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Results of the Most Comprehensive Study on AI Interviews

A field study conducted with 70,884 candidates reveals how AI interviews are transforming the hiring process.

Mei SullivanMei Sullivanยท
AI interview research visual
1. Introduction: The Great Hiring Experiment

The world of recruitment is undergoing a transformation unlike anything seen before, driven by the touch of technology. Many organizations have already set aside traditional interview methods and begun incorporating AI-powered voice assistants into their processes. But how are candidates responding to this radical change?

A field study conducted by Jabarian and Henkel in 2026, encompassing a full 70,884 candidates, presents data that challenges all preconceptions on this topic. This massive study proves that artificial intelligence is fundamentally changing the interview experience. However, there is a critical strategic detail here: AI only manages the information-gathering phase, while final hiring decisions are still made by human managers. This "human-in-the-loop" model combines the power of technology with human judgment.

2. Why Do Candidates Prefer AI Interviews?

While many assume that candidates would always prefer speaking with a human, Jabarian and Henkel's data paints an entirely different picture. A surprising 78% of candidates who were given a choice preferred AI over a human interviewer. The key reasons behind this decision include:

  • Lower stress and comfort: Research findings show that candidates find interviewing with AI far less stressful and more "relaxing."
  • Flexibility: AI offers candidates the flexibility to schedule 24/7 and complete interviews at any time they wish.
  • Negative sorting: The data also reflects a significant risk: candidates with lower language and analytical test scores were more inclined to prefer AI. This "negative sorting" phenomenon stands out as a factor that HR strategists should consider when designing screening processes.
3. The AI Effect on Success Rates

AI interviews don't just put candidates at ease; they also directly improve hiring outcomes. According to data from the Jabarian and Henkel study, the success record of AI interviews is as follows:

  • Candidates interviewed by AI had a 12% higher likelihood of receiving a job offer.
  • These candidates showed an 18% higher rate of actually starting the job.
  • Candidates selected by AI had 18% higher retention rates in the first month.
  • Research results show that those who went through AI-assisted interviews demonstrated 17% higher commitment in the second month, 16% in the third month, and 17% in the fourth month (though these differences lose statistical significance in later months as the sample size decreases).
4. A Fairer Process: Reduction in Discrimination

One of AI's greatest contributions to recruitment is objectivity. According to the study's data, the rate of reported gender-based discrimination in AI interviews was 3.30%, compared to 5.98% in human interviews. In other words, AI nearly cuts the perception of discrimination in interviews in half. The linguistic details behind this success are noteworthy: AI achieves a more "sustained conversational exchange" from candidates while minimizing "backchannel" responses like "uh-huh" that human interviewers frequently use, which can disrupt the candidate's flow or signal bias.

5. "Controlled Variance" and Efficiency

To understand how AI improves interview quality, we need to look at the concept of "controlled variance." This technology doesn't trap the interview in a completely mechanical scenario; instead, it remains responsive to the candidate's answers while never departing from the organizational framework. The efficiency of the process can be summarized as follows:

  • Guideline adherence: AI performed better than 83% to 100% of human interviewers in adhering to organizational interview guidelines.
  • Structured consistency: While AI interviews are more structured, they remain highly responsive to each candidate's individual responses.
  • Consistent efficiency: Performance metrics such as satisfaction and duration for those who went through AI interviews remained at the same level as those who went through human interviews. In other words, quality increased without sacrificing efficiency.
6. Conclusion: The Future Hiring Strategy

AI is no longer just a cost-saving tool in hiring processes; it is a strategic force that improves the quality of candidate-job matching. However, there are "human" barriers to this transformation. Research shows that 36% of HR professionals harbor a "recruiter bias" against the technology, predicting that AI candidates would be less successful. Yet the data proves these concerns to be unfounded.

Of course, the process is not flawless. Technical glitches occur in 7% of interviews, and 5% of candidates refuse to speak with a machine. Still, the 78% preference rate and increasing retention data are setting the direction for the future.

For companies, adapting to this transformation appears to be not just a technology investment, but also a responsibility to build a fairer and more efficient working world.

7. References

Jabarian, B., & Henkel, L. (2026). Voice AI in Firms: A Natural Field Experiment on Automated Job Interviews. University of Chicago & Erasmus University Rotterdam.