Effects of Using Artificial Intelligence on Interpersonal Perceptions of Job Applicants

Text-based artificial intelligence (AI) systems are increasingly integrated into a host of interpersonal domains. Although decision-making and person perception in hiring and employment opportunities have been an area of psychological interest for many years, only recently have scholars begun to investigate the role that AI plays in this context. To better understand the impact of AI in employment-related contexts, we conducted two experiments investigating how the use of AI by applicants influences their job opportunities. In our preregistered Study 1, we examined how a prospective job applicants' use of AI, as well as their language status (native English speaker or non-native English speaker), influenced participants' impressions of their warmth, competence, social attractiveness, and hiring desirability. In Study 2, we examined how receiving assistance impacted interpersonal perceptions, and how perceptions might change whether the help was provided by AI or by another human. The results from both experiments suggest that the use of AI technologies can negatively influence perceptions of jobseekers. This negative impact may be grounded in the perception of receiving any type of help, whether it be from a machine or a person. These studies provide additional evidence for the Computers as Social Actors framework and advance our understanding of AI-Mediated Communication. The results also raise questions about transparency and deception related to AI use in interpersonal contexts.