked, “Can we get onsite job interviews back? There are many email threads about this topic. If budget is a constraint, can we get the candidates to an office or environment we can control?”
Brian Ong, Google’s Vice President of Recruiting, admitted the company is grappling with this new problem. While online interviews shortened hiring timelines by nearly two weeks, Ong noted they lacked the depth and authenticity of in-person sessions. “We definitely have more work to do to integrate how AI is now more prevalent in the interview process,” he said.
The push for change received full backing from Sundar Pichai. Speaking on the Lex Fridman podcast in June, Pichai said the hybrid work culture also calls for hybrid hiring. “Given we all work hybrid, I think it’s worth thinking about some fraction of the interviews being in person. I think it’ll help both the candidates understand Google’s culture and I think it’s good for both sides,” he explained.
To strengthen the process, Pichai confirmed that at least one round of in-person interviews will become mandatory for roles requiring hands-on skills, such as coding. “We are making sure we’ll introduce at least one round of in-person interviews for people, just to make sure the fundamentals are there,” he added.
Google is not alone in tackling AI-related cheating. Across industries, companies are taking similar steps to protect recruitment integrity. Amazon has started requiring candidates to formally acknowledge they will not use AI during interviews. Anthropic, an AI safety company, has banned AI use outright in hiring processes. Consulting firms like McKinsey and Deloitte, along with tech players such as Cisco, have also reinstated in-person interviews for certain positions. Deloitte, for instance, has already brought back in-person sessions for its graduate hiring program in the UK.
Reports indicate that more than half of job applicants at some organizations are suspected of turning to unauthorized AI tools during online interviews. With AI becoming more advanced, companies fear that virtual hiring might no longer reflect a candidate’s real abilities.
Google’s decision marks a pivotal moment in recruitment trends across the tech sector. By reintroducing in-person assessments, the company aims to restore authenticity, ensure candidates demonstrate genuine skills, and preserve the integrity of its hiring process.