Framework for Fair AI Usage in Interviews

AI is now part of how candidates prepare and communicate.

The question is not whether AI should be allowed.
The question is how to allow it fairly.

A fair framework must:

1. Define what AI support is allowed

2. Define what counts as misuse

3. Ensure identity and authorship integrity

4. Shift scoring toward reasoning and adaptability

5. Use tools like Sherlock AI to maintain transparency and evidence

The goal is simple:

Support candidates who think.
Prevent situations where AI replaces thinking.

Why a Framework Is Needed

Without clear rules:

• Honest candidates self-limit

• Coached candidates gain an advantage

• Proxy interview behavior becomes harder to detect

• Managers evaluate based on confidence and fluency again

A structured framework makes interviews:

• Fair

• Repeatable

• Defensible

• High-signal

It also protects teams, candidates, and compliance.

The Fair AI Usage Framework

This framework applies across:

• Technical interviews

• Behavioral interviews

• Leadership evaluations

• Campus hiring

• Remote and hybrid formats

It has three layers:

1. Preparation

2. During the Interview

3. Evaluation and Documentation

Layer 1: Preparation

AI may be used for:

• Researching the company or role

• Translating concepts or practicing clarity

• Structuring past experience narratives

• Managing anxiety or language processing load

This supports:

• Non-native speakers

• Neurodivergent candidates

• Candidates without access to coaching networks

Not allowed:

• Memorized scripts where the candidate cannot re-explain concepts in their own words

Test for fairness:
The candidate should be able to paraphrase, adapt, and reason, not just recite.

Layer 2: During the Interview

AI is not allowed to:

• Generate live answers

• Whisper or feed responses

• Provide logic or debugging guidance

• Participate as a hidden second device

Allowed:

• Taking notes in their own words

• Requesting clarification or restating the problem

• Using scratch space or whiteboarding tools provided in the interview platform

This is where Sherlock AI matters.
Sherlock AI verifies:

• Identity consistency

• Voice continuity

• Reasonability patterns

• Real-time authorship integrity

This protects honest candidates from being disadvantaged by proxy or coached interviewers.

Layer 3: Evaluation and Documentation

Scoring must shift from fluency to thinking.

Interviewers should rate:

Sherlock AI supports this by:

• Automatically generating structured notes

• Highlighting reasoning patterns and inconsistencies

• Creating audit-ready scorecards

This protects both candidate fairness and company legal defensibility.

Why This Framework Works

• It does not punish AI usage for accessibility and understanding

• It prevents AI from replacing the core thinking being evaluated

• It reduces reliance on confidence and fluency, which often correlate with privilege

• It shifts evaluation toward signal that predicts future performance

Conclusion

Fair AI usage in interviews is not about limiting tools.
It is about ensuring:

• The candidate owns their thinking

• The interview focuses on reasoning and decision-making

• The process remains equitable for all candidates

Interviews become more fair when:

• AI supports clarity and comprehension

• AI does not generate core thinking

• Identity and authorship are verified

• Evidence is consistently captured

This is what Sherlock AI operationalizes at scale.