A tech firm recently went viral after rejecting all 12,000 applicants for a junior developer role, citing heavy reliance on AI tools like ChatGPT during the hiring process. Despite interviewing 450 candidates, not a single hire was made, sparking widespread debate online.
According to a post shared on Reddit by a company representative, applicants were allowed to use generative AI tools during coding rounds. However, when asked to explain the logic behind their answers—particularly around time and space complexity—most candidates struggled to respond. This exposed a critical gap: AI-generated answers without real understanding.
The interviewer described many responses as “vibe coding”—a term that refers to writing code that may appear correct on the surface but lacks depth or clarity. “Candidates pasted code they didn’t understand. When we asked how it works, they froze,” the company stated.
The post drew strong reactions on social media, with users divided. Some praised the company for maintaining high standards, while others criticized its interview methods and questioned the fairness of allowing AI in the first place.
Moving forward, the company plans to revamp its recruitment strategy. It will introduce quiz-based screening roundsand live interviews via Google Meet to ensure candidates demonstrate genuine skill and understanding. These changes aim to eliminate AI-only dependence and promote authentic problem-solving abilities.
This incident reflects a growing concern in the tech world: how to evaluate real talent in the age of AI. As tools like ChatGPT become common during interviews, hiring teams must adapt by focusing more on logic, communication, and thought process than just correct answers.
In today’s AI-driven hiring landscape, knowledge, not just answers, will win the job.
