Google is reportedly planning changes to its software engineering interview process. As per a report from Business Insider, candidates may be allowed to use AI assistants during some interview rounds instead of facing a complete ban on such tools. The move reportedly comes as AI coding assistants become a regular part of software development.
Reports suggest that later this year, Google could start allowing candidates to use a company-approved AI assistant during one stage of its software engineering interviews called the “code comprehension” round. In this round, candidates are expected to review existing code, identify mistakes, fix issues, and make the software run more efficiently. Under the updated approach, applicants may also be allowed to use AI-powered coding assistants for certain parts of the task instead of handling everything manually.
Google will initially roll out the new interview format
The report states that Google will initially roll out the new interview format with a small number of teams in the US, focusing on junior and mid-level software engineering positions. If the trial delivers positive results, the company is expected to introduce the process across more teams and additional markets worldwide. A Google spokesperson also confirmed that the company is preparing to bring AI-assisted interviews into its hiring system. During the early testing phase, candidates will reportedly use Gemini as the approved AI tool during interview rounds.
“We’re always evolving our interview processes to ensure we’re recruiting and hiring the best talent. As a part of that, we’re rolling out a pilot for software engineering interviews to be more reflective of how our teams are operating in the AI era,” the Google spokesperson said in a statement to Business Insider,” Brian Ong, vice president of recruiting at Google, told Business Insider.
Google is reportedly set to begin testing its AI-assisted interview system
Google is reportedly set to begin testing its AI-assisted interview system across multiple divisions, including its Cloud business and platforms and devices teams, later this month. The report also mentions that the company is updating several parts of its software engineering interview process. One of the biggest changes involves the “Googleyness and Leadership” round, which has traditionally focused on behavioural discussions and workplace approach. Under the revised format, candidates will now also be asked to explain the technical design and decision-making behind projects they have worked on in the past.
For entry-level engineering roles, Google is also planning to replace one traditional coding interview with a broader engineering exercise. Instead of solving standard coding questions, candidates may be given open-ended technical problems and asked to explain how they would approach and solve them.