AICHI - Handa City in Aichi Prefecture will begin testing artificial intelligence as an interviewer in its recruitment exams, part of a trial that could change how local governments assess job applicants.
University students in recruitment suits gathered at Handa City Hall on July 13 to take part in an internship introducing them to municipal work ahead of their scheduled graduation the year after next. One student said she was considering working in the Tokai region and hoped to build a career close to her family and close friends in her hometown.
The most closely watched part of the hiring process is the interview, and Handa has decided to introduce AI on a trial basis for that stage. In a demonstration experienced by a reporter, the AI interviewer asked detailed follow-up questions such as, "Could you tell me specifically what kind of situation you were in and what difficulties you faced?"
The reporter answered that, as a student, she had worked part time at an izakaya where one challenge was that sales were not increasing. The AI then pressed further, asking why she had decided to overcome the difficulty. She replied that the atmosphere among student part-time workers and the manager had not been improving, and that she wanted to help raise sales.
The AI continued with a series of questions for about 30 minutes, asking about experiences such as training junior staff, dealing with trouble, and how the applicant thought and acted in those situations. The reporter said the interview became difficult because each answer prompted deeper follow-up questions.
The application evaluates only what job-seeking students say during the interview, and factors such as appearance are not included in the scoring. In this demonstration, the evaluation results were shown specially to the reporter. The system assessed the applicant from multiple angles, including interpersonal influence, flexibility, willingness to take on challenges, and soundness.
The reporter's evaluation showed that she was rated highly for sensitivity, including the ability to act with consideration for others, but scored low in initiative. The AI judged that she was easily influenced by other people's opinions. "It is true that I am aware of being somewhat passive," the reporter said.
Handa City will introduce AI interviews on a trial basis in recruitment exams to be held this summer for students who will join the city office next fiscal year. In the first year, hiring decisions will be based only on interviews conducted by city officials. At the same time, the city will analyze differences between evaluations by AI and in-person interviewers as it considers whether to adopt the AI application fully in the future.
Students expressed both interest and concern. One said that because it was a new experience, she was not sure what to expect, but thought the AI might ask questions that human interviewers would not think of. Another said that because the interview would not be face to face with a person, it might be harder to understand emotions, making the process feel somewhat intimidating.
AI interviews are expected to offer advantages for job-seeking students by allowing them to choose the time and place of the interview more freely. They are also seen as a way to evaluate applicants' characteristics more objectively.
A Handa City official said candidates with strong communication skills or those who are good at speaking with others tend to be viewed favorably in conventional interviews. To better understand the essence of each applicant, the city hopes AI can help identify personality, traits, and individual strengths that may not be fully captured through interviews alone.
As the use of AI spreads in recruitment, attention is turning to whether it can become established as a new method for evaluating people.
Source: Nagoya TV News
