Bringing AI Tools Into Job Interviews: Canva’s New Approach to Tech Recruitment
In today’s competitive technology sector, companies are constantly seeking innovative ways to identify the most qualified candidates. One emerging trend is incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) tools into the hiring process itself. Canva, the popular online graphic design platform, has adopted this approach for recruiting software engineers, specifically those specializing in back-end and front-end development.
Many developers already rely heavily on AI-assisted coding tools in their daily work, sometimes even without openly acknowledging it. Canva has admitted that a significant portion of its software engineering team uses such tools regularly during their routine tasks. Among the most popular of these are Copilot, Cursor, and Claude, which help streamline coding, generate ideas, and troubleshoot issues more efficiently.
Evolution of Technical Assessments in the AI Era
Historically, Canva’s primary technical test—the "Fundamentals of Computer Science" exam—focused on algorithms and data structures. Candidates were asked to solve problems without the use of coding tools they would typically rely on in the workplace, to assess their fundamental understanding of computer science principles.
Now, with the proliferation of AI coding assistants, Canva has revisited this traditional approach. The company claims that nearly half of its back-end and front-end engineers utilize such AI tools daily. Recognizing this shift, Canva has restructured its evaluation methods to better reflect real-world practices in software development.
A New Type of Coding Test: Embracing “Vibe Coding”
For AI-empowered developers, the previous straightforward questions are considered trivial. Instead, Canva has designed more complex, ambiguous, and realistic problems that demand genuine judgment and advanced problem-solving skills. These new assessments often involve the candidate working through an iterative understanding of a codebase or system.
For example, rather than implementing a simple Conway’s Game of Life simulation, candidates might be asked to design a comprehensive system to coordinate takeoffs and landings at an airport—a task involving multiple interconnected processes and constraints. Such exercises are meant to evaluate a newer skill set: “AI-assisted coding.”
Key Competencies Assessed in the New Paradigm
The revised evaluation criteria aim to measure several competencies, including:
- Recognizing when and how to effectively leverage AI tools during development.
- Breaking down complex requirements into manageable subtasks.
- Critically reviewing and debugging code generated by AI, spotting issues, and applying corrections.
- Ensuring that code meets production standards and quality benchmarks.
Importantly, Canva emphasizes that these skills are not about replacing foundational knowledge. Instead, they are about applying those principles in a context where AI tools serve as extensions of the developer’s skill set. Candidates are informed beforehand about these new assessment methods and are encouraged to practice using such tools to prepare effectively.
Further Resources and Insights
To deepen understanding of this shift in tech hiring and AI integration, Canva suggests consulting the following resources:
- A matrix of coding assistants developed by AI Builders.
- Market analysis provided by Gartner on the current state of AI tools in software development.
- Guidelines from the French National Cybersecurity Agency (ANSSI) for programming with AI.
- The recent acquisition of Windsurf (formerly Codeium) by OpenAI, highlighting industry consolidation and strategic moves.
This evolution in the interview process highlights how AI is transforming not just the tools developers use, but also how companies evaluate technical talent. As AI-enabled development becomes the norm, mastery of these new collaboration strategies will increasingly define successful software engineers.
Published by:
Clément Bohic
Note: This article explores the current trends in AI-assisted coding tools in recruitment and does not aim to provide a comprehensive overview of all related technological advancements.
