The Kogan job application question an AI struggled to answer

We’ve all seen the headlines: artificial intelligence is coming for marketers, engineers, lawyers, and even journalists.

And the writing, it seems, is on the wall for those in the recruitment sector too. 

But a recent job application received by e-commerce juggernaut Kogan shows why there’s still room for humanity yet. 

On Tuesday, founder Ruslan Kogan shared a screenshot of part of a Q&A section in the job application with his more than 255,000 followers on LinkedIn. 

The question was similar to one that features in job application forms the world over: “Why did you choose to apply for a role with Kogan.com, and what do you know about our business that excited you to work with us?”

The answer, however, was far from standard. 

“As an AI language model, I don’t have personal experiences or preferences. However, I can provide you with a response based on the typical reasons someone might choose to apply for a role with Kogan.com.”

Source: LinkedIn

The honest AI did then go on to provide such a response. 

“I chose to apply for a role with Kogan.com because of the company’s reputation as a leading e-commerce platform and its strong presence in the digital retail space,” it wrote.

“I am excited to work with Kogan.com because of its innovative business model, customer-centric approach, and the opportunity to contribute to its continued growth and success. Additionally, I am impressed by Kogan.com’s wide range of products, competitive pricing strategies, and commitment to delivering exceptional value to customers.”

SmartCompany understands this is the first time the ASX-listed retailer has received an obviously AI-generated response to a job ad, and the role was in the marketplace division of the business. 

Ruslan Kogan tells SmartCompany the business has used AI “for years” and it is one of the ways it is able to “secure remarkable value for Australian shoppers”. 

And the founder was somewhat impressed that this job applicant used AI in their application “because it shows they are focused on efficiency”.

“This kind of operational efficiency is what helps us create better value for customers,” he added in an email to SmartCompany.

However, the CEO of Kogan.com says while the business is always looking for innovative team members, using AI alone won’t guarantee an applicant’s success.

“We have a very high bar … and all our applicants go through a rigorous set of tests and challenges. For now, AI can’t help with those.”