McKinsey has started using an AI chatbot to help screen new graduates applying for jobs at the company. The tool marks a change in how big companies find and assess young talent.
The chatbot talks to candidates during the first stages of the hiring process. It asks questions and collects answers from people who apply. This happens before human recruiters conduct interviews or make final decisions about who to hire.
The company says the chatbot helps manage the large number of applications it receives each year. McKinsey gets tens of thousands of applications from graduates, and reviewing all of them takes time and effort. The AI tool handles early conversations with all applicants and organizes their responses for human staff to review later.
This approach lets recruiters spend more time on deeper interviews with candidates who pass the initial screening. Instead of manually reading through every application, hiring teams can focus on people who have already answered the chatbot's questions.
However, using AI in hiring raises important concerns. Critics worry that these systems might carry hidden biases from their training data. If not watched carefully, these biases could unfairly affect which candidates move forward in the process.
McKinsey says it understands these risks and uses human review alongside the chatbot. The company monitors how the tool works and what results it produces. Candidates also receive information about how AI is used during their application process.
The company is not alone in testing AI for hiring. Banks, law firms, and technology companies are also trying similar tools. These organizations use AI to screen applications, schedule interviews, and analyze written answers from candidates.
For McKinsey, the chatbot represents a practical test of AI within its own operations. Hiring affects the company's reputation and success, so it needs to work well and fairly.
As more companies adopt AI for internal tasks like hiring, they face a balance between efficiency and fairness. Tools must be tested regularly, checked for problems, and adjusted based on results. Companies also need to be open with candidates about when and how AI is used to evaluate them.
The shift toward AI in hiring shows how these technologies are moving beyond research projects into everyday business decisions. While the tools may help companies handle large volumes of applications, the responsibility for making fair hiring choices still belongs to people.