Yeah, AI Interviews Can Feel Weird. You’re Not Alone.

If the idea of talking to a chatbot instead of a hiring manager makes you uncomfortable, you're not overreacting. It is a weird experience, especially when the stakes are high and you're trying to get a job that'll help you pay rent.

You're not the only one who feels that way.

Real job seekers have called AI interviews dehumanizing. Some say they'd rather stay unemployed than talk to a bot. And for a lot of people, especially those who've been laid off or ghosted one too many times, it just feels like another slap in the face.

"It started out normal… then it got a little weird," one applicant told Fortune, after realizing the interview was being run by a faceless bot. Another said, "I'm not going to sit here for 30 minutes and talk to a machine."

Feeling that way is 100% justifiable.

The discomfort of talking to a machine when you wish you were talking to a human is very real. The frustration is justified. In any ways, the anger people have about this experience doesn't seem directed at the technology itself, rather how it's how it's being used.

Here's what seems to be really going on:

Why AI Interviews Exist in the First Place

The short version: hiring is pretty miserable and complicated.

Most frontline jobs get hundreds of applicants for every open role. Managers are stretched thin. HR teams are slammed. That means people get skipped over, ignored, or ghosted, not because they're not qualified, but because no one has time to review everything.

AI screening tools are meant to help. But too often, they're rolled out in cold, robotic ways that make people feel like a number. If the bot sounds stiff or the questions feel off, it can feel worse than no interview at all.

That's not how it has to be.

If Done Right, AI Can Make Hiring More Fair

Here's the thing: most bias in hiring happens early. People get screened out based on their name, their resume format, or the zip code they live in. Sometimes, their application doesn't even get seen.

If an AI tool is built with the right guardrails, if it listens to how people answer, not just what they say, it can open doors, not close them. It can surface people who might've been overlooked. It can move someone forward even if they don't have a polished resume, but they have the heart, the drive, and the experience.

That's what we should be building.

For Frontline Workers, Speed and Fairness Matter

If you're applying to a restaurant, a hotel, or a retail job, you're probably not spending hours crafting cover letters. You're trying to get hired, fast. But you also want to be respected. You want to feel like your time matters.

That's where a voice-based screening tool can actually help, if it's done right. Not on camera. No resumes to upload. No miserably and robotic chatbots. Just a short voice conversation that lets you talk like a person. One that gives the manager real insight into who you are, not just how your resume looks. A conversation that allows you to speak your truth in your own language and voice.

One former Line Cook in Denver, CO worker told us: "I'd rather talk to an AI than be ghosted again. At least I know someone's hearing me."

But We Need to Be Transparent About It

Here's what doesn't work: hiding the fact that it's AI. Or pretending that it's a live human. That breaks trust. And trust is everything, especially in hiring.

Job seekers deserve to know how the process works, who's on the other end, and what happens after they speak. They should have the chance to opt out. They should feel like they're talking to something that was built for them, not just to replace a recruiter.

How We're Thinking About It at Cantaloupe

At Cantaloupe AI, we're not trying to replace people. We're trying to help people get seen. Especially the ones who never make it past the first filter.

That's why our interviews are voice-based, short, and human-feeling. We don't use avatars or fake faces. You won't be on camera. You can speak naturally, in English or Spanish. And you'll know exactly what the process is from the moment you start.

We're also building in tools to let you say how you're feeling, anonymously. So managers can support their team better, and workers can stick around longer.

We're still learning. We're listening. But we believe AI, when done right, can help make frontline hiring more fair, more human, and more hopeful.

And that's what we're building toward.