AI in Job Interviews & Raising the Next Generation

AI won’t take your job—but the candidate who can clearly explain to a hiring manager how they use it to be more productive will.

That’s what I told Jocelyn Mintz from Fast Company this week in an interview about how to navigate AI discussions in a job interview.

My thought is this: If you don’t research the company’s stance on AI before the interview—and you can’t explain how you use AI to improve productivity, automate tasks, or make better decisions—you’re at a disadvantage.

The candidate who can?

They’ll get the job.

Interviewing 101: Do Your Research

Know what the company does.

Know who their customers are.

But also—know their attitude toward AI.

It might sound like overkill, but pro tip: You can learn a lot about a company’s AI adoption from its latest earnings report - so if you really want the job, give it a listen! CEOs are often very vocal about where they stand on AI.

I’ve read over countless of these reports. It’s made me realize companies fall into two categories:

• AI-obsessed – These CEOs won’t shut up about AI. Their earnings reports are packed with automation plans, AI-driven efficiencies, and productivity goals. If you're interviewing with them, bring examples of how you already use AI to work smarter.
• AI-avoidant – They haven’t publicly committed to AI yet, but that doesn’t mean they’re ignoring it. In this case, show that you’re staying ahead of the curve. Talk about how AI is changing your industry and how you’re experimenting with it in your work.

Either way, pretending AI isn’t relevant to your job is a mistake. Use the conversation to position yourself as someone who knows how to work smarter, not harder, and drive results.

AI Is Freeing Us To Be More Human—And That’s Why I’m Excited for My Daughters

I think about my daughters growing up in this world a lot. Their mom has made it her life’s work to create Zero Wasted Potential in business, people, in society……so they are often my reminder of why I do what I do, and my obsession with work in the AI era.

This era is the only era of work they will know.

They are brilliant, creative, and full of fire. And unlike past generations, their careers won’t be built on admin work, data entry, or manually processing spreadsheets.

That’s a massive shift, and it's something to celebrate! Not fear.

It means that who you are as a thinker, leader, and problem-solver will matter more than ever, starting at the interview stage.

The future of work belongs to interviewers who can:

• Showcase their human-ness. AI can process data, but it can’t think critically, build trust, be a culture fit, inspire teams, buy coffee for the team on Tuesday morning… be you. But also…
• Articulate how they use AI to work smarter. The best candidates will explain how they use it to automate low-value tasks, make better decisions, and increase productivity - with examples prepared when asked “what were the results.”
• Deliver on what they said in the interview. They will figure out quickly if you were just an “interview hero” or if you truly practice what you preach. The people who thrive will be the ones who actually apply AI to be more efficient, adaptable, and valuable in their roles—not just talk about it.

The Takeaway: AI won’t replace you—but it will change what gets you hired.

The people who succeed in this new era won’t be the ones who ignore AI—or the ones who just name-drop it in interviews. They’ll be the ones who 1. Read the room and know their audience going into the interview, and 2. Prove (with tangible examples to point to) how they can use it to work smarter while doubling down on the human skills that make them irreplaceable.

Because at the end of the day, AI isn’t the differentiator. You are.