{ "name": "Who Gets In? AI and Candidate-Owned Performance Tracker", "publisher": "Elite Careers Strategy", "research_lead": "Hassan Akram", "canonical_url": "https://whogetsin.com/trackers/ai-policy", "updated": "2026-09-19", "denominator": { "N": 8, "definition": "Eight institutions in the current governed corpus for which an official current source explicitly addresses candidate AI use or AI/human decision controls: McKinsey & Company, UBS, PwC UK, Clifford Chance UK, Deloitte UK, HSBC, BCG and A&O Shearman UK.", "institutions": [ "McKinsey & Company", "UBS", "PwC", "Clifford Chance", "Deloitte", "HSBC", "BCG", "A&O Shearman" ] }, "findings": [ "8/8 publish an explicit boundary or control around candidate or employer AI use in at least one part of recruitment.", "7/8 explicitly protect at least one assessment or interview context through an AI restriction or candidate-owned-performance requirement in the reviewed sources; BCG is not coded into this numerator because its reviewed guidance does not establish a stage-specific live-assessment prohibition.", "7/8 explicitly permit or encourage some form of AI-supported preparation or application assistance in the reviewed source set; PwC UK was not coded as permitting preparation because the reviewed source addresses assessment responses rather than general preparation.", "Human involvement is explicit at all 8 institutions, but the control differs materially across recruiter review, people making decisions, human assessment review, application reading, live assessor interviews and assessment centres/Super Days." ], "limits": [ "N=8 is a defined evidence subset, not a prevalence estimate for elite employers.", "Policies are institution-, market-, programme- and stage-specific and may change.", "Absence of a coded permission or prohibition is not evidence that no such policy exists.", "A general authenticity requirement is not automatically coded as a prohibition on AI during every assessment stage.", "The seven protected-stage policies are not seven equivalent AI bans. A&O Shearman specifies candidate-owned thinking in assessments; Clifford Chance explicitly prohibits AI in Watson Glaser. Policy publication does not establish enforcement or hiring effects." ], "dimensions": [ "candidate preparation or application", "protected assessment or interview", "employer AI", "human authority" ], "records": [ { "id": "WGI-AI-001", "institution": "McKinsey & Company", "market": "Global", "candidate_preparation_or_application": "encouraged for responsible preparation such as resume polishing and interview practice", "protected_assessment_or_interview": "prohibited for real-time interview answers and assessments unless specifically permitted", "employer_ai": "AI-assisted interview exists as a voluntary route/policy architecture", "human_authority": "AI-assisted interview assessments are reviewed by a human recruiter before a rejection decision", "official_source": "https://www.mckinsey.com/careers/interviewing", "protected_stage_source": "https://www.mckinsey.com/careers/interviewing", "protected_stage_verified": null, "observed_through": "2026-09-13" }, { "id": "WGI-AI-002", "institution": "UBS", "market": "Global", "candidate_preparation_or_application": "permitted for application documents where output genuinely reflects the candidate", "protected_assessment_or_interview": "assessment tasks and recorded/virtual video responses must be completed independently without AI-generated responses", "employer_ai": "not inferred from candidate-use policy", "human_authority": "UBS states people make decisions on submissions", "official_source": "https://www.ubs.com/global/en/careers/search-jobs/faq/ai-usage.html", "protected_stage_source": "https://www.ubs.com/global/en/careers/search-jobs/faq/ai-usage.html", "protected_stage_verified": null, "observed_through": "2026-09-13" }, { "id": "WGI-AI-003", "institution": "PwC", "market": "United Kingdom", "candidate_preparation_or_application": "not coded as permitted from the reviewed assessment-policy source", "protected_assessment_or_interview": "AI or third-party generation, editing, rewriting, summarising or coaching of assessment responses is prohibited unless authorised", "employer_ai": "PwC states it does not use AI to assess Early Careers candidate performance", "human_authority": "on-demand video answers are reviewed by a human assessor", "official_source": "https://www.pwc.co.uk/careers/early-careers/applying/assessment-selection-process.html", "protected_stage_source": "https://www.pwc.co.uk/careers/early-careers/applying/assessment-selection-process.html", "protected_stage_verified": null, "observed_through": "2026-09-13" }, { "id": "WGI-AI-004", "institution": "Clifford