NewMedia Centre Stories

AI in Hiring – Can a Machine Pick the Right Candidate?

What if an algorithm decided whether you got the job—even before a human saw your name?
This is no longer hypothetical. AI-driven hiring assessments are already influencing recruitment practices globally. But what do these systems actually assume about job seekers? And what might they overlook?

A recent interdisciplinary study, conducted by researchers from TU Delft, University of Twente, and TU Eindhoven, investigated these very questions. They found that such assessments often make implicit assumptions about job seekers’ skills, behavior, and communication styles—assumptions that may not align with individual realities.

Critically, the research highlighted how these systems can undermine a person’s ability to directly tell their story. When AI systems evaluate resumes, recorded video responses, or test results, they reduce a complex human narrative to a set of predefined data points. As a result, individuals lose autonomy over how they represent their identity, experience, and aspirations—a core component of human dignity.

At the New Media Centre, we were tasked with turning these findings into an accessible and thought-provoking video for a general audience. The aim: translate the research into a format that informs, engages, and sparks reflection.

The project took eight months and followed a structured process:

  • Collaborative scripting with researchers
  • Storyboarding key concepts
  • Voice-over production
  • A blend of custom and curated visual assets unified under one style
  • Full animation design and editing

“By reducing our stories to data points, AI-driven hiring risks erasing the humanity behind every résumé.”

The final product—a four-minute animation—is now available on the TU Delft YouTube channel. It brings to life not only the technical critique of AI systems but also the human impact they can have on job seekers.
How would you feel if your job application was evaluated by a machine before a person ever saw it?
Watch the video to explore the consequences and possibilities of AI in hiring.

Research authors: Evgeni Aizenberg, Matthew J. Dennis, Jeroen van den Hoven

Graphic Design: Rui-Jun Luong 

Voice over: Thijs Sanderse

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