Use of AI in job interviews on the rise – but UK recruiters say they can spot the cheats

It is obvious when someone is using AI to drum up answers in a job interview, according to Chris Morrow, who runs a recruitment agency in Manchester. “It’s like they are reading off an Autocue,” he said. Morrow, who recruits talent for the AI sector, said apps that can listen in and suggest answers in real time were being used during virtual interviews by candidates, who as a result do not get through to the next round. “Whenever it happens to us, we tend to end the interview. It’s cheating,” he said. Reports of…

By the Truvace deskOctober 14, 20262 min read1 sourceJournalismTRV-2026-1344· cite & verify

Use of AI in job interviews on the rise – but UK recruiters say they can spot the cheats

In brief

A survey by the Institute of Student Employers found that 92% of member employers suspected or confirmed misconduct in graduate selection, up from 85% and 78% in the two preceding years. Unauthorised AI use during interviews and online assessments was the most common form, reported by two thirds of respondents.

The findings matter because interview-time AI assistance can obscure a candidate's real abilities and fit for a role, and employers may respond by ending interviews or tightening assessment. The survey does not name the respondents who experienced AI-assisted interviews, and the effect of AI on graduate job numbers is described as a concern for a few years ahead rather than a present cause.

Main points

Misconduct reports reached 92% of employers, compared with 85% the previous year and 78% the year before.
66% of respondents reported at least one incident of a graduate misusing AI during an interview.
47% reported AI use to complete online assessments, and 10% reported its use for application questions, CVs or cover letters.
The graduate hiring market rose 4% in 2026 after an 8% decline the previous year.
ISE's chief executive attributed hiring reductions to economic uncertainty rather than AI adoption.

The problem

Unauthorised AI use is now the most common form of applicant misconduct in UK graduate recruitment, and employers say it can lead to candidates being placed in roles they are ill-suited for.

The rundown

Chris Morrow, who runs a Manchester recruitment agency for the AI sector, said some candidates use apps that listen to virtual interviews and suggest answers in real time. He said his agency tends to end interviews when this happens and described it as cheating.

Morrow said candidates often give themselves away by stalling while the chatbot responds, using filler phrases such as 'That's a good question', or speaking in stilted, super-formal language. He compared it to reading off an Autocue.

ISE has 290 employer members, including Marks & Spencer, Rolls-Royce and Accenture. Its 2026 survey showed 40% of respondents reducing graduate intake, 45% increasing it and 15% holding steady, so hiring varied widely across employers.