What is Audit Interview?
The Audit Interview is a hiring protocol coined by Richard Ewing that tests verification skills instead of code generation skills. Candidates are given AI-generated code with hidden flaws and asked to identify the problems.
The premise: AI can generate code. Catching what AI gets wrong is the scarce human skill. Traditional coding interviews test a skill AI now performs better than humans. The Audit Interview tests the skill that matters in the AI age: engineering judgment.
The protocol: present AI-generated code with 3-5 hidden bugs (security vulnerabilities, logic errors, performance issues, edge cases). Candidate has 10 minutes to find issues. Score based on bugs found, severity ranking, and the 'what would you ship?' judgment call.
The 4 Dimensions of Engineering Judgment scored: Verification (finding bugs), Prioritization (ranking severity), Communication (explaining the risk), and Judgment (ship/no-ship decision).
Why It Matters
When AI writes the code, employers need to hire for judgment, not syntax. The Audit Interview tests the skills that actually matter: finding problems, assessing risk, and making ship decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Audit Interview?
A hiring method by Richard Ewing that tests candidates on finding bugs in AI-generated code rather than writing code from scratch. It measures engineering judgment in the AI age.
How does the Audit Interview work?
Candidates review AI-generated code with hidden flaws. They have 10 minutes to find issues, rank severity, and make a ship/no-ship recommendation. Try it at richardewing.io/tools/audit-interview.
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Richard Ewing is a Product Economist and AI Capital Auditor. He helps companies translate technical complexity into financial clarity.
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