- EY has launched eVe, an AI-powered avatar, to guide job candidates through interviews, offering support and company-specific insights.
- Designed to reduce stress, eVe mimics human interaction and allows candidates to ask detailed questions about EY’s hiring process and benefits.
EY, one of the Big Four accounting firms, has introduced an AI-powered tool called eVe to streamline and improve its hiring process. According to the company, the AI avatar aims to offer candidates a less stressful and more interactive experience as they navigate the recruitment stages.
eVe serves as a virtual assistant for candidates advancing to interviews. It can answer questions about EY’s processes, provide information on benefits such as healthcare and retirement plans, and guide users in case study preparation. The AI interface simulates a video chat with verbal and text-based responses, mimicking natural conversations.
Domhnaill Hernon, Global Lead of EY’s Metaverse Lab, explained that eVe was developed with input from behavioral scientists to reduce the “social threat” candidates may feel during traditional interactions. To achieve this, eVe was designed to look approachable yet distinctly non-human, fostering a balance between familiarity and comfort.
Since its launch in October, eVe has undergone extensive internal testing, with interns providing insights into its usability. Hernon noted that many users, particularly early-career professionals, spent upwards of 15 to 20 minutes engaging with the avatar, asking detailed questions about compensation and workplace policies.
Francesca Jones, EY’s early careers leader, stated that eVe’s functionality extends beyond interview preparation. Candidates can revisit the tool at any point, including when evaluating job offers, giving them ongoing support throughout the hiring journey.
EY has positioned this initiative as part of its broader investment in artificial intelligence, having committed $1.4 billion to AI technologies last year. While eVe’s knowledge is sourced exclusively from EY’s internal content, ensuring company-specific accuracy, the avatar is powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4 language model.
The introduction of AI in recruitment is not unique to EY. Startups like Apriora are also leveraging AI interviewers to streamline initial hiring stages, reflecting a growing trend across industries. For EY, however, eVe is not only a recruitment tool but a signal of the company’s technological edge, underscoring its commitment to innovation in human resources.
Editorial Note: This news article has been written with assistance from AI. Edited & fact-checked by Harshajit Sarmah.