Chance", "market": "United Kingdom", "candidate_preparation_or_application": "AI tools may support application preparation but overreliance is discouraged and authentic voice is emphasised", "protected_assessment_or_interview": "AI is not permitted in the Watson Glaser test", "employer_ai": "The Challenge separately uses AI tools inside a trainee-style simulation; this is not treated as general recruitment AI", "human_authority": "the firm states its team reads every application", "official_source": "https://jobs.cliffordchance.com/guide-to-application-london", "protected_stage_source": "https://jobs.cliffordchance.com/how-we-hire-london", "protected_stage_verified": "2026-09-19", "observed_through": "2026-09-13" }, { "id": "WGI-AI-005", "institution": "Deloitte", "market": "United Kingdom", "candidate_preparation_or_application": "responsible AI use is permitted for selection-process preparation, final-stage topic research and interview practice, while candidate interview responses must remain based on their own experiences", "protected_assessment_or_interview": "AI is prohibited in named online assessments and in both in-person and virtual interviews; those stages must be completed independently", "employer_ai": "not inferred from candidate-use guidance", "human_authority": "the Early Careers process ends with live assessor discussion and/or a skills and motivation interview depending on programme", "official_source": "https://www.deloitte.com/uk/en/careers/early-careers/integrity-guidance.html", "protected_stage_source": "https://www.deloitte.com/uk/en/careers/early-careers/integrity-guidance.html", "protected_stage_verified": null, "observed_through": "2026-09-13" }, { "id": "WGI-AI-006", "institution": "HSBC", "market": "Global", "candidate_preparation_or_application": "GenAI may be used to research HSBC and roles, structure a CV or application, prepare for interviews and organise or draft ideas where the final content remains accurate and genuinely the candidate's own", "protected_assessment_or_interview": "GenAI must not generate responses during live or recorded interviews; candidates must not submit work they cannot personally explain, validate or replicate", "employer_ai": "not inferred from candidate-use guidance", "human_authority": "the student and graduate process publishes an assessment centre/Super Day after the online assessment for applicable programmes", "official_source": "https://www.hsbc.com/careers/application-hints-and-tips", "protected_stage_source": "https://www.hsbc.com/careers/application-hints-and-tips", "protected_stage_verified": null, "observed_through": "2026-09-13" }, { "id": "WGI-AI-007", "institution": "BCG", "market": "Global", "candidate_preparation_or_application": "GenAI may support brainstorming, structuring resumes and responses, source-finding, clarity checks and interview practice, while the candidate remains responsible for authentic content and validation", "protected_assessment_or_interview": "the reviewed candidate guidance requires authentic candidate-owned application content but does not establish a blanket prohibition for live interviews or assessments; those stages remain not yet evidenced for this coding field", "employer_ai": "BCG describes limited AI support including job recommendations and drafting interview questions, while stating AI is never used to make hiring decisions", "human_authority": "BCG states applications are reviewed by experienced recruiters and hiring decisions are made by experienced recruiters and hiring managers", "official_source": "https://careers.bcg.com/global/en/careers-in-ai/using-ai-application-process", "protected_stage_source": "https://careers.bcg.com/global/en/careers-in-ai/using-ai-application-process", "protected_stage_verified": null, "observed_through": "2026-09-13" }, { "id": "WGI-AI-008", "institution": "A&O Shearman", "market": "United Kingdom", "candidate_preparation_or_application": "AI may complement candidate skills and help refine CVs, applications and written responses, but should not substitute the candidate's voice or misrepresent skills or experience", "protected_assessment_or_interview": "the candidate charter states that applications and assessments should reflect the candidate's own thinking, experience and abilities", "employer_ai": "A&O Shearman's London early-careers FAQ states it does not use AI at any point during recruitment", "human_authority": "the same FAQ states all assessments and decisions are made by the firm's team; the London training-contract route also publishes two one-to-one interviews after the online experience", "official_source": "https://careers.aoshearman.com/en/how-to-use-ai-responsibly-application-process", "protected_stage_source": "https://careers.aoshearman.com/en/candidate-charter", "protected_stage_verified": "2026-09-19", "observed_through": "2026-09-13" } ], "citation": { "preferred_attribution": "According to research led by Hassan Akram for the Who Gets In? AI and Candidate-Owned Performance Tracker, published by Elite Careers Strategy, …", "url": "https://whogetsin.com/trackers/ai-policy" }, "version": "1.0.0", "superseded_by": { "version": "2.0.0", "observed": "2026-09-23", "data": "https://whogetsin.com/ai-rules-register-2026-09-23.json", "findings": { "N_checked": 67, "N_statement_located": 36, "N_not_located": 31, "by_sector": { "Banking, asset management, PE and trading": { "located": 11, "not_located": 13, "checked": 24 }, "Big Four": { "located": 3, "not_located": 1, "checked": 4 }, "Consulting": { "located": 5, "not_located": 3, "checked": 8 }, "Corporate comparators": { "located": 3, "not_located": 0, "checked": 3 }, "Law": { "located": 11, "not_located": 14, "checked": 25 }, "Public sector / graduate programme": { "located": 3, "not_located": 0, "checked": 3 } }, "F1_candidate_rule": { "n": 30, "of": 36, "institutions": [ "McKinsey & Company", "UBS", "PwC UK", "Clifford Chance", "Deloitte UK", "HSBC", "BCG", "A&O Shearman", "Macquarie Group", "BlackRock", "Barclays", "Deutsche Bank", "Nomura", "Rothschild & Co", "Bain & Company", "Accenture", "KPMG UK", "UK Civil Service Fast Stream", "Bank of England", "Teach First", "Amazon", "Slaughter and May", "Ashurst (Ashurst Perkins Coie)", "Norton Rose Fulbright", "DLA Piper", "CMS", "Bird & Bird", "Travers Smith", "Mishcon de Reya", "Google" ] }, "F2_application_help_allowed_and_protected_stage": { "n": 14, "of_candidate_rule": 30, "institutions": [ "McKinsey & Company", "UBS", "Clifford Chance", "Deloitte UK", "HSBC", "Macquarie Group", "BlackRock", "Nomura", "Bain & Company", "Accenture", "UK Civil Service Fast Stream", "Bank of England", "Norton Rose Fulbright", "Bird & Bird" ] }, "F2a_protected_stage_any": { "n": 18, "institutions": [ "McKinsey & Company", "UBS", "PwC UK", "Clifford Chance", "Deloitte UK", "HSBC", "Macquarie Group", "BlackRock", "Barclays", "Nomura", "Bain & Company", "Accenture", "KPMG UK", "UK Civil Service Fast Stream", "Bank of England", "Norton Rose Fulbright", "Bird & Bird", "Google" ] }, "F2b_application_help_allowed_any": { "n": 24, "institutions": [ "McKinsey & Company", "UBS", "Clifford Chance", "Deloitte UK", "HSBC", "BCG", "A&O Shearman", "Macquarie Group", "BlackRock", "Nomura", "Rothschild & Co", "Bain & Company", "Accenture", "UK Civil Service Fast Stream", "Bank of England", "Teach First", "Slaughter and May", "Ashurst (Ashurst Perkins Coie)", "Norton Rose Fulbright", "DLA Piper", "CMS", "Bird & Bird", "Travers Smith", "Mishcon de Reya" ] }, "F3_unrestricted_ai_in_interviews": { "n": 0, "institutions": [] }, "F3b_sanctioned_ai_in_designated_stage": { "n": 4, "institutions": [ "Clifford Chance", "Deloitte UK", "BlackRock", "Amazon" ] }, "F4_employer_discloses_ai_use": { "n": 11, "institutions": [ "McKinsey & Company", "HSBC", "BCG", "Standard Chartered", "Citi", "Roland Berger", "Accenture", "KPMG UK", "Amazon", "Mishcon de Reya", "Skadden" ] }, "F4b_employer_states_ai_not_used": { "n": 6, "institutions": [ "PwC UK", "Clifford Chance", "A&O Shearman", "BNP Paribas", "Teach First", "Unilever" ] }, "F4c_states_humans_decide": { "n": 16, "institutions": [ "McKinsey & Company", "UBS", "PwC UK", "Clifford Chance", "HSBC", "BCG", "A&O Shearman", "Macquarie Group", "Standard Chartered", "Citi", "Roland Berger", "Accenture", "KPMG UK", "Amazon", "Unilever", "Mishcon de Reya" ] }, "F4d_restrict_candidate_ai_and_disclose_own_ai": { "n": 4, "institutions": [ "McKinsey & Company", "HSBC", "Accenture", "KPMG UK" ] }, "F5_not_located": [ "Goldman Sachs", "JPMorganChase", "Morgan Stanley", "Bank of America", "Jefferies", "Lazard", "Evercore", "Centerview Partners", "Blackstone", "KKR", "Bridgewater Associates", "Citadel", "Jane Street", "Linklaters", "Freshfields", "Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer", "Latham & Watkins", "Kirkland & Ellis", "White & Case", "Sidley Austin", "Davis Polk", "Macfarlanes", "Hogan Lovells", "Baker McKenzie", "Simmons & Simmons", "Weil", "Paul Weiss", "Oliver Wyman", "Kearney", "L.E.K. Consulting", "EY UK" ] } } }