Steve Holt, 51, has worked in warehouses and handled inventory all his life.
Despite this, he said he had six job applications rejected at Woolworths and submitted his latest application in October.
Each time, I was asked to submit an application online and complete a written chat-style interview through Sapia AI, the Australian-based AI recruitment platform used by Woolworths.
He said his application never progressed and he couldn’t talk to anyone about the role.
“They just make these ridiculous assumptions without even meeting you…no interviews, nothing.
“It’s just a computer program.”
Holt is a single parent who is homeschooling her neurodivergent son while dealing with her own health issues.
He is currently receiving benefits and looking for part-time work.
Mr Holt said he was a “loveable” person and “not a jerk” and could have been stacking shelves at a supermarket if not for the AI interview.
“I couldn’t outrun the AI bouncer,” he said.
Mr Holt said he believed he had a “100 per cent” chance of being hired by Woolworths if he was offered a face-to-face interview with a local manager.
Auckland mother Lucy Scott said: herald She lodged a formal complaint with Woolworths after her 16-year-old son received feedback from the AI that was “completely disconnected” from his own.
Her son was told that he prioritized “speed” over “accuracy”, that his “confidence” could “alienate” people and that he “risked spending too much emotional energy on other people’s problems”.
“These statements directly contradict actual feedback from my previous employer,” she said.
Scott and his son live in a rural area where employment opportunities for young people are limited.
She described him as “courteous”, “eager to learn” and a team player who worked long, physically demanding shifts.
“This process feels more like a barrier than a pathway, especially for entry-level roles that should be accessible to young people who are willing to work hard and learn.”
Suzanne, who did not want to give her last name, is a semi-retired woman who applied for two retail assistant jobs at Woolworths in February.
she said herald She had extensive customer service experience, including 20 years working for airlines.
She was rejected for both roles, which surprised her because she had “more than enough skill” and “more than enough qualities” for the roles.
Suzanne said the AI interview described her as an introvert, which she found “funny” since she was known to be talkative.
The AI also said that Suzanne is resistant to change, too routine, and too easy-going.
“You think after 20 years of flying and living out of suitcases you have some flexibility, but that’s completely inaccurate.”
At the end of the interview, the AI asked her what age range she fit into, which led her to wonder if the personality profile the AI created contained age-based assumptions.
She said she is mature enough to not care too much about feedback from AI, but worries about how it will affect sensitive, vulnerable and young people.
“I don’t want to work for this company anymore. This company has shown me how little it respects its future employees. So how can I say they are a good employer?”
Woolworths’ Sapir AI screening tool has been used by more than one million job seekers across Australia and New Zealand since its launch.
In a statement to herald“Our recruitment process is designed to be fair and accessible, with checks and balances to monitor for bias or unfair outcomes,” the company said.
This includes creating comprehensive impact assessments to ensure that AI meets ethical standards and anonymizing demographic information about applicants recorded by AI.
When asked what kind of human involvement was involved in the recruitment process, Woolworths confirmed there was “human involvement” following the initial AI assessment.
“Our recruitment process is designed to help candidates succeed in their careers, and the insight process is voluntary.”
Woolworths said the majority of feedback it received about its AI tools was positive.
“We warmly welcome feedback on our processes, including the use of technology.
“We are always looking to improve the candidate experience when searching for a role with our company.”
The Ministry of Social Development (MSD), which oversees work and income, said it was aware that some job seekers had encountered AI when applying for jobs.
“We recognize that the job market is constantly changing and the use of artificial intelligence is becoming more common,” said Graham Allpress, MSD Client Service Delivery General Manager. Herald.
Allpress said it is not aware of MSD receiving any specific complaints regarding the AI recruitment process, and that while the department has held seminars on employment opportunities, they were not focused on the use of AI in recruitment.
We have reached out to Sapia AI for comment.
Janhavi Gosavi is a Wellington-based journalist. new zealand herald A person reporting news in the capital.
