Dystopian and dehumanising: that’s what it felt like when I was interviewed by an AI assistant
Summary
A prospective preschool teacher in Australia says she was interviewed entirely by an AI system after applying to a not-for-profit kindergarten. During the interview, the system disconnected her when she paused to consider a question, provided only scripted answers, and offered no human contact. Troubled by what she experienced as impersonal and demeaning treatment—especially for a role centered on caring for children—she withdrew her application. More than a month later, she says the organization had neither responded nor acknowledged her explanation.
Watchmen Signals
Biblical Context
The reported experience raises questions about how people are treated when they seek work and whether important judgments are made with fairness, attention, and respect. Genesis 1:27 supplies the foundational biblical claim that human beings bear God’s image; it does not address hiring technology specifically, but it supports taking an applicant’s personal dignity seriously rather than treating the person as merely a data point. Scripture also warns against partial or superficial judgments. James 2:1-4 condemns favoritism based on outward status, while John 7:24 calls for righteous judgment rather than judgment based on appearance. These passages do not establish that an AI interview is inherently unjust, but they make fairness, relevant evaluation, and resistance to careless screening morally significant. A system that disconnects a candidate for taking reasonable time to think could raise questions about whether it is assessing the person fairly, although the article does not prove discriminatory outcomes. The expectation of humane and just treatment also appears in Colossians 4:1, where those exercising authority are told to provide what is right and fair. The passage concerns masters and servants, not modern applicants, so the connection is an application of the broader principle rather than a direct teaching about recruitment software. Proverbs 18:13 further values hearing a matter before answering; its context concerns wise speech and judgment, but it supports the importance of listening carefully before forming conclusions. None of these passages identifies AI interviews as prophetic or prohibits technology. They provide ethical standards by which automated hiring practices can be examined: respect for human worth, fair judgment, careful listening, and accountability.
Biblical Sources
Scripture references supporting the biblical context above.
Those with authority are instructed to treat workers justly and fairly. Although the verse concerns masters and servants, its principle bears indirectly on fair treatment in employment relationships and processes.
Human beings are described as made in the image of God, providing a foundational basis for treating job applicants as persons with inherent dignity rather than merely as automated inputs.
James condemns favoritism and discriminatory treatment based on outward status. The passage does not address AI hiring directly, but it supports scrutiny of whether an automated screening process evaluates people impartially.
Jesus instructs people to judge with right judgment rather than by appearance. This is relevant by principle to consequential employment judgments made through limited or potentially superficial signals.
The proverb associates wise judgment with hearing a matter before answering. It offers an indirect biblical principle for giving applicants a meaningful opportunity to explain themselves rather than relying on rigid, poorly attentive procedures.
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