AI is upending the job search process

Another potential sequel on Hollywood’s roadmap: A kid-free Pursuit of Happyness remake documenting the job search of Will Smith and his gritty AI chatbot.

Hiring managers report the number of applications submitted for open positions is on the rise, as job-seekers use chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT to quickly craft keyword-filled resumes, or pay for artificial intelligence agents that autonomously seek out and apply to jobs on their behalf.

• The number of applications submitted on LinkedIn has jumped 45+% over the past year, according to figures reported by the NY Times’ DealBook.
• The platform is now clocking an average of 11,000 applications/minute, with many looking suspiciously similar, according to hiring managers.

On the other hand: Companies are increasingly leaning into AI to filter through this deluge of applicants. One approach? Implementing AI-powered chat or video interviews, a move that Chipotle CEO Scott Boatwright said at a conference this month has reduced the burrito-maker’s hiring time by 75%.

There are downsides to this robo-filled process…There could be bias in the bots. And experts say fake identities + artificial-intelligence personas are increasingly being used to game interviews and secure roles, resulting in AI-vs.-AI interactions similar to the avatar-to-avatar flirting future envisioned by Bumble. A growing number of Fortune 500 companies have unwittingly hired North Korean cyber operatives as remote workers—while a recent Gartner report predicts that by 2028, one in every four job applicants will be made up.