Google is reportedly planning a major change to its software engineering interviews by allowing candidates to use an AI assistant during selected technical rounds. Under the pilot program, candidates who will be applying for junior and mid-level engineering roles will be allowed to use Google Gemini during the coding interviews. As a result of that, instead of writing new code from the beginning, the interview will now be focused on real work situations. Candidates will need to understand existing code, find and fix issues, make it run better, and clearly explain their thinking while using AI tools properly. The company believes this approach could better reflect how developers work in modern software environments and collaborative engineering teams across the industry.
The mountain-view-based tech giant has also confirmed that interviewers will not only judge technical skills but also how candidates interact with AI tools. This includes writing prompts, checking the accuracy of responses, and debugging code generated with AI support.
Google says the changes are meant to better reflect the way software engineers now work in real jobs, where AI has become a regular part of coding and problem-solving.
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Brian Ong, Google’s vice president of recruiting, said the company is constantly updating its hiring methods to make sure it recruits the best talent. He added that the pilot is designed to reflect how engineering teams are working in today’s AI-driven environment.
The new process will begin rolling out in the second half of the year. It will first be tested across teams, including Google Cloud and the company’s platforms and devices unit in the United States, and if successful, then Google also plans to expand the format to more regions and teams.
The changes go beyond coding rounds. Google’s Googleyness and Leadership interview, which usually focuses on behaviour and teamwork, will now include a discussion about the technical design of a candidate’s past projects. Some junior candidates will also face open-ended engineering challenges instead of one traditional technical round.
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Google’s move mirrors a growing trend across the tech industry. Companies such as Canva and Cognition have already started allowing AI tools in interviews. Industry leaders increasingly see AI as a normal part of software development rather than something candidates should avoid during hiring tests.