MARCH 12TH, 2025 - BY COLETTE 'T HART

The rise of AI-assisted "cheating" in coding interviews is shaking up the hiring landscape. Candidates are using tools like ChatGPT to produce perfect solutions during virtual interviews—sometimes without fully understanding the problems they’re solving.

It’s becoming so common that big tech companies like Google, Amazon, and Meta are considering a return to in-person interviews to combat the trend. But is that really the answer?

The problem isn’t AI itself—it’s that hiring processes haven’t evolved fast enough to assess authentic skills in an AI-assisted world.

What’s Really Going On?

• Candidates are using AI tools to solve complex coding challenges during remote interviews.
• Some argue that if AI is part of real-world work, it should be allowed in interviews.
• Companies are struggling to adapt, with some bringing interviews back in-house to detect cheating.

But here’s the question:
If AI is now part of how we work, shouldn’t hiring reflect that reality?

How Idonea is Flipping the Narrative

At Idonea, we believe that AI can enhance fairness—but only if it’s integrated responsibly and ethically. Here’s how we’re building a future where AI empowers candidates without masking their true abilities:

✅ Skills-First, Bias-Free Assessments: Candidates are evaluated on real competencies, not identity markers like name, age, or background.

✅ AI-Integrated Reflection: We’re not banning AI. Instead, we ask candidates to reflect on how they used AI, explain their approach, and demonstrate their adaptability.

✅ Real-World Scenario Challenges: Forget obscure coding tests. Our assessments mimic real-world, messy problems where creativity and problem-solving shine over memorization.

✅ Optional Avatar Interviews: Candidates can represent themselves anonymously, ensuring bias-free evaluations.

✅ AI-Ethics Conversations: We encourage candidates to share how they think about responsible AI use—because ethical problem-solving is just as important as technical skills.

Why This Matters

We’re building a system where cheating isn’t the easiest path—being authentic is.

Candidates can leverage AI but must show real thinking, adaptability, and understanding. Because in the real world, it’s not just about finding the answer—it’s about knowing how you got there.

We’re Not There Yet—But We’re Building It

We're still early in our journey, but if you're passionate about fair, ethical AI hiring and want to shape the future with us, let's talk!

👉 Join our waitlist at idonea.ai
👉 Share your thoughts—should AI be embraced in interviews, or do we need stronger controls?

The future of hiring is changing. Let’s make it better, together.

🔗 #Idonea #AIHiring #EthicalAI #FutureOfWork #SkillsBasedHiring #AIRecruitment #TechForGood #BiasFreeHiring #HiringInnovation #AITrends #ResponsibleTech #StartupLife‍

About the Author: Colette 't Hart is the Co-Founder and CEO of Idonea, a pioneering recruitment platform leveraging semantic ontology and AI-powered matching engines to eliminate unconscious bias and empower businesses to build diverse, high-performing teams. A seasoned tech entrepreneur, UX specialist, and DEI advocate, Colette has decades of experience transforming complex challenges into innovative, user-focused solutions. Passionate about redefining recruitment, she is committed to fostering equitable hiring practices and revolutionizing how talent and opportunity connect. Connect with her on LinkedIn.