AI interview software runs the first-round interview for you: candidates answer structured questions whenever they like, and your team gets transcripts and scores instead of a calendar full of phone screens. The market has grown fast, and the tools differ a lot. This guide covers what to look for, the main types of platforms, and how to test them.
What AI interview software should do
At minimum, a good tool should:
- Run a structured interview with the same questions for every candidate
- Score answers against a rubric you can adjust for each role
- Keep the full transcript, and ideally audio or video, for review
- Work on a phone, with no app to install
- Leave the decision with your team
The criteria that matter
1. Interview format. Some platforms record one-way video answers to fixed prompts. Others hold a real conversation by voice or text and ask follow-up questions. Conversational formats feel more natural to candidates and make rehearsed answers less useful.
2. Language coverage. If you hire across markets, check that the AI can interview and score in each language your candidates speak, including candidates who mix languages. A translated interface is not the same as an AI that understands the answers.
3. Rubric and transparency. Scores should map to competencies you define, and reviewers should see why each score was given.
4. Integrity checks. Look for signals such as tab-focus changes and response timing, plus follow-up questions that a pre-written answer cannot anticipate.
5. Integrations. Check how candidates come in and how results go back to your ATS.
6. Setup and pricing. Enterprise platforms often need annual contracts and implementation. Self-serve tools let you test on a live role first.
The main types of platforms
| Type | Examples | Typical fit |
|---|---|---|
| Enterprise video interview and assessment suites | HireVue | Large enterprises with long-term programs |
| Conversational hiring assistants | Paradox (Olivia) | High-volume hourly hiring and scheduling |
| One-way video interview tools | Spark Hire, Willo | Small and mid-size teams |
| Skills assessment platforms | Vervoe | Skills-based hiring |
| First-round evaluation engines | Inhire | Screening, assessment, and AI interview in one flow |
Features change often. Check each vendor directly and confirm with a trial.
Inhire: a first-round evaluation engine
Inhire combines resume screening, skill assessments, and an AI interviewer in one flow. It is not an ATS: shortlisted candidates move on to the tools you already use.
- Candidates get one link by email or WhatsApp and interview from a phone or browser.
- The interview runs by voice or text. The AI asks structured questions and follows up based on each answer.
- The interviewer speaks English, Bahasa Indonesia, and Bahasa Melayu.
- Each scorecard shows a score per competency, the full transcript, and audio of key answers.
- Your recruiters and hiring managers make the final call.
Read more on the AI interview software page.
How to run a fair trial
- Pick one real, high-volume role. Test data hides problems.
- Use your own questions and rubric. You are testing fit with your process, not a demo script.
- Compare with your team. Put the tool's shortlist next to your recruiters' picks and look at the differences.
- Ask candidates. A few short replies about the experience tell you a lot about completion and employer brand.
Conclusion
The right AI interview software matches your candidates' languages, gives transparent scores, and fits the way your team already works. The fastest way to know is to try one on a real role and judge the results yourself.