McKinsey tests AI client simulations in job interviews

Global consulting firm McKinsey & Company is modifying its entry-level recruitment process by introducing an artificial intelligence simulation designed to act as a mock client. As part of the updated interview pipeline, selected undergraduate job candidates will undergo a 10-minute live conversation with the AI-generated client. The testing phase is scheduled to begin this fall across several McKinsey office locations in North America, where hundreds of applicants seeking business-analyst positions are expected to experience the new format.

According to reports, the AI client simulation aims to reflect approximately 80% of the typical daily scenarios that actual McKinsey consultants face in their day-to-day responsibilities. The program is explicitly not intended to mimic an unhinged client, but rather to present realistic workplace scenarios. Notably, the software itself will not assign grades or automatically score candidate performance. Instead, human recruiters will be present in the room to evaluate the applicants directly, observing how well candidates navigate the conversation, answer inquiries, and manage pressure during the exercise.

This deployment puts McKinsey among a broader group of companies exploring how AI avatars and conversational models can be integrated into candidate assessments. While many firms are testing automated video interview tools, McKinsey's structure keeps human decision-making central while using technology to generate realistic workplace tasks.

For business applicants, this change shifts traditional case interviews toward dynamic interactive simulations. Candidates will need to adapt their communication strategies on the fly when responding to the synthetic client, while remaining conscious that human evaluators are judging their performance in real time.