Notice Regarding Use of AI-Assisted Screening Tools in Instacart's Hiring Process

Effective Date: October 30, 2026

Instacart (Maplebear Inc. d/b/a Instacart) uses AI-assisted tools as part of our hiring process. This notice explains how these tools work, what data is involved, and your rights. 

If you are applying for a position based in New York City, please be advised that Instacart does not use any automated employment decision tool described in this notice to evaluate candidates for positions based in New York City until at least ten (10) business days after the tool’s description is first posted in this notice, as required by NYC Local Law 144. To request an alternative selection process or a reasonable accommodation, contact CandidateQuestions@instacart.com. The date and a summary of the results of the most recent independent bias audit for each automated employment decision tool we use for New York City positions, as well as the date we began using each tool, are published in the NYC Local Law 144: Bias Audit Results and Distribution Dates section below. You may also request information about the type and source of data each tool uses and our data retention policy by emailing CandidateQuestions@instacart.com; we will respond within 30 days.

Tool 1: Greenhouse Real Talent

Instacart uses Greenhouse's Real Talent technology as part of our hiring process.

What Real Talent Does

Real Talent includes two capabilities that may be used during the review of your application:

• Fraud Detection — Analyzes digital identifiers associated with your application (such as IP address, email address, and phone number) through IPQualityScore to identify potential application fraud or misrepresentation.

• Identity Verification via CLEAR (Optional) — Candidates who reach the pre-offer stage will be invited to verify their identity through CLEAR. CLEAR is an independent identity verification service. Participation is entirely voluntary and is not required to be considered for any role.

How Decisions Are Made 

Real Talent provides decision-support information to Instacart's recruiting team. No candidate is automatically rejected or advanced based solely on Real Talent outputs. All hiring decisions are made by human recruiters who review Real Talent's signals alongside other application materials. The key factor Real Talent considers is application integrity signals — specifically, digital identifiers associated with your application (such as IP address, email address, and phone number) analyzed to identify potential fraud or misrepresentation.

Data Collected & Retention 

• Fraud Detection - Digital identifiers (IP address, email, phone) are analyzed by IPQualityScore, which is configured for zero-day retention. Fraud signal results are stored within Greenhouse subject to Instacart's data retention policies. 

• CLEAR - CLEAR collects biometric data (such as a selfie and government ID image) directly from you under its own terms. For more information on CLEAR’s data practices, visit their privacy policy. Instacart and Greenhouse never receive, store, or access your biometric data — only verification status (such as verified, flagged, or failed) and the name, email address, phone number, and IP address used to match it to your application. CLEAR retains biometric data as described in its Member Terms. You may request deletion at any time by contacting privacy@clearme.com.

Instacart does not permit Greenhouse to use your personal data for AI model training. 

Your Right to Request an Alternative Process

Note that opting out will not negatively affect your consideration for the role.

• To request to opt out of CLEAR Identity Verification, please let your recruiter know directly when you reach the pre-offer stage or at the time ID verification is requested. Your recruiter will facilitate a manual ID verification on Google Meet instead. 

Tool 2: Metaview AI Application Review and Sourcing

Instacart uses Metaview (Metaview Labs Inc.), a third-party AI tool integrated with Greenhouse, to generate AI-assisted summaries and documentation of candidate application materials, to evaluate applications against recruiter-approved criteria, to help recruiters identify potential candidates, and to support recruiter and hiring manager workflows.

What Metaview Does

Metaview accesses candidate application data through the Greenhouse API and uses generative AI to produce summaries of that data and to evaluate applications against an Ideal Candidate Profile for the role that is reviewed and approved by a recruiter. These summaries are used by Instacart's recruiting team and hiring managers as part of their review of your application and may inform hiring decisions.

AI Sourcing — Metaview also helps recruiters identify potential candidates who have not applied by searching professional profiles licensed from professional data providers against recruiter-approved criteria. Recruiters review the results and decide whom to contact.

How Decisions Are Made

Metaview-generated summaries and scores are reviewed by human recruiters and hiring managers alongside original application materials. No candidate is automatically rejected or advanced based solely on Metaview outputs. All hiring decisions are made by human reviewers.

Data Collected & Retention — Metaview

Metaview receives candidate personal information through the Greenhouse API, including names, contact information, resumes, application materials, and recruitment-related notes and documentation. For AI Sourcing, Metaview processes name, work history, education, skills, and location from professional profiles.

Metaview retains candidate data for four (4) years. Instacart is contractually prohibited from permitting Metaview to use candidate data for AI model training.

