Artificial intelligence (AI) is often seen as a threat to jobs, with many people worrying that it could lead to job losses in the future. However, AI is also creating new opportunities. A student from Columbia University, Roy Lee, recently showed how AI can actually help job seekers. Instead of losing job chances, he used AI to secure multiple job offers from major companies like Amazon.

Lee developed an AI tool called Interview Coder, which helps candidates perform better in job interviews, especially technical ones. In a series of posts, he explained how his tool can assist people in clearing LeetCode interviews, which test coding and algorithm skills. He even admitted to using Interview Coder to pass Amazon’s interview process and receive an internship offer.

“Yes, I actually used Interview Coder to get an Amazon offer. Yes, I used to also run an account that taught people how to solve LeetCode questions,” Lee wrote in one of his posts. His posts included screenshots from well-known companies like Meta, TikTok, Amazon, and Capital One. He also shared a video showing how his AI tool helped him during technical interviews.

Amazon’s complaint and social media reactions

Even with his success, Lee’s experiment sparked controversy. He revealed that Amazon was unhappy with his method and even sent a complaint email to Columbia University. Some people criticized his actions, arguing that using AI in this way is unfair.

One social media user commented, “That’s why stop asking stupid and outdated questions; as now technology evolves, you should evolve. Hire candidates who have exponential ability. Who can do shit? Do not hire by the LeetCode stuff!” Another disagreed, saying, “Two wrongs don’t make a right. You are wrong in this scenario.”

Others warned that AI-assisted cheating could lead companies to change their hiring methods. One user wrote, “Cheating on digital interviews will just force companies back to doing in-person interviews (worse for workers) and relying more on resumes than skills (bad for social mobility).”

Lee himself explained that his purpose in creating the tool was not to get an internship but to challenge the way companies conduct technical interviews. He added that 10 percent of Google’s summer intern class had also used Interview Coder, though he did not receive any direct offer from the company.

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