Gap’s AI Recruiter Schedules 7,000 Interviews, Asks Every Candidate Where They See Themselves In Five Seasons

SAN FRANCISCO—Gap Inc. said this week that its AI-enabled virtual career guide, ‘Bridgette,’ has engaged nearly 45,000 job candidates and scheduled more than 7,000 interviews since June, and will help process an estimated 200,000 seasonal applications this holiday—each of which, applicants report, begins with the question of where they see themselves in five seasons.

“I said ‘Holiday 2027, ideally in denim,’ and it seemed pleased,” said Tyler Whitcomb, 22, of Fishkill, N.Y., who applied for a distribution-center role. “Then it asked me to describe a time I overcame a challenge, and I told it about the time I folded a fitted sheet. It scheduled me for Tuesday.”

The company says Bridgette handles questions, applications, interview scheduling and reminders around the clock, while human store managers still conduct interviews and make hiring decisions. Managers said the arrangement had freed up hours previously spent playing phone tag, which they now spend explaining to candidates that Bridgette is not, in fact, their manager.

Human connection, now scheduled

Candidates described the tool as polite, tireless and relentlessly upbeat. “It sent me a reminder at 7 a.m., another at 7:15 and a third that just said ‘Excited for you!’” said Priya Natarajan, 19, a fictional applicant in Columbus. “I haven’t had someone believe in me like that since my high school guidance counselor, who was also, now that I think about it, mostly an email.”

“I told it about the time I folded a fitted sheet. It scheduled me for Tuesday.”

Labor analysts said the rollout reflects a broader trend of retailers using software to absorb administrative work during peak season. “Seasonal hiring used to be a manager with a clipboard and a migraine,” said Raymond Feld, a fictional retail-workforce consultant. “Now it’s a chatbot with infinite patience and a manager with a slightly smaller migraine. That’s progress.”

At press time, Bridgette had reportedly asked a candidate for their greatest weakness and been told, ‘Sales on cardigans,’ which it logged as a strength.