Job search AI deepfake detection: 5 tips for hiring managers

The expanding threat of AI deepfakes has now infiltrated the hiring process, with sophisticated technology enabling bad actors to impersonate job candidates in video interviews. These fraudulent applicants seek to gain employment at companies—particularly tech firms with valuable intellectual property and remote positions—to access sensitive systems, steal data, or install malware. With cybersecurity researchers warning that deepfakes can be created in just over an hour and predictions that one in four job candidates will be fake by 2028, organizations must develop comprehensive strategies to identify these increasingly convincing impostors.

1. Request actions that challenge AI limitations
When interviewing remote candidates, ask them to perform specific actions that typically confound deepfake technology:

• Request face-hand interactions such as touching their nose or ear, which often reveal flaws in AI-generated video.
• Ask candidates to show different angles by turning their head or making rapid movements that can expose inconsistencies in deepfake rendering.
• Direct them to interact with their environment by holding objects or adjusting lighting, testing the deepfake’s ability to adapt to changing conditions.

2. Watch for technical and visual inconsistencies
Despite advances in deepfake technology, telltale signs remain visible to attentive observers:

• Look for unnatural blending at facial boundaries and lighting that affects the face differently than the surrounding environment.
• Monitor for audio-visual synchronization issues where lip movements don’t perfectly match spoken words.
• Pay attention to robotic or inconsistent eye movements, irregular blinking patterns, and facial expressions that lack the subtle micro-expressions typical in genuine human interaction.

3. Implement identity verification protocols
Organizations must establish robust verification procedures, especially for positions with access to sensitive information:

• Request and verify government-issued identification through secure channels before interviews.
• Conduct live skill assessments where candidates solve problems in real-time, making it difficult for impersonators to fake technical expertise.
• Develop comprehensive verification policies and communicate these requirements to all candidates in advance.

4. Ask contextual and cultural questions
Deepfake operators often struggle with unexpected questions requiring nuanced knowledge:

• Test location-based knowledge by asking about specific landmarks or cultural references from places candidates claim to have lived or worked.
• Probe for detailed experiences that require contextual understanding rather than memorized facts.
• Request specific situational examples that demand nuanced responses about interpersonal dynamics or problem-solving approaches.

5. Analyze technical indicators
Beyond visual observation, technical signals can help identify deepfake attempts:

• Verify that a candidate’s IP location matches their claimed geographic location.
• Be suspicious of candidates who insist on using specific, less common video platforms that might better accommodate deepfake technology.
• Recognize that tech companies are prime targets due to their valuable intellectual property, remote work policies, and high compensation.