Alex the AI Recruiter Lands $17M for Automated Interviews

Job seekers across various sectors should prepare for a notable increase in initial screening interviews. While this might initially sound promising, it does not signify a sudden surge in available job openings. Instead, recruiters, often overwhelmed by the extensive process of identifying qualified applicants for subsequent stages, are progressively delegating routine screening tasks—such as verifying backgrounds, assessing salary expectations, and checking availability—to artificial intelligence.

At the forefront of this shift is Alex, a startup co-founded by Aaron Wang approximately 18 months ago. Wang, who previously held positions at Facebook and worked as a quant for a hedge fund, informed TechCrunch that Alex's voice AI tool is capable of conducting autonomous interviews with applicants soon after they submit their job applications. He emphasized the platform's reach, stating, "Our AI recruiter does thousands of interviews a day and helps people get hired at some of the biggest companies in the world."

While Wang refrained from naming specific clients, he revealed that Alex's customer base includes Fortune 100 companies, prominent financial institutions, nationwide restaurant chains, and leading Big 4 accounting firms. Investors widely perceive the growth of AI interviewers as an inevitable trend that many businesses will embrace. This conviction was a key factor in Alex securing a new $17 million Series A funding round, led by Peak XV Partners. The round also saw participation from Y Combinator and Uncorrelated Ventures, alongside several chief human resources officers (CHROs) from undisclosed Fortune 500 companies, among others. This latest funding follows the company's $3 million seed round last year, which was led by 1984 Ventures.

Alex, however, is not alone in offering AI recruiting services. The startup faces competition from other early-stage companies in the space, including HeyMilo, ConverzAI, and Ribbon. Alex's long-term ambition is to interview millions of job applicants, thereby creating professional profile data that is significantly richer and more comprehensive than what LinkedIn currently provides. Wang articulated this vision, asserting, "Our thesis is that a 10-minute conversation with you tells me a whole lot more about you than your LinkedIn profile does." For the immediate future, Alex is focused on empowering recruiters by freeing up their time to build relationships with pre-qualified candidates and to offer strategic advice to hiring managers.