Most embedded online assessment solutions could become obsolete due to the rise of generative AI, reports Jamie Betts. The founder of Neurosight explains the impending challenges for early talent recruiters.
Generative AI, a type of artificial intelligence that creates new content by learning patterns from existing data, is revolutionising many sectors.
Its most prominent representative, ChatGPT-4, is poised to radically disrupt the way we assess for early careers talent.
ChatGPT-4 and online assessments
ChatGPT-4 can empower student job seekers to effectively complete assessments. These include verbal and logical reasoning tests, coding tests, numerical reasoning tests, one-way video interviews, AI-powered chatbot interviews, behaviourally-anchored situational judgment tests (and variants of them) and written analysis exercises.
Soon, ChatGPT-4’s vision capabilities will allow it to ‘read’ websites, charts, and images. This will enable seamless candidate guidance through online assessments with browser plugins, eliminating the need for manual input.
And if you block the plug-ins? There are many workarounds we’ll explore below.
Student adoption of ChatGPT
A recent Neurosight survey, conducted in Q2 2023 with Savanta, revealed insightful student attitudes towards ChatGPT.
Four in five students were familiar with ChatGPT, and nearly half confessed to regularly using it for coursework. Surprisingly, 63% attributed an overall performance improvement to ChatGPT.
Moreover, 68% of the students were open about planning to utilise ChatGPT for job applications, with nearly half willing to use it for combined/blended assessments common in early careers hiring.
Interestingly, 55% of computer science students expressed their intent to use ChatGPT for acing coding tests.
This ChatGPT-native cohort is about to graduate and hit the job market – time is running out.
Is the assessment industry ready for this challenge?
The candidate assessment industry appears completely unprepared for this AI revolution. A rational evaluation of suggested ‘solutions’ to the issue leads to the conclusion they will be ineffective against candidates keen on leveraging AI for their personal benefit.
Given ChatGPT-4’s ability to ace the vast majority of embedded assessment solutions, this is an unprecedented challenge for employers who are rightly concerned about the integrity of their hiring process.
Optimistic assertions that GPT-4 can be somehow ‘blocked’ from aiding candidates in online assessments don’t stack up.
Attempts to block this functionality in browsers will just lead to candidates taking screenshots on their phone (there are already apps available that instantly convert photos to text). They could use a separate browser instance on another screen, or a GPT-4 powered app that sits outside the browser.
There are so many potential work-arounds for determined candidates, and even resorting to invasive proctoring would not resolve the challenge.
Time is fast running out
Sadly, the reality is that the majority of embedded online assessment solutions face the threat of obsolescence within months.
We in the assessment industry have a particular responsibility to urgently recognise and understand the far-reaching implications of GPT-4.
Unfounded assurances about preventing the use of GPT-4 are counter-productive. The industry needs realistic solutions to ensure the integrity of online assessments in the face of the rapid pace of AI advancement.
The clock is ticking for employers concerned about the integrity of their hiring process, and the assessment industry must genuinely step up to this imminent challenge.
Jamie shared insight on how ChatGPT is developing at ISE’s Student Recruitment Conference 2023.
Catch up on more content from the conference. You may also be interested in:
With all this talk of AI, let’s not forget the human in talent assessment
0 Comments
Trackbacks/Pingbacks