Purpose
To establish clear expectations for candidates' use of artificial intelligence (AI) during the vacancy-filling process and ensure that candidates’ actual qualifications, experience, knowledge, skills, abilities, and suitability are accurately reflected throughout.
Scope
This General Letter applies to candidates applying for vacancies in the executive branch under the jurisdiction of the Department of Administrative Services, Statewide Human Resources Management Division. It does not change the vacancy filling process as outlined in General Letter 194.
Policy
Candidates are solely responsible for ensuring that all information they supply during any and all aspects of the vacancy filling process is accurate, truthful, and reflects their actual qualifications, experience, knowledge, skills, abilities, and suitability. Candidates shall not fabricate, embellish, or misrepresent their qualifications, experience, knowledge, skills, abilities, and suitability, whether or not AI tools1 are used.
For the purposes of this policy, AI tools include general-purpose assistants and specialized application or interview tools that generate, revise, or suggest content, such as ChatGPT, Claude, Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini, Teal, Jobscan, Final Round AI, and LockedIn AI, etc.
Permitted Uses:
Candidates may use AI tools to:
- Research positions and agencies
- Prepare and practice for interviews or other applicable selection activities.
- Improve the grammar, organization, and clarity of candidate-authored application materials, provided the substantive content remains the candidate’s own and accurately reflects their qualifications, experience, knowledge, skills, abilities, and suitability. This permission does not apply to examinations, when applicable, assessments, work samples, or other activities designated as independent work.
Prohibited Uses:
Unless expressly authorized, candidates shall not use AI tools to:
- Generate answers or supply the content of responses to application or screening questions. Editing candidate-authored responses is permitted only as described above.
- Complete examinations, when applicable, assessments, work samples, or other related activities designated as independent work.
- Generate answers or provide real-time assistance during interviews or other applicable selection activities.
- Record or transcribe interviews or other applicable selection activities or introduce an AI meeting assistant without advance authorization.
Accessibility and Accommodations:
These restrictions do not prohibit approved accessibility tools or reasonable accommodations. Candidates should contact the designated Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) representative regarding accommodation requests and Agency Human Resources regarding other questions about permitted tools.
Response to Suspected Violations:
If a hiring manager suspects unauthorized AI use during an interview or other applicable selection activity, the hiring manager shall immediately pause the activity, describe the observed behavior to the candidate, reiterate the applicable instructions, and give the candidate an opportunity to explain or respond. Based on those observations and the candidate’s explanation or response, the hiring manager shall determine whether to continue or end the activity, require an in-person interview or other applicable selection activity, or discontinue consideration for documented noncompliance with the instructions. The hiring manager shall promptly document the observations, candidate’s response, decision, and supporting rationale and submit the documentation to Agency Human Resources (HR) following the activity.
Responsibilities
The following roles, as defined in General Letter 194, are responsible for communicating and implementing this policy:
- The Department of Administrative Services Talent Solutions shall provide candidates notice of this policy when posting job openings on JobAps; and
- Hiring managers, or HR on their behalf, shall reiterate this policy when inviting candidates to interviews or other applicable selection activities and again before those activities begin. Instructions shall identify activities designated as independent work and any expressly authorized AI tool use, as applicable.
- Hiring managers shall address suspected violations, make decisions regarding continuation of the selection activity or the candidate’s consideration, and document and report those decisions to HR in accordance with the Response to Suspected Violations section.
Other
State agencies are responsible for the following regarding candidate use of AI in the vacancy filling process:
- Responding to any administrative and/or legal challenges associated with candidate use of AI in the vacancy filling process;
- Meeting all document retention requirements;
- Responding to all requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA); and
- Maintaining the security and confidentiality of all vacancy filling materials.
For questions regarding this General Letter, please contact the Department of Administrative Services, Statewide Human Resources Management Division.
1 AI tools may generate information that is incomplete, inaccurate, or not fully up to date. Any content referenced or produced using these tools should be independently verified, and candidates are solely responsible for confirming the accuracy and reliability of all such information.
