Robots hiring robots? Applicant tracking systems (ATS) — AI-powered software applications that facilitate and automate the recruitment process, namely the filtration of resumes — have been steadily rising in popularity and use since the early 2010s. Today, ATS systems are the rule rather than the exception, with a market size estimated to surpass USD 6.2 bn globally by 2031, according to a report by global research firm The Insight Partners cited by PR Newswire.

ATS isn’t the only AI involved in the hiring process. Advancements in AI have led to more automated recruitment processes seeing the light of day, including AI-led phone interviews and video interviews requiring jobseekers to record themselves answering pre-determined questions to be assessed by the AI, with no human influence from the hiring company.

Jobseekers today are counting on the absence of human input to “hack the system.” In a recently published opinion piece in the Financial Times, columnist Sarah O’Connor writes of the rising attempts by applicants to “bluff their way through online assessments,” by way of AI tools. Many jobseekers have begun utilising language processing models to generate on-the-spot answers that are deemed “ideal” by artificial intelligence to counter the automations in place, with video tutorials flooding social media. Some software developers have even created tools designed to alter facial expressions in real time to help applicants avoid looking like they’re reading from a script during these interviews.

Is this the new norm? According to HRD America, one in five US employees have used AI tools during job interviews. In a report published by Resume Builder in October 2024, the app notes that of 948 business leaders surveyed, over half already used AI in hiring, with seven out of 10 planning to implement the technology throughout 2025, bumping the total to 68%. In the process, the companies will be letting AI reject candidates without human oversight, despite potential bias.

Recruiters are mad that jobseekers are playing their game. Employers are overwhelmed by the number of AI-fueled applications, leading to more rejections, further fueling said applications in an “AI arms race,” the salmon-backed newspaper writes.

So, who’s really winning here? Live in-person technical assessments with human supervision may be on their way back, according to FT. Forbes, however, argues that this is just the beginning — that a world where talent is sourced, evaluated, and hired without humaninterference is imminent, and that human recruiters may find themselves on the other side of the door.

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