AI Interviews Are Perceived as Fairer – New Study with 760 Applicants

AI interviews are often viewed critically. Many discussions focus on trust, bias, or the lack of human interaction.

However, a recent study from ScienceDirect / Elsevier (2025) shows a much more nuanced picture:

👉 AI interviews can be perceived as fairer than human interviews.

The Study: 3 Experiments, 760 Participants

The study “Applicant reactions to AI-based interviews” systematically examines how candidates react to AI interviews.

👉 Link to the study

Study design:

• 3 controlled experiments
• total sample: 760 participants

Comparison:

• AI-based interviews
• human interviews

👉 Goal: To understand when and why candidates accept AI interviews.

Key Finding: AI Interviews Increase Perceived Fairness

The most important result of the study:

👉 AI-based interviews lead to higher fairness expectations among candidates.

This means candidates are more likely to assume that AI:

• evaluates more objectively
• is more consistent
• is less influenced by personal biases

👉 A critical point, since fairness is one of the most important drivers of acceptance in recruiting.

Why AI Interviews Are Seen as Fairer

The study identifies two key mechanisms:

1. Standardization

AI interviews:

• ask the same questions
• follow clear structures

👉 Result: less arbitrariness in the process

2. Reduced Subjectivity

Compared to human interviews:

• less influence of personal sympathy
• fewer spontaneous biases

👉 Candidates therefore expect a more neutral evaluation.

But: Acceptance Is Not the Same for Everyone

One particularly interesting insight from the study:

👉 The perception of AI interviews depends on the candidate.

• Candidates with strong cognitive abilities:
  → view AI interviews especially positively
  → expect high fairness
• Candidates with strong social / interpersonal skills:
  → are more concerned that their individuality may be lost

👉 Conclusion: AI interviews are perceived differently—but not fundamentally rejected.

What This Means for AI Interviews

The study highlights an important shift:

👉 AI is not only accepted—
👉 in certain contexts, it is even evaluated more positively than humans

This challenges many traditional assumptions.

Connection to Other Recent Studies

These findings align with recent field experiments:

• In a large study with ~70,000 candidates:
  → 78% voluntarily chose AI interviews
• Candidates rate:
  → AI and human interviews similarly in quality

👉 Together, this creates a clear picture:

AI interviews are not only accepted—
they can be actively preferred.

Conclusion: Fairness Is the Key to Acceptance

Key takeaways:

• AI interviews create higher expectations of fairness
• Candidates perceive AI as more objective and consistent
• Acceptance strongly depends on individual profiles

👉 The key insight: Not the technology itself—but how it is perceived.

What This Means in Practice

This leads to a clear strategy for AI interviews:

👉 Successful AI interviews must:

• feel fair
• be transparent
• follow structured processes

Because these factors drive acceptance.

TL;DR

• Study with 760 participants (3 experiments)
• AI interviews are perceived as fairer
• Fairness is the most important driver of acceptance

👉 AI interviews are not the problem—
👉 they are an opportunity to make recruiting more fair.