Most tools in this guide plug interview intelligence into your ATS. Kula comes at it from the opposite direction: it is a full applicant tracking system with a native AI notetaker, a distinction worth understanding before you shortlist it here. Founded in 2021 by an early Stripe and Uber recruiter, it started as a sourcing tool and relaunched 18 months ago as an all-in-one AI-native ATS.

On the interview layer, Kula sits firmly at the AI-assisted end of the spectrum. The notetaker joins each live interview, transcribes it, writes a summary, and auto-fills a customizable scorecard inside the candidate profile, so the conversation stays human while the admin disappears. Because transcripts live in the ATS rather than a separate tool, you can query across every interviewer a candidate met and compare notes in one place. The team at health benefits platform Plum told Kula their hiring managers were "fascinated" by it. As one analyst framed it to us, Kula has essentially brought a BrightHire-style product into the ATS itself.

For teams already wanting a new ATS, that is the appeal: no second tool to sync or pay for. The tradeoff is focus. A dedicated platform like Metaview or BrightHire goes deeper on interviewer coaching and analytics, and Kula's reporting is a common user complaint. It is also a young product with occasional bugs. If you want interview intelligence without adopting a new ATS, a standalone tool fits better; if you want both in one system, Kula makes a strong case.