Maki People is a Paris-based AI hiring platform whose screening agent, Mochi, interviews applicants by phone or on the web after they apply. The phone version starts with a text message: you reply, and the agent calls you. Employers can add skills and language tests, and recruiters review the results. This page explains what Maki People is, what the interview is like, what it scores, the rules and practicalities, and how to prepare. We researched Maki People's own candidate pages and independent reports on November 12, 2026; employers configure these tools differently, so your invitation has the final word.
What Maki People is
MakiPeople SAS was founded by Maxime Legardez-Coquin, Paul-Louis Caylar and Benjamin Chino. Mochi launched in April 2025 and uses ElevenLabs voices and Deepgram speech recognition; employers brand its voice, tone and persona, so you may never hear the name Mochi. Maki also runs Shiro, a skills screener of about 10 to 15 minutes, Ken, a deeper assessment, and Tomo, a co-pilot that transcribes human-led interviews on Zoom, Teams or Meet, where a person still asks the questions. Through a June 2026 partnership with Recruitics, some employers run the voice interview before you even finish applying.
Who uses it: Nespresso, Capgemini, Deloitte France, Forvis Mazars, Grant Thornton, Foundever, Generali, MAIF, ASOS, Wagamama and Volkswagen, among customers Maki names.
What the interview is like
| What to expect | |
|---|---|
| Phone screening | A text message invites you; reply and the agent calls you. Often about 10 to 15 minutes |
| Web screening | An email link, usually within 24 to 48 hours of applying, with reminders; about 15 to 25 minutes, with 1 to 2 minutes suggested per answer |
| Average length | About 8 minutes in the first quarter of 2026, Maki says |
| Questions | A few on eligibility, background, scenarios or skills, plus time for your own questions; vague answers get probed |
| Languages | English, French, Spanish, German and Italian in Maki's candidate FAQ; other Maki pages claim 20 to more than 45 |
| Related steps | A Flash Interview, where an avatar asks questions and you record voice answers, and timed skills or language tests |
What it scores
- Eligibility, motivation, availability, communication and basic job-fit signals.
- Answers analyzed for clarity, relevance and role alignment against a fixed grid of behaviorally anchored rating scales; Maki says content is scored, not accent or delivery.
- Language tests are different: they follow the CEFR framework and can include pronunciation for spoken answers.
- Maki says Holistic AI audited Mochi and Shiro for bias under New York City's Local Law 144 in March 2026, and that Mochi does not use your data to train AI models.
Rules and practicalities
- You are told you are speaking with AI and must consent; whether you can opt out depends on local law.
- Maki discourages AI tools, which it says could affect your evaluation, and asks you not to share the questions. On its tests, proctoring uses webcam snapshots, tab-focus logs, IP and device fingerprints, and gaze and speech patterns to flag AI-assisted answers; flags do not disqualify anyone automatically.
- There is no practice run for Mochi, and a retake is possible only after a technical problem, through support.
- If a phone screen drops, text on the original thread and the call resumes where you left off; if you miss the call, a text arrives to set up another; with no call within 12 hours, contact support.
- Answer eligibility questions such as work permits accurately: Maki's candidate FAQ says such objective cases can exclude automatically, though another Maki page says no candidate is rejected automatically.
- Accommodations include a written screening for deaf or hard-of-hearing candidates and extra time through a Request an accommodation button. Tests can be taken once, and results may be reused for at least six months.
Phone or web: which Mochi you get
| Phone screening | Web screening | |
|---|---|---|
| Invitation | A text message; reply to get the call | An email link, usually within 24 to 48 hours |
| Typical length | About 10 to 15 minutes | About 15 to 25 minutes |
| Device | Any mobile phone; avoid AirPods or headphones | Latest Chrome on a desktop works best; Maki's web guide asks for a camera and microphone |
| If it drops | Text the original thread to resume where you left off | Contact Maki's support |
Maki's own pages describe the web version both as a video interview and as a web-based chat, so check your invitation for whether the camera is needed. Independent candidate reports were hard to find; Maki's curated feedback page mentions one person who could not hear the audio and another who asked for live captions, so test your sound first.
How to prepare
- Reply to the text when you can talk for 15 minutes somewhere quiet; the call comes after you reply.
- Prepare crisp answers on eligibility, availability and motivation: right to work, start date, the shifts or hours you can do and why this role.
- Have one short scenario example ready for the role, such as a customer problem, a mistake you fixed or a busy shift.
- On the phone, use the handset or speaker rather than AirPods or headphones, as Maki advises; on the web, use the latest Chrome on a desktop.
- Ask your own question at the end; Mochi leaves time for it, and it shows interest.
Answering well when an AI is asking
- Find a quiet spot with a strong signal and avoid speakerphone, which causes echo.
- Answer every question fully; a skipped question usually scores as missing.
- Keep answers specific: what you did, when, and the result.
- Speak at a steady pace and avoid long silences, which some systems flag or treat as the end of an answer.
For a free practice routine, see how to practice for an AI interview for free. Other platforms work differently, so compare the Sapia AI interview, the question of whether AI interviewers analyze tone of voice and the HireVue AI interview.
Your rights and what happens next
After a Maki People interview, a recruiter usually reviews the scores, transcript or recording, often within days, and decides whether to move you forward; most vendors say a human makes the decision. If you hear nothing in a week or two, a short, polite follow-up to the recruiter is reasonable.
Depending on where you live, the law may give you rights over automated interviews. Illinois requires employers to explain and get consent before using AI to analyze video interviews, New York City requires bias audits and advance notice for automated hiring tools, and the EU AI Act treats AI used in recruitment as high risk. You can ask the employer how your recording is stored and who reviews it, and request an alternative if you need an accommodation.
Where CoPilot Interview fits
AI-led interviews are screening rounds you take on your own, and they almost always forbid outside help; some log tab switches, pasted text or a second voice. So the useful preparation is practice. CoPilot Interview is an AI interview assistant; its free AI mock interview builds questions from your résumé and the job description, reads them aloud and scores each spoken answer out of ten, which is close to how many automated interviews work. The free plan gives 15 minutes a day of live help in sessions of up to 15 minutes, with AI mock interviews included. On the day, follow your employer's rules and the instructions in your invitation.
Disclosure: CoPilot Interview is our product, so weigh what we say about it accordingly.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Mochi from Maki People?
Maki People's AI screening agent, which interviews applicants by phone or on the web. Employers can brand it, so it may use another name.
How long is a Maki People AI interview?
Phone screens often take 10 to 15 minutes and web screens 15 to 25; Maki reports an average of about 8 minutes in early 2026.
Can I retake a Mochi interview?
Only after a technical problem, through Maki's support. If a phone screen drops, text the original thread to resume.
Does Maki People score my accent?
Maki says Mochi scores content, not accent or delivery. Separate language tests follow the CEFR framework and can assess pronunciation.
Can I use an AI assistant during my Maki People interview?
No. AI-led screening interviews are meant to be answered on your own, and many log signals such as tab switches, pasted text or another voice. Practice beforehand instead, and follow your employer's rules.
Practice this interview before the real one
The AI mock interview builds questions from your resume and the job description, reads them aloud and scores each spoken answer out of 10. Included on the free plan.
Start a mock interview