Zoom buys BrightHire to transform the future of hiring

Communications giant Zoom has been busy over the past few years with acquisitions to strengthen its AI-first workplace platform – examples include Bonsai and Workvivo.

This week, Zoom has moved directly into the hiring space by acquiring BrightHire.

Founded in the US in 2019, BrightHire had a mission to create a new category of hiring tech – interview intelligence.

Zoom invested in BrightHire in 2021, and the pair have had a close relationship developing integrations, as Zoom Chief Strategy Officer Abhisht Arora shared in a blog post.

Arora added that BrightHire is a “natural extension” of Zoom’s Workplace platform – “with BrightHire joining Zoom and Workvivo, we’re creating a seamless talent journey from discovering and hiring the right people to inspiring and engaging them once they join. It’s all part of our vision for a more connected, intelligent workplace.”

As BrightHire Co-Founder & CEO Benjamin Sesser wrote in a blog announcing the news, for the hiring tech company, this move marks “an exciting new chapter — one that accelerates our mission to give everyone the hiring experience they deserve, backed by Zoom’s scale, resources, and world-class technology”.

He added: “Together, BrightHire and Zoom are combining the best in hiring, communication, and workplace AI to transform how the world hires.”He added: “Together, BrightHire and Zoom are combining the best in hiring, communication, and workplace AI to transform how the world hires.”

The transaction is expected to close in the coming weeks – like Workvivo, BrightHire will operate as a standalone brand within Zoom.

A bright future for hiring?

Digging in more to what the acquisition means for the hiring tech space, Sesser wrote that the partnership with Zoom will “accelerate our product roadmap”, “deepen integrations”, and “expand our reach and impacts to more teams, roles and candidates than ever before”.

For BrigthHire customers – who include Canva, HubSpot, Duolingo and Lucid – BrightHire is clear that the experience will stay the same, but they will benefit from access to Zoom’s AI technology, including “even greater reliability, scalability and security”.

Ultimately, for BrightHire and Sesser, as a result of the acquisition, “our mission and values remain unchanged – but our ability to achieve them has multiplied”.

In his Zoom blogpost Arora concluded: “With this acquisition, the Zoom platform will gain a comprehensive talent lifecycle suite with AI-powered interview tools.

“This includes interview planning, automated insights, real-time coaching, and data-driven hiring decisions that enhance quality and improve candidate experience."

Industry analyst and Founder of Aptitude Research Madeline Laurano shared her thoughts on the deal on LinkedIn.

She shared that the deal was surprising; "I did not see this coming".

Interview Intelligence and AI Interviewing have been hot this year. And, the market just got more interesting” with this acquisition, added Laurano.Interview Intelligence and AI Interviewing have been hot this year. And, the market just got more interesting” with this acquisition, added Laurano.