Interviewed for Lead AI role. Interview process: - Round 1: Call with CTO - engaging conversation, interesting product vision - Round 2: Take-home test (implement RAG system with evals, 4-hour guideline) - Round 3: Technical follow-up with 2 AI engineers (CTO not present) Received negative feedback on the take-home, but CTO wanted to proceed with follow-up interview, suggesting the test might not fully capture capabilities. During follow-up, couldn't get clear answer on what was inadequate about the submission, and was repeatedly asked about time spent instead, implying expectation for more features beyond the 4-hour scope. Ultimately rejected. Found the process confusing: CTO showed interest but wasn't involved in final evaluation, effectively delegating veto power to team members. Evaluation criteria for take-home remained unclear throughout. Pros: Interesting product, CTO was thoughtful and engaged Cons: Opaque evaluation standards, time expectations unclear, inconsistent decision-making process