# The End of Traditional Coding Interviews in the AI Era Engineering leaders are abandoning rote coding tests as AI tools redefine technical assessment standards. - **Source:** [www.theregister.com - Articles](https://brifing.si/source/2c34ea50-d341-4a10-925d-12c012a9ad10) - **Published:** 2026-10-28 - **Topic:** [People & Culture](https://brifing.si/c/people) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/69ce2487-03b5-41be-bfba-1a3163d9ce75 ## Shift in Hiring Philosophy Anthropic engineering manager Felix Rieseberg has officially discontinued traditional coding interviews for his team. He argues that small, real-world coding challenges no longer serve as meaningful predictors of candidate success. Since AI models like Claude can now solve complex technical problems, he believes these tests have become obsolete for evaluating modern builders. ## AI Competence vs Assessment Rieseberg asserts that the most impactful engineers succeed regardless of their performance on legacy coding tests. He compares current coding interviews to quizzing candidates on assembly language, noting that AI agents have surpassed human capabilities in these specific tasks. Consequently, he is actively seeking new ways to evaluate talent in this era. ## Industry-Wide Hiring Trends While some leaders are abandoning tests, the broader tech industry remains cautious. ZipRecruiter data from October 2026 shows that 62.5 percent of employers in the Information sector still require formal skill tests. This suggests that while individual companies are experimenting, a widespread industry shift away from technical assessments has not yet occurred. ## Adapting Evaluation Methods Google is reportedly reevaluating its interview processes, with principal engineer Jaana Dogan suggesting that observing how candidates use coding agents could provide better signals. Instead of testing rote syntax, companies are exploring how to assess the practical application of AI tools, focusing on how developers integrate these systems into their daily workflows. ## Focus on Human-Centric Skills As AI automates manual coding tasks, employers are increasingly prioritizing soft skills over technical mastery. Labor economist Nicole Bachaud notes that 61.5 percent of Information employers identify critical thinking as a primary skill gap. The hiring focus is shifting toward creativity, empathy, and principled thinking, which AI models cannot currently replicate effectively. ## The Rise of Proctored Testing Despite the move away from traditional challenges, 70 percent of Information sector employers have actually increased their use of proctored or in-person assessments. This trend is a direct response to concerns regarding AI-assisted cheating. Companies are not necessarily testing less, but they are significantly changing the environment and format of these evaluations. ## Evaluating Portfolio and Taste Rieseberg is currently scanning resumes and portfolios for prototypes that demonstrate taste and empathy rather than raw coding speed. He acknowledges that he has not yet perfected this new interview model. The goal is to identify candidates who can build well with AI, reflecting a new level of abstraction in engineering. ## Future of Job Mobility As technical assessments evolve, the nature of available roles is changing rapidly. AI-related concerns are already prompting a quarter of workers to consider their next career move. If work skills become more universal due to automation, the industry may see an increase in job switching and turnover once economic conditions improve further. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.theregister.com/ai-and-ml/2026/10/28/anthropic-engineer-declares-the-coding-interview-dead/5306115 — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._