What was once the norm during the pandemic, remote hiring is now facing new challenges as candidates increasingly turn to AI for support in interviews. The concern has become widespread enough that big global firms are responding. Companies like Google, Cisco, and McKinsey are reinstating in-person rounds to evaluate applicants based on their own merit without reliance on AI tools.

However, to strike a balance, some organisations are experimenting with hybrid approaches. Microsoft, for instance, allows candidates to use AI tools during specific stages of the recruitment process, such as take-home projects, while reserving in-person sessions to evaluate unassisted skills.

According to Puneet Chandok, president of Microsoft India and South Asia, the company is integrating AI across its recruitment and HR processes while ensuring human involvement at every stage.

“AI helps in the process with the human in the loop always,” Chandok told AIM in an exclusive interview. “Our recruitment processes…are using AI where required to complement and augment capabilities, but always keep a human in the loop.”

On whether candidates themselves are allowed to use AI during the hiring process, Chandok confirmed there are no restrictions. He linked this approach to Microsoft’s emphasis on AI fluency. 

“You need a workforce that is fluent in AI, that knows how to work with the tools and build these new agents,” Chandok said. “Every time I’m looking at hiring and interviewing people, I go really deep into the AI skills that they bring to the table, because that’s what you need.”

Chandok also clarified that interviews are not entirely conducted in person. “It’s a combination. We’re using AI as part of all our processes, including hiring, and always with the human in the loop,” he said.

Meanwhile, earlier in June, Google CEO Sundar Pichai said on the Lex Fridman podcast that the company is reintroducing at least one round of in-person interviews, particularly for engineering and programming roles. The move comes in response to the widespread use of AI tools by candidates during virtual technical interviews, where more than half have been suspected of using AI to cheat in real-time coding assessments.

Pichai explained that in-person assessments are essential to confirm whether candidates truly possess the computer science fundamentals and technical depth required for the role, something that AI-assisted virtual interviews make harder to evaluate. He added that this hybrid approach will also give candidates a clearer sense of Google’s culture while offering interviewers a more reliable way to verify technical competencies.

Why Tech Giants are Returning to Face-to-Face

An NVIDIA engineer told AIM that in-person interviews are becoming increasingly important in the age of AI, as subtle cues often reveal when candidates are relying on external help. He noted that behaviours such as avoiding eye contact with the camera or constantly shifting their gaze are clear signs. He also pointed out that tools like CoderPad are being used to conduct technical interviews.

CoderPad is an online platform that allows candidates to write, execute and debug code in real time while being observed by interviewers. Often described as a “virtual whiteboard for coding”, it has become one of the most widely used tools for live programming assessments.

Similarly, Ankush Sabharwal, CEO of Corover.ai, told AIM that at their startup, they ensure at least one of the rounds is in-person. “Face-to-face interactions provide invaluable insights that technology can’t replicate. Micro expressions and body language reveal a wealth of information about a person, which humans are biologically trained to pick up on,” he said. 

Citing examples of instances where he realised candidates were misusing AI to cheat, he said, “I’ve noticed situations where candidates almost read out AI-generated answers. The responses are polished and bookish but lack depth, spontaneity and a personal touch.”

Sabharwal observed that many candidates struggle to think on their feet. When asked to expand or think aloud, they often falter. He noted that while AI can provide quick information, it cannot replace genuine knowledge, skills, vision and lived experience.

However, he clarified that the company still uses AI for the hiring process. “We use AI to handle repetitive tasks like resume parsing, skill matching and preliminary assessments. Once a candidate passes that stage, I believe in meaningful conversations, whether in person or over video, where we focus on cultural fit, problem-solving ability, stress-handling and authenticity. AI makes hiring faster, but humans make it more meaningful.”

A Rebalancing Act

Notably, not all firms discourage AI in interviews. One candidate on Reddit recalled, “I was told I could use anything—Google, ChatGPT, etc—just had to keep it on the shared screen. I explained my logic, used ChatGPT to get the right line of code, pasted it, made a few changes, tested it, and it worked from all angles.”

The return of in-person interviews does not signal a rejection of AI altogether. Most companies continue to use automation and AI to screen resumes or conduct early-stage assessments. However, final decisions are increasingly shifting back into physical spaces where authenticity is harder to fake.

Several AI startups are offering their services in the hiring process. 

In a previous interaction with AIM, Rahul Veerwal, CEO and founder of GetWork, said the company eliminates the first three steps of traditional hiring, which usually consume around 80% of the time spent on recruitment. These steps include matching resumes to job descriptions, conducting initial calls to gather missing data such as salary expectations or shift preferences and assessing soft skills like communication.

For candidates, the message is clear. Using AI as a preparation tool may help polish responses, but relying on it during interviews can be counterproductive. Recruiters are getting better at spotting overly rehearsed or machine-like answers. What stands out now is the ability to think on one’s feet, build trust and engage naturally in conversation.

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