US government to use AI virtual agents in parts of hiring process, report says

The US federal government is preparing to use artificial intelligence in interviews and early-stage hiring, beginning with a pilot for its Tech Force recruitment initiative.

The government will test CodeSignal’s platform in the program, which began eight months ago to recruit private-sector technology experts for two-year positions. The platform will screen applications during the early rounds and use virtual AI agents to conduct interviews by phone, audio or text.

Hiring managers will receive recordings and transcripts of candidates’ interviews. The move comes as the federal government, which employs 1.9 million people, seeks to catch up with large private-sector employers that already use AI tools as an initial screening layer.

Artificial intelligence is already used in the Office of Personnel Management, the federal government’s human-resources agency. Staff have access to Microsoft Copilot, Anthropic’s Claude, OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini on government computers. The office also began using an AI tool earlier this year to prepare job descriptions.

The Office of Personnel Management has issued guidance encouraging agencies to use AI in hiring while maintaining human oversight, particularly for important personnel decisions. Director Scott Kupor has also pushed for a more efficient federal hiring process and encouraged agencies to recruit at least one-third of new employees from early-career professionals as the workforce ages. Several officials told CBS that AI is likely to become more common in federal hiring.