a16z backs Ethos with $22.75M to replace CVs with AI talent agents

What's the deal? Ethos, a startup building AI-powered talent agents to replace traditional CVs in the hiring process, has raised $22.75M in a Series A round led by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), with participation from General Catalyst. The company aims to transform how employers evaluate candidates by using AI to assess talent beyond what a résumé can capture.

Why now? The hiring market is under pressure from two directions: employers struggle to find qualified candidates efficiently, and job seekers face opaque, CV-driven screening processes that often miss genuine ability. AI tools have matured enough to make a credible alternative possible — one that evaluates skills, potential, and fit rather than keywords on a page.

The backing from two top-tier venture firms signals confidence that AI-native approaches to recruitment are ready for prime time.

What could go wrong? Replacing the CV is a bold bet. Hiring managers have relied on résumés for decades, and shifting ingrained behaviour is notoriously hard. There are also questions around algorithmic bias — if the AI models inherit biases from historical hiring data, Ethos could face regulatory and reputational risks.

Trust is another hurdle. Both employers and candidates need to believe that an AI talent agent can fairly represent a person's capabilities.

The signal: This deal reflects a broader trend of AI reshaping professional services that were long considered too nuanced for automation. Recruiting, once dominated by job boards and applicant tracking systems, is now a frontier for AI agents that act on behalf of individuals. If Ethos succeeds, it could accelerate the shift from credential-based hiring to skills-based hiring — a change many in the industry have talked about but few have delivered.

Read more: Tech Funding News