60% of Hiring Managers Say AI Makes Evaluating Candidates Harder

NewsData.io · United States · Oct 2, 2026

A Western Governors University survey of 3,100+ professionals finds that 60% of U.S. hiring managers say AI is complicating candidate evaluation, and nearly 20% report difficulty confirming whether they are interviewing a human or an AI agent. A parallel iHire report shows 44% of candidates view employers' growing AI use negatively. In response, 54% of employers who struggle to assess AI-assisted candidates say they have reduced entry-level hiring, tightening an already narrow entry point into the workforce. Staffing firms and recruiters face direct pressure to develop verification protocols and skills-based assessment methods that can credibly distinguish genuine candidate competency from AI-generated responses.