Slate News What Next: TBD | Is A.I. Taking Your Job?
Sep 21, 2025
Danielle Abril, a technology-in-the-workplace reporter for The Washington Post, shares insights on the evolving role of AI in job recruitment and employment. She discusses her own experience with virtual recruiters and the implications of AI screening tools on job seekers. Abril highlights recent labor data showing a connection between AI and rising graduate unemployment. The conversation also explores how AI may save time yet raises concerns about skill atrophy, as well as the mixed reactions of workers and companies to AI's influence on the job market.
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Awkward Virtual Recruiter Experience
- Danielle Abril described interviewing with an AI "virtual recruiter" that often sounded human but also spammy and awkward.
- The system cut her off mid-sentence, repeated questions, and ended the call before answering follow-ups.
Candidates Using AI In Interviews
- Job seekers are using ChatGPT in real time during interviews to craft answers while listening to the interviewer.
- Some candidates read AI-generated responses aloud to the interviewer during live conversations.
New Workers Come In Expecting AI
- Young workers expect to use AI because they learned it in school and view it as a productivity tool.
- They focus on combining AI with human skills that AI cannot replicate, like personal judgment and creativity.