Can a machine truly judge a human? AI recruiter glitches mid-call, leaving candidate terrified and the internet outraged

Time of India

16-05-2025

Imagine nervously logging into a Zoom call for your dream job interview, only to discover your interviewer isn't a person at all, it's an artificial intelligence avatar. Now, imagine that robotic interviewer glitching mid-question, babbling gibberish, and staring blankly as you sit frozen, watching your shot at employment dissolve into digital chaos.
According to a report from
Unilad Tech
, that's exactly what happened to several job seekers, including TikTok user @petobsessed777, who recently shared a now-viral clip of a Zoom interview gone horribly wrong. In the video, a blond AI interviewer spews incomprehensible nonsense, leaving the candidate visibly unsettled. Viewers were quick to share their dismay, with one person commenting, 'Being interviewed by an AI bot instead of an actual person is so beyond insulting.' Another added, 'When it starts to sound genuinely distressed like it's realizing it's trapped in its own algorithm.'
A Growing Reality, Not Just a Glitch
While this might sound like a futuristic horror-comedy, the reality is creeping closer than most would like to admit. The rise of AI in the hiring process is no longer just a tech novelty — it's a corporate trend. Former
Microsoft
CEO Bill Gates has warned that only a few jobs are safe from AI encroachment, suggesting the workforce could eventually operate just two days a week. But until then, humans are still applying for jobs the old-fashioned way — and increasingly facing digital gatekeepers instead of real recruiters.
TikToker Leo Humphries is another job seeker who shared his run-in with AI recruitment with
Newsweek
. Despite speaking to real people earlier in the process, Humphries was stunned to discover that the final interview was being conducted by a non-human. 'I wasn't given too much explanation beforehand, so it definitely caught me off guard,' he said. 'In the moment I just felt a sense of disappointment.'
Efficiency vs. Empathy
Companies claim that AI interviews offer efficiency and scalability, enabling them to screen hundreds of candidates at once. But candidates like Humphries argue that this comes at a cost. 'It raises questions about personal connection, fairness, and how well AI can truly evaluate someone's qualifications and personality,' he said.
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Indeed, what happens when your interviewer can't recognize nuance, empathy, or emotional intelligence — qualities often essential for the very roles being filled?
Not All Are Fake — And That's the Scary Part
Skeptics might dismiss these TikTok videos as staged stunts for attention, but not all of them are fake. Increasingly, real candidates are encountering AI interviewers in legitimate hiring pipelines — and many aren't impressed. From repeating the word 'Pilates' to freezing mid-question, the technology still seems far from polished.
If job interviews weren't anxiety-inducing enough, the idea of being judged by a machine that could malfunction at any moment is a new kind of stress. For now, these encounters are equal parts amusing and alarming, but they raise critical concerns about the future of work, recruitment, and the ever-blurring line between human and machine.
As AI continues to integrate into everyday life, it seems the hiring process may soon be less about shaking hands and more about surviving the glitches.
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