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Meta Redefines Tech Hiring By Allowing AI Tools in Job Interviews

The announcement by Meta that it will now encourage job candidates to use AI tools during interviews, including live coding tests, is causing a rift in Silicon Valley. Confirmed in July 2025, the policy treats AI collaboration as a skill rather than a form of cheating, which entirely changes the way traditional hiring is done. 

A representative for Meta told Business Insider, "This mirrors how engineers work." But does the ban on AI in interviews by competitors like Amazon represent a step forward or a dangerous experiment?

The Reasons Behind Meta's Adoption of AI-Assisted Interviews


The reasoning is shown in Meta's internal memo; according to the LinkedIn 2025 Report, 73% of developers currently use AI tools like GitHub Copilot daily. According to Meta, interviews ought to take this reality into account. 

Ironically, by judging candidates on their ability to instruct AI over a copy-paste exercise by allowing AI we lower "LLM-based cheating".According to CEO Mark Zuckerberg, AI will soon be able to mimic the Code Output of mid-level engineers. As such, employer-human-AI collaboration broadens the hiring criteria.

Wired also reported that Meta’s internal messages had requests for mock applicants, encouraging them to sign up if they wanted to do a ‘‘mock AI-enabled interview’’

The New Interview Format's

  • Operation: Currently being tested with Meta staff, the pilot program consists of the following:
  • AI Pair Programming: Candidates use tools like ChatGPT to debug or optimize code during timed tests.
  • Inspiring Skills Evaluation: Interviewers assess candidates' ability to explain their reasoning and improve AI-generated code.
  • Mock Trials: Before the questions are made public, staff members serve as test subjects to ensure fairness. 

Critics caution that this might produce a generation of prompt engineers who are not very knowledgeable about coding. However, Meta maintains that it is filtering for problem-solving rather than memorization of syntax.

Industry Support and Reaction

The policy has generated discussion among opponents. Out of concern about over-reliance, companies such as Anthropic prohibit AI in hiring. It is referred to as "a shortcut that erodes fundamentals" by some developers. 

The  Startups commend Meta for being pragmatic. AI has been permitted in interviews for a year. A tech lead at Y Combinator shared, The best candidates augment AI, not rely on it.

Meta’s AI Leap: Redefining Hiring or Rushing the Future? 

Meta’s experiment points to a more significant change: being proficient in AI is now a differentiator for a job. The takeaway for job seekers is straightforward: becoming proficient in AI collaboration may be essential to securing your next position. ‘‘ The future belongs to engineers who direct AI, not compete with it,’’ as Zuckerberg once said. 

That said, not all companies in technology are welcoming AI to participate in job interviews. Anthropic, the creator of Claud AI, has entirely banned AI in hiring. 

He anticipates that much of the code in applications will be constructed by ‘‘AI engineers’’, rather than human engineers, in the long run. He states that this will open up people to be more creative and try crazier things.