ChatGTP, the latest iteration of AI, has been dominating headlines because of how well it mimics human interaction by generating original text. Journalists have been writing (or, have they?) about how this innovative technology will impact business. Regarding recruitment, AI is a powerful tool that will continue to improve efficiency and effectiveness, enabling recruiters to prioritize relationships. But chatbots will never replace the “human” in Human Resources.

What is AI?

The concept of Artificial Intelligence predates the science that developed it. Around 700 BC, Hesiod described a mythical robot, Talos, as a giant bronze man that protected the island of Crete from invaders. In 1947, Alan Turing first defined Artificial Intelligence as “a machine that can learn from experience.” Today intelligence, which is the capacity to adapt to new information, is ubiquitous in our modern computers. AI is incorporated in our lives. 79% of organizations use automation and/or AI in recruitment and hiring.

ChatGTP unnerved many people because its interactions are eerily personable. This led professionals to speculate about the extent to which chatbots would replace human jobs. Writing on the topic of AI’s impact on your industry felt like composing your own epithet. But chatbots are not personal. AI is not sentient. No computer will replace human interaction because they can only be taught to mimic. They’re not capable of the intuition, instinct, imagination, or Emotional Intelligence that’s necessary to make smart hiring decisions.

AI isn’t after our recruiting jobs. It can help us do a better job. When applied to tasks, there are many benefits to implementing AI in our recruiting systems.

Benefits of implementing AI in the recruiting process:

AI saves time and money.

An average hire requires a recruiter to spend 23 hours screening resumes and shortlisting applicants for interviews. Up to 40% of a recruiter’s time can be spent entering data into an ATS or manually sorting through resumes. This is exasperating, given that 75% to 88% of the resumes submitted for a position are unqualified. Automating these tasks improves efficiency by streamlining the process. This minimizes human error and frees up time for human-centric tasks.

For the company and candidate, automated systems reduce the time it takes to hire for a role. Open positions decrease productivity and increase stress by overextending team members. These costs accrue the longer it takes to fill a position.

When AI analyzes large quantities of data quickly, it increases the confidence in decisions because all data has been considered before extending an offer.

Time is money. It’s wiser not to pay someone to complete busy work when an automated system could do the job.

AI leads to better quality hires.

AI allows you to screen for keywords, which can help a recruiter determine a better fit for a candidate and business.

AI can strategically target top talent by leveraging the history of a potential candidate’s online activity. It increases the probability that the right people will see the job opportunity at the right time.

AI improves communication.

Ghosting is never appropriate. Unfortunately, it appears to be common in the hiring process. Over 63% of candidates were dissatisfied with the communication from the employers after applying for a role. Unhappy candidates can leave negative online reviews. You can lose customers. This is easily remedied by using an Applicant Tracking System to help with timely responses