Your Right to Request an Alternative Process

To request that your application be reviewed without Metaview's AI-assisted application review, you may opt out using the following link after submitting your application. This will clear any existing AI scores and prevent further Metaview AI processing of your application. Opting out will not negatively affect your consideration for the role.

If you were contacted through AI Sourcing, you may request human review or ask to be removed from further outreach by contacting CandidateQuestions@instacart.com.

Tool 3: Tofu Fraud Detection

Instacart uses Tofu Technologies Inc. ("Tofu"), a third-party AI platform, to assist in screening job applications for fraud and identity misrepresentation.

What Tofu Does

Tofu may perform the following functions in connection with your application:

• Fraud Detection — An AI tool that analyzes information from your application, resume, and digital identifiers to assess the likelihood of application fraud or misrepresentation. The tool produces a risk rating ("No Issues," "Medium Confidence," or "Suspicious") using signals including resume content, employment and education history, contact information, IP address, email metadata, and device information. This rating is reviewed by a human recruiter and if it indicates potential fraud, leads to additional identity verification steps. A rating is not used on its own to reject a candidate.

• ATS Recon — Checks the contact information in each new application against Tofu’s list of contact information previously used by fraudulent actors. Matches are flagged in Greenhouse for recruiter review.

• AI-generated or Manipulated Audio/Video Detection — During video interviews conducted through BrightHire, Tofu’s technology analyzes the interview to detect AI-generated video, synthetic voice, and identity swapping. It creates a faceprint and voiceprint, which we use only to confirm that the same person attends each interview and to detect AI-generated or manipulated video or audio. A flag leads to additional identity verification reviewed by a human recruiter, not automatic rejection.
  

How Decisions Are Made

Tofu provides decision-support outputs to Instacart's recruiting team. No candidate is automatically rejected or advanced based solely on Tofu's outputs. All hiring decisions are made by human recruiters who review Tofu's fraud signals alongside other application materials.

Data Collected & Retention

Tofu accesses candidate data through Instacart's applicant tracking system (Greenhouse) and may process the following categories of your personal information: full name and contact information; employment and education history; LinkedIn profile information; location; resume and application content; application stage; and rejection reasons; technical identifiers including IP address, email metadata, and device information; and, for AI-generated or Manipulated Audio/Video Detection, interview audio and video and the faceprint and voiceprint derived from them. Tofu supplements this data with signals from third-party identity verification vendors.

Tofu also checks whether your email address or phone number has been associated with fraudulent applications across its network of customers.

Instacart is contractually prohibited from permitting Tofu to use your identifiable personal data to train, improve, or fine-tune any AI or machine learning models. Tofu may use aggregated, de-identified data related to confirmed fraudulent applications for fraud detection model improvement across its customer base (this does not include AI-generated or Manipulated Audio/Video Detection data); such data cannot be re-identified or traced back to you or to Instacart.

Your Right to Request an Alternative Process

We will ask for your written consent before your interview. You may decline, or withdraw your consent at any time, by telling your recruiter or contacting CandidateQuestions@instacart.com. If you withdraw, we will stop the analysis and delete the faceprint and voiceprint within 45 days. If you decline or withdraw, we will verify your identity manually instead, for example through a live ID check with a recruiter.

If a condition affects how you appear or speak on video, you may request an accommodation. You may also ask us to review a fraud flag or correct information about you by contacting CandidateQuestions@instacart.com. Declining, withdrawing, requesting an accommodation, or requesting review will not negatively affect your consideration for the role.

Tool 4: BrightHire

Instacart uses BrightHire in two ways:

• Interview recording and AI notes — If you consent, the tool records your interviews and uses AI to transcribe them and generate summaries and evaluation notes for interviewers.

• AI Screen — A voice-based AI interviewer that conducts a structured screening interview you complete on your own schedule. Your responses are transcribed and summarized for the recruiter.

How Decisions Are Made

Recruiters and interviewers review BrightHire outputs alongside other application materials. No candidate is automatically rejected or advanced based solely on BrightHire outputs.

Data Collected & Retention

Interview audio and video recordings, AI Screen audio responses, transcripts, and AI-generated summaries and notes.

Your Choices

Interview recording and AI notes are used only if you consent, and you may withdraw consent at any time using the link in your interview invitation. Declining will not negatively affect your consideration for the role.

Your Right to Request an Alternative Process

For the AI Screen, you may ask for a screening conversation with a recruiter instead, or request a reasonable accommodation by contacting CandidateQuestions@instacart.com. Requesting an alternative or accommodation will not negatively affect your consideration for the role.

Tool 5: CodeSignal

For certain technical roles, Instacart uses CodeSignal for technical assessments and live coding interviews. We use CodeSignal with candidates who apply for a role and with current employees of Instacart’s affiliates. If you are a current employee, we will give you this notice and ask for your consent when we invite you to take the assessment. In this section, “you” means a candidate or a current employee who is assessed.

• AI-assisted grading — Uses AI to score your technical assessment against a rubric developed for the role. The rubric evaluates how you clarify requirements, implement and debug code, write and run tests, and use the AI coding assistant provided in the assessment.

• Proctoring and identity verification — For proctored sessions, CodeSignal records your camera, microphone, and screen, and asks for a photo of you and of your government-issued photo ID. CodeSignal uses AI review and its proctoring team to confirm your identity and that assessment rules were followed, and Instacart receives the result. CodeSignal asks for your consent before any proctored session begins.

How Decisions Are Made

Instacart’s hiring team uses CodeSignal scores and proctoring results in deciding whether to advance your application. No one is rejected or advanced solely on a CodeSignal score.

Data Collected

Name, email address, IP address, assessment responses (code and text), and your interactions with the AI coding assistant. For proctored sessions: camera, microphone, and screen recordings, a photo of you, and an image of your ID.

Your Right to Request Human Review

You may request human review of your CodeSignal score or proctoring result, or information about how CodeSignal was used in your application or assessment, by contacting CandidateQuestions@instacart.com. A member of Instacart’s hiring team with authority to change the decision will review it. If you are a current employee, you may decline to be assessed. You may also request a reasonable accommodation or an alternative assessment method. Requesting review or declining will not negatively affect your consideration for the role.

Your Choices

Interview recording and AI notes are used only if you consent, and you may withdraw consent at any time using the link in your interview invitation. Declining will not negatively affect your consideration for the role.

Your Right to Request an Alternative Process

For the AI Screen, you may ask for a screening conversation with a recruiter instead, or request a reasonable accommodation by contacting CandidateQuestions@instacart.com. Requesting an alternative or accommodation will not negatively affect your consideration for the role.


Data Source & Type Disclosure 

The data used by the tools described in this notice are sourced from: (1) information you provide in your application through Greenhouse; (2) technical identifiers collected automatically during the application session; (3) if applicable, identity data you provide directly to CLEAR; (4) for Tofu Technologies, third-party identity verification signals (including email metadata, IP intelligence, and device intelligence) used to supplement your application data for fraud detection purposes; (5) interviews and technical assessments you complete; and (6) for Metaview AI Sourcing, professional data providers.

California Residents:

Biometric data (if CLEAR or AI-generated or Manipulated Audio/Video Detection is used) constitutes sensitive personal information under the California Consumer Privacy Act. For more information, see Instacart's Applicant and Personnel Privacy Notice. Instacart will not retaliate against you for exercising any of your rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act. Beginning January 1, 2027, you will have additional rights regarding our use of automated decisionmaking technology, as described in our Applicant and Personnel Privacy Notice.

Colorado Residents:

Beginning January 1, 2027, you will have additional rights regarding our use of AI systems in employment decisions under Colorado law, as described in our Applicant and Personnel Privacy Notice.

Illinois Residents:

CLEAR's identity verification involves the collection of biometric identifiers. CLEAR operates as an independent data controller and obtains written consent directly from you before collecting any biometric data. Your biometric data will not be sold, leased, traded, or otherwise used for profit. You may contact CLEAR at privacy@clearme.com regarding your biometric data rights. Participation in CLEAR's identity verification is entirely voluntary. Declining to participate will not affect your eligibility for or consideration for any role at Instacart.

Instacart uses the following AI tools in connection with the hiring process for this role. This notice is provided as required under the Illinois Human Rights Act (IHRA), as amended by HB 3773, and, where applicable, the Illinois Artificial Intelligence Video Interview Act.

 
You have the right to be informed before AI tools are used in your application. To request a reasonable accommodation, contact CandidateQuestions@instacart.com.

Pursuant to the Illinois Human Rights Act, the use of AI in hiring decisions does not relieve Instacart of its obligations under the IHRA. Any concerns about discriminatory use of AI tools in the hiring process may be directed to the Illinois Department of Human Rights.

New York City Local Law 144

Bias audit results and distribution dates.

Questions or Concerns? Contact Instacart's Recruiting team at CandidateQuestions@instacart.com.