You’ve probably heard of HireVue, and maybe Lantern AI has popped up on your radar too. 

Both help recruiters screen candidates faster with video interviews. But the experience for HR teams and candidates can be very different.

Meet HireVue and Lantern AI

HireVue: You’ve likely come across HireVue in conversations about large-scale recruiting. It’s been around a while, known for one-way video interviews and assessment tools. Big companies lean on it when they need structured workflows and global scale.

Lantern AI: Lantern AI takes a fresh approach. Rather than one-way videos, it uses conversational AI that engages with candidates in real time. Follow-ups and clarifications make it feel like talking to a recruiter instead of a screen. Built for teams that want speed, better candidate experience, and flexible workflows.

What to look for in AI recruiting tools

Before choosing any AI recruiting tool, make sure any tool you consider ticks these boxes. Think of them like your HR checklist:

1. Will my candidates walk away with a positive impression of our company?

The interview is often a candidate’s first real interaction with your organization. If the process is slow or too one-sided, top talent may drop out or reject offers.

2. Does the tool handle basic filters automatically (visa, salary, availability)?

Built-in knockout filters reduce recruiter workload and ensure hiring managers only see qualified candidates.

3. Can we control and update interview content ourselves?

Recruiting teams need the flexibility to update questions, tailor assessments by role or region, and adapt quickly to business needs without waiting for IT or vendor support every time roles or requirements change.

4. How quickly can we get this live?

HR teams don’t have months to wait. The faster the setup, the faster you start reducing 

time-to-hire.

5. Is the pricing model sustainable for our hiring volume?

ROI often comes down to recruiter hours saved and improved hiring outcomes. How 

quickly will you see value (saved recruiter hours, fewer drop-offs, faster hiring)?

6. Does the tool integrate smoothly with our existing ATS (Applicant Tracking System)?

Does it work with your existing ATS, HRIS, etc.? Smooth integrations are ideal to 

reduce admin work and keep recruiter workflows efficient. 

7. Can it support global hiring and DEI goals?

If you’re hiring across countries or multicultural teams, you’ll want built-in language support and adaptability.

At a Glance: Lantern AI vs HireVue

Interview	Two-way conversational AI	One-way video response
Speed & Setup	Onboard and deploy in minutes	Long onboarding and configuration
Screening	Auto-summary + built-in qualifying questions	Manual reviews
Scoring	Purely based on content, delivery and skills	AI Facial Analysis previously used
Cutomizability	Update the setup anytime	Requires admins & deeper integration
Candidate Experience	24/7 availability, uses the “Reciprocal Hiring” approach	One-way format (often seen as transactional)
Languages	20+ with mid-conversation language switching	Restricted to enterprise package
Anti-cheating	Real-time AI follow-ups + 10+ anti-cheating tools	Standard proctoring
Pricing	ROI-driven	Traditional enterprise contracts, less tied to ROI
Integrations	Works alone or with 30+ ATS	Includes integrations

Use Cases: Where Each Tool Fits

Every team’s needs are different. Here are scenarios where one tool might clearly outperform the other, depending on your priorities:

High-Volume Early Screening

Why Lantern AI wins: Lantern auto-qualifies with knockout questions, auto-summaries candidate answers, and surfaces only high quality candidates. Conversational follow-ups reduce scripted responses, so the quality of early screens improves.

Where HireVue might fit: Can technically process large batches, but often needs heavy human review to make sense of the results. Works better if you have teams dedicated to cleaning up its output.

Global & Multilingual Hiring

Why Lantern AI wins: Supports 20+ languages, and can adapt to language switch mid-conversation. It’s also one of the only hiring tools which can converse in Cantonese – a rare edge for diverse, global teams.

Where HireVue might fit: Multilingual support available.

Employer Branding

Why Lantern AI wins: When your brand depends on how candidates feel. Lantern’s conversational style reduces drop-offs and improves engagement.

Where HireVue might fit: Familiar, but widely regarded as impersonal by candidates. The one-way video format makes candidates feel like they’re “talking to a wall” unless companies add extra human touchpoints.

Cost-Sensitive Recruiting Teams

Why Lantern AI wins: Ideal for companies that need impact fast, whether you’re running lean or investing at enterprise scale. Setup takes minutes, and ROI shows up quickly in the form of recruiter hours saved and reduced candidate drop-offs. Budgets translate directly into outcomes.

Where HireVue might fit: Enterprise-priced with tiered packages and costly add-ons. Costs can be justified if you treat it mainly as a large-scale testing library. ROI may lag without heavy human effort on top.

Which AI Recruiting Tool Should You Choose?

Final Thoughts

Both tools are strong. But the choice comes down to what problem you’re solving right now.

HireVue can suit large-scale enterprise workflows, and global operations. If you need that level of maturity, it can be the right choice, but expect higher costs, longer setup times, and less agility.

However, if your priority is speed, quality of early screening, candidate satisfaction, and keeping costs in check, Lantern AI offers a modern alternative to HireVue. It gives strong tools for what matters early in the funnel, without many of the trade-offs big enterprise tools tend to carry.

Our Take

While both tools have their strengths, Lantern AI often delivers better value with faster results. Its two-way conversational AI provides a better candidate experience, faster deployment, and easy-to-measure ROI. Auto-filters, summaries, and multilingual support make hiring more efficient and flexible — whether you’re scaling teams quickly or running enterprise-level recruiting.

TL;DR 

Here’s the quick takeaway:

HireVue

HireVue’s traditional one-way video interviews are good for large-scale, technical, and psychometric assessments. It’s enterprise-ready, works well for structured workflows and global hiring, but setup is slow and pricing is high. Ideal for organizations comfortable with a more traditional workflow.

Lantern AI

Two-way conversational AI recruiting tool that’s fast, candidate-friendly, and agile. Offers auto-filters, summaries, and multilingual support in 20+ languages, including Cantonese – a language most platforms don’t cover. It's affordable, ROI-focused, and ready to scale – perfect for nearly any hiring scenario.

Bottom line:

• Pick Lantern AI if speed, candidate satisfaction, cost-effectiveness, and flexibility matter.

• Pick HireVue if you prefer the traditional one-way video approach.