Hudson Marr, a senior studying electrical engineering in the University of Florida’s Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, is already making waves with job interviews.
Before his senior year started, he and computer science senior Adrian Pascual founded Prepify AI, a company that provides artificial intelligence-powered job-interview tools to help candidates ace interviews and companies find qualified candidates — and weed out candidates who cheat with AI.
“We are building out the world’s best AI interviewer,” he said during a Tech Tuesday television segment on WCJB earlier this year.
They built Prepify AI after many of their fellow students were having a hard time securing interviews or were scared of the ones they did schedule.
“Most companies only have time to actually talk to about 10% of their applicants, so we built evy.io, an AI interviewer that lets companies screen every capable candidate who applies,” he said. “That means every single applicant gets a shot to prove why they’re the right hire.”
He is beginning to work with the university to provide mock interviews for students about to enter the workforce, starting with the ECE department.
“That’s the part that excites me most for future generations: making sure the next wave of graduates walks into interviews prepared,” he said.
So let’s turn the tables and interview Marr.
What are Prepify AI’s benefits?
For employers, it comes down to security and speed. Candidates calibrate eye-tracking so we can see where they’re looking throughout the interview, and companies can screen far more candidates in far less time so the best people don’t slip away to competing offers while they wait.
For students and job candidates, the benefit is finally being heard. Almost everyone we talk to says applying today feels like their resume goes straight into a trash bin, and with evy.io every applicant gets a real conversation and a real chance.
How prevalent is AI cheating in interviews?
In our research, we found that over half of candidates cheat in one way or another. Some of it is mild, like keeping notes up, but the main problem is a group of roughly 20 companies selling tools that listen to the interviewer’s questions and display exactly what to say on the candidate’s screen, completely invisible to the interviewer. We’ve talked to companies that unknowingly hired these people, had to fire them and lost over $100,000 in the process.
Where are you from?
Dallas, Texas area. Plano, more specifically.
What did you want to be growing up?
An inventor. I was always infatuated with the great inventors and thought they were the coolest. I loved building things, so it seemed only natural. My interest was in electronics more than software (that came in college), so I was the kid at RadioShack buying kits, soldering together AM/FM radios and breaking things to see how they worked.
What prompted your interest in AI?
I saw where the technology was headed and got curious about what I could build with it, so I made my own version of a Google Home in about three weekends. The moment it worked, I realized how powerful a tool it was going to be. I taught myself machine learning through online courses, supplemented with classes at UF, and kept building cooler and cooler things until I decided I should probably build something I could get paid for.
Why UF?
I was deciding between a few schools of basically the same engineering caliber, but I didn’t feel like I’d meet my people at the others. What I really wanted was a place where I could find like-minded friends, learn a lot and set myself up for the future. UF checked all three.
What are your plans after graduation?
Head down, building this into the biggest company we can. My co-founder and I spent a month in New York this summer going to startup events and sleeping on couches. The goal is to be profitable enough to move there and build out of New York City after graduation.
What pop culture are you consuming?
I was home for a couple of weeks this summer, and four of my buddies and I booked tickets a month out to see “The Odyssey” in 70 mm IMAX. Fantastic film, even better experience.