Google CEO Sundar Pichai has confirmed that the company will reinstate in-person interviews after widespread reports of AI-assisted cheating during virtual hiring rounds, particularly for software engineering jobs.

Speaking on the Lex Fridman podcast, Pichai said Google plans to include at least one round of in-person interviews in its hiring process. “We are making sure we’ll introduce at least one round of in-person interviews for people, just to make sure the fundamentals are there,” he explained.

AI Disrupting Hiring Process

The problem has become significant enough that Google employees directly raised it with leadership earlier this year. At a February internal town hall, staff urged management to scrap fully remote interviews, arguing that virtual coding assessments were being compromised by candidates using AI tools off-camera.

Google’s vice president of recruiting, Brian Ong, acknowledged that while virtual interviews save time and are easier to schedule, they have become more vulnerable to misuse. Some hiring managers estimate that over 50% of candidates now use AI to cheat during technical interviews.

Hybrid Hiring Approach

Pichai suggested a hybrid model may strike the right balance: “Given we all work hybrid, I think it’s worth thinking about some fraction of the interviews being in person. I think it’ll help both the candidates understand Google’s culture and I think it’s good for both sides.”

The move highlights how AI, while useful for candidates, has become a challenge for companies in ensuring interview integrity.

Industry-Wide Shift

Google is not alone in facing this issue. Across the tech and consulting world, several firms are tightening their recruitment practices:

• Anthropic now prohibits AI use during applications and requires candidates to confirm compliance.
• Amazon has added rules barring unauthorized tools during interviews.
• Cisco and McKinsey are reinstating face-to-face interviews at different stages of hiring.
• Deloitte has brought back in-person interviews for its UK graduate program.

The shift marks a major reversal from the pandemic era, when companies embraced virtual hiring for its speed and efficiency. Now, preserving the credibility of technical hiring is taking priority, even if it means higher costs and longer timelines.

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