Google CEO Sundar Pichai says: We have introduced at least one round of in-person interviews just to make sure… – The Times of India

Google is bringing back face-to-face job interviews as CEO Sundar Pichai responds to widespread AI-powered cheating that has compromised the integrity of virtual hiring processes. The company’s shift marks a dramatic reversal from pandemic-era remote recruitment practices that prioritised convenience over verification.During a February internal town hall meeting, Google employees directly confronted leadership about the cheating crisis. “Can we get onsite job interviews back?” one employee asked, according to audio recordings reviewed by CNBC. “There are many email threads about this topic. If budget is a constraint, can we get the candidates to an office or environment we can control?”

Google employees demand return to on-site interviews amid AI cheating concerns

Brian Ong, Google’s vice president of recruiting, acknowledged the challenge during the town hall, telling employees that “we definitely have more work to do to integrate how AI is now more prevalent in the interview process.” While virtual interviews remain two weeks faster than in-person alternatives, Ong admitted the company must balance efficiency with authenticity.Pichai responded by endorsing a hybrid approach: “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 CEO’s comments, as reported by CNBC, reflect an industry-wide reckoning with AI’s impact on hiring. Ong noted that this “is an issue all of our other competitor companies are looking at,” as organisations scramble to maintain hiring standards while AI tools become increasingly sophisticated and undetectable.