Companies using artificial intelligence in recruitment across the EU will face new requirements from August 2026, including rules to keep a human involved in hiring decisions.
More employers are using AI tools to screen CVs and run interviews as they try to hire quickly and cut costs, the European Commission noted in a statement.
The growing use has raised concerns among jobseekers about how automated systems behave during interviews, it added.
The EU AI Act classifies the use of AI in employment decisions as “high-risk”, meaning it is subject to tighter controls than many other uses of the technology.
Businesses worldwide have been adopting AI in human resources, reaching 39% by the end of 2025.
Under the rules, an AI system will not be allowed to make a final hiring decision without a qualified human involved.
The AI Act also bans AI tools that infer emotions, stress levels or personality traits and then assign people numerical scores.
Starting 2 August 2026, companies using AI for hiring, performance evaluation or other employment decisions must carry out regular checks for safety risks and bias, keep technical records, ensure human oversight and transparency, and continuously monitor the system.
The obligations apply both to providers of the AI systems and to the organisations that use them, including non-EU companies if the system is used in, or affects people in, the EU.
Jobseekers report problems with AI interviews
A jobseeker in Vienna described feeling “dehumanised” during an AI-led interview, in an Instagram post highlighted in the Commission statement.
The candidate said the system repeatedly interrupted, moved to the next question even when asked to go back, and sometimes treated a brief pause as a complete answer.
The post also described errors in the interview transcript and said the AI recited the company’s “About Us” page instead of answering the applicant’s questions.
The statement also cited an online article saying about one in four companies had begun preparing for the AI Act’s requirements for high-risk systems.
It set out jobseekers’ rights including being told in advance when AI is used and what role it plays, asking for a human review of a decision, and not having facial expressions, voice tone or body language analysed by AI during an interview.
EURES, the EU-backed network that supports people seeking work across Europe, said it continues to provide human support through trained advisers who can offer guidance on practical, legal and administrative issues linked to living and working in other European countries.
