Banks Deploy AI Interviewers for 2026 Campus Recruitment; CMB Sets September 9 Deadline

The use of AI interviewers in bank campus recruitment has emerged as a new trend in the 2026 autumn hiring season. On September 9, a social media user shared a text message showing an invitation to participate in China Merchants Bank's AI interview for campus recruitment. The message indicated that candidates receive an interview invitation code and must complete the interview by September 9, 2026, Beijing time. Candidates can access the interview via the "AI Talent" mini-program on the bank's app homepage and are required to use a second camera for proctoring. The message also stated that each candidate is allowed only one AI interview opportunity during this recruitment cycle, and the interview records will be used across all branches of China Merchants Bank.

This practice is not unique to China Merchants Bank. Several joint-stock banks and city commercial banks have introduced AI interviewers for campus recruitment for the first time starting in 2026. A source at a joint-stock bank said its subordinate branches introduced AI interviewers in 2026, while a source at a city commercial bank said the bank is considering the move. Another source at a city commercial bank in East China said AI interviews were introduced for the 2026 autumn recruitment but are not mandatory. An executive at a listed bank said the bank used AI interviews for the first time in 2026 as the first round of its head-office management trainee recruitment, with different recruitment units able to choose whether to apply it. A source at a national commercial bank said AI recruitment began in 2026, but no similar operation had been reported at the head-office level.

Meanwhile, internet companies are also adopting AI interviews in their hiring processes. In early August 2026, JD. com announced the launch of its 2027 campus recruitment, targeting undergraduate, master's, and doctoral students graduating in 2027. JD. com introduced AI interviews for the first time in its recruitment process in 2026. The company said graduates who pass resume screening will receive assessment notifications, and after passing the assessment, some positions will require AI interviews or online written tests.

Regarding the specific process of AI interviews, a bank source said candidates typically face an AI interviewer for self-introductions and questions, which often focus on teamwork, interpersonal communication, and execution ability. For some banks, the AI interview serves as an initial screening, and candidates who fail are eliminated. According to sources at relevant banks, the AI interviewers and mini-programs used by some banks are purchased or developed through external partnerships, rather than being developed in-house.