I Refused to Let an AI “Body Scan” Me at a Job Interview—HR’s Reply Shocked Me

In today’s fast-changing job market, more and more candidates are sharing strange and surprising interview experiences. With new AI tools showing up everywhere, the hiring process can feel unpredictable, confusing, and even a little unsettling. Recently, a woman sent us a letter describing an interview experience that left her completely shocked.

Claudia’s Letter to Our Editorial Team:

Hi Bright Side,

I just finished an interview this morning, and it was so weird... I’m still trying to process the experience.

So I opened the Teams link, but instead of a human, a floating robot avatar popped up. It said, “Hi, I’m Ben. Stand up, step back from your desk, and turn around slowly for a full-body analysis.”

Panicked, I stood up... but then I hit NO. The bot ended the call abruptly.

I emailed HR to report it. Five minutes later, their reply came in. They didn’t apologize for the robot. They didn’t bother explaining the tech.

I froze as I read: “What you experienced wasn’t a glitch. You’ve just been evaluated. That was part of our ‘integrity assessment’ test, which measures whether candidates follow instructions even when the instructions seem unusual or uncomfortable.”

My brain stopped. They continued: “Our internal research shows that employees who comply with unconventional requests demonstrate stronger adaptability in high-pressure environments. Refusal is automatically interpreted as low adaptability.”

So basically... I failed the interview for not spinning in a circle for a robot like I’m auditioning for a sci-fi talent show. But then came the kicker: “We appreciate your feedback, but to be clear, the request was not about your body. It was designed to test how you respond when a task feels ‘beneath you’ or ‘pointless.’ Many of our top-performing hires completed the scan without question.”

They ended with: “If you believe this evaluation method is inappropriate, we invite you to fill out our ethical concerns form, but please note that insisting on traditional interviews may indicate low innovation tolerance.”

So to summarize: I didn’t lose the job because of privacy, or safety, or misunderstanding... I lost it because I thought about what I was being asked instead of obeying the robot on command. And now I honestly can’t tell what’s worse: that companies are starting to test whether people will blindly obey, or that enough candidates are going along with it for them to brag about it.

Has anyone else ever gone through an online interview like this? Am I just out of touch with modern hiring practices, or is this just as bizarre as it felt in the moment?

— Claudia

Thank you, Claudia, for sending us your unusual interview experience. Here are 4 pieces of advice that may help you make sense of what happened and guide you moving forward.

Trust Your Instincts When Something Feels Wrong.

When an interview process pushes you into an unexpected or uncomfortable situation, your first instinct often tells you more than any company policy does. The request for a “full-body analysis” wasn’t just unusual... it crossed a line that most people wouldn’t feel okay with.

Trusting yourself in that moment shows good judgment, not a lack of adaptability. A company that punishes candidates for protecting their boundaries is showing you exactly what working there might be like. Walking away from that environment is not a failure — it’s self-respect.

Evaluate the Company Just as Much as They Evaluate You.

Interviews go both ways, and what you experienced reveals a lot about the company’s culture. If a business uses covert psychological tricks and refuses to explain its own technology, it’s signaling a lack of transparency. You deserve employers who communicate clearly and treat you like a human being, not a test subject.

This situation is a reminder to observe how organizations behave when you ask reasonable questions. A company that blames your discomfort instead of fixing its own process is one you’re better off avoiding.

Use This Experience to Clarify What You Want in Future Interviews.

Even though this interview felt bizarre, it can help you decide what you will and won’t tolerate going forward. You now know to ask early questions about the interview format, tools, and expectations to avoid surprises like this.

You also learned how companies react when their candidates express discomfort, and that’s vital information. Use this moment to refine your red flags and deal-breakers. Sometimes a strange experience is exactly what makes your standards stronger.

Your Refusal Shows Healthy Boundaries, Not “Low Adaptability”.

Companies often claim their unusual tests measure “adaptability,” but what you showed was something far more valuable: awareness. It’s not weak to refuse a confusing command from an AI avatar — it’s responsible. Blind obedience isn’t a skill, and any workplace that expects it may normalize pressure, overreach, or unhealthy power dynamics.

Your refusal simply shows that you think before you act, even under stress. That’s a strength many good employers actively look for.

A job is more than daily duties; it’s also about how we’re valued and what each experience teaches us. And every so often, one situation can completely change the way we think about our professional path.
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