Fair Hiring in the Age of AI: The Equitas Story with Michael Blakley

In this episode of the Open Talent Report, host Connor Heaney sits down with Michael Blakely, co-founder and CEO of Equitas, to explore how technology can make interviews fairer, more objective, and free from bias — without losing the human touch. Michael shares his journey from professional interviewer to tech founder, explaining how his company is transforming the way organizations assess talent. They discuss the challenges of subjective hiring, why structured interviews outperform gut feeling, and how to build fairness and transparency into every stage of recruitment.

You’ll also hear Michael’s candid take on:

✅ The dangers of bias in AI hiring tools

✅ How to build structure and consistency into interviews

✅ The future of fair hiring and DEI in recruitment

✅ What it’s really like to be a startup founder in today’s market

Whether you’re an HR leader, founder, or anyone interested in the future of work, this conversation will change how you think about hiring in the AI era.

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction

01:30 – Michael’s journey to founding Equitas

07:00 – From subjective to structured interviewing

13:00 – Fairness, legislation, and DEI in hiring

19:30 – The impact of AI and bias

29:00 – Keeping humans in the loop

35:00 – The founder journey: growth, stress & resilience

44:00 – Lessons from jiu-jitsu, running & chess

49:00 – Predictions for the future of work