There is not a day without big news from tech business leaders and new hiring programs from Meta are not an exception. The company behind Facebook and Instagram announced they’re letting job candidates use ChatGPT and other AI tools during coding interviews. This is definitely not a small policy change. Meta is trying a new kind of AI-assisted coding interview, where some candidates may use AI tools during the process. We can’t be sure if it’s going to become standard or not, but it’s a clear signal of where the industry could go. This isn’t just about interviews, but about how programming skills matter in 2025.
Let’s define what this change means for companies hiring developers, for the future of the human resources industry, and for the developer persona.
Why Traditional Programming Interviews Exist
For many years, major companies have used a similar approach to hiring engineers: first in person, then online. Candidates solve algorithmic logic questions and standard coding issues. These tasks often had little to do with everyday product development work.
However, looking for a professional, this logic seemed sound. If someone can solve programming challenges under pressure, they must be skilled. What mattered the most is technical competence, not a cultural fit. It was enough to solve business needs at the time, so everyone was happy with the hiring standards.
As you can probably see, the shift we are experiencing now is changing the concept of developers’ work. It all started with the understanding that one size doesn’t fit all – some candidates were better at self-presentation, while others struggled in open-plan offices, and some didn’t care about the product itself.
The disconnect started becoming obvious. That’s when the companies began to pay attention to the personalities and the company’s fit, trying to see people behind the “machine heads”.
And then AI came into play.
How AI is Changing the Industry Standards
We could say that the appearance of AI changed the industry again. It added a different value to already complex processes, trying to make interview steps less standard and help companies find a better fit looking for a candidate.
Instead of memory-based challenges, Meta’s new interviews focus on realistic problem-solving scenarios. Candidates receive tasks like designing system architectures, or improving code performance for a particular product – just normal day to day work situations.
The key difference is what gets evaluated. Rather than measuring whether someone can recall specific algorithms, interviewers assess creativity, something developers were not previously asked to do. And by creativity, we mean creativity with AI – how effectively candidates utilize AI tools to solve business problems.
The New Format of AI-assisted Interviews
The trick here is that being a skilled developer is not enough anymore. The new format reveals different capabilities.
Can candidates clearly explain problems to AI systems? Do they understand when AI suggestions make sense and when modifications are needed? Can they guide AI tools toward useful solutions?
These skills translate directly to workplace productivity. A programmer who works well with AI assistance will likely be more effective than someone who memorizes algorithms but struggles with modern development tools. Seems like every good professional should now be well-rounded and be well familiar with AI.
What was shocking is that it seems like the employees actually value this approach more! Up to the point that modern programmers now avoid companies with traditional interview processes. They are a lot more interested in new coding possibilities, such as vibe-coding (an AI-assisted coding popularized in 2025), or they are curious about user experience and want to add value to business. They still have strong technical skills but are a little bored with the old-school tech interviews.
Logically, the types of candidates you attract might change too. So you might need to update your existing hiring process accordingly. That’s where AI comes into play. It can help discover these hidden talents. On top of that it can help increase the prediction of future performance at the job.
What does a Modern Developer Look Like?
Programmers who can clearly describe what they’re trying to solve, why it matters, and what constraints exist are more valuable than those who quickly memorize solutions. This communication ability helps with project planning and team collaboration. To be a skilled outsider is not something that can be tolerated anymore.
Another must is being able to work with AI tools. This doesn’t mean letting AI handle everything, but knowing when to use it, how to ask it the right questions, and how to evaluate its suggestions.
Fun fact – code evaluation has become more important than code generation. Since AI can produce working programs quickly, the key differentiator is whether programmers can read, understand, and improve that code. They need to spot potential issues, optimize performance, and ensure solutions fit broader business requirements. And being able to do it fast.
Traditional VS Modern: What is Your Business Like?
The pluses are obvious, but what about the issues of this hiring process?
It’s about traditional VS modern, but also big budgets VS start-up settings. On the one hand, the latter can avoid complicated hiring processes, but maybe can’t afford AI assistants implementation and offer competitive salaries for the new type of developers.
Big enterprises might gain competitive advantages in hiring in terms of offers, however the hiring process will take a lot longer – which can push away ideal candidates.
If larger corporations stick with traditional interview formats while others adopt more realistic assessments, the future-thinking ones could access strong technical talent that bigger firms miss.
Your New Hiring Process with AI
And what about the hiring side? How hard is it to shift to a new hiring practice and succeed in it? It is as complex as it sounds.
First, managers need to understand how to apply and evaluate the candidates. It requires being aware enough of AI tools and possibilities yourself. Creating realistic test scenarios takes more effort than using standard algorithm problems.
As a manager or business leader, together with HR, you need to develop challenges that mirror your actual work environment, which requires coordination between technical and business teams.
You need to decide which tools you would want developers to use, if you want to provide this set yourself or if you want to give them complete freedom to see what value they can bring.
Quality assessment requires new frameworks. Evaluating the end result of AI-assisted work differs from judging code written entirely from scratch. Your team needs criteria for assessing both the solution quality and the process used to create it.
As a natural progression, you will then need to start changing the whole technical department workflow – according to the new professionals and new tools the AI has brought.
Preparing for Industry Changes
It’s apparent how one change in the specific field and profession can bring a need for review and investment in the whole company’s structure. And this is the beginning.
An investment in proper training makes sense regardless of your interview process. Understanding these technologies helps both with hiring better candidates and improving your existing team’s productivity.
As more companies adapt to the new, the competitive landscape will start changing, bringing various new interview standards. It’s already happening – the process is about the speed of reaction and adaptation to ensure a better equipped team, while those maintaining outdated processes might struggle to attract strong candidates. You should keep it in mind when overviewing your team performance and making business plans.
This represents more than just a hiring trend – it’s a recognition that the nature of technical work itself has changed. Understanding these shifts helps you make better decisions about building and managing technical teams in an AI-enhanced business environment.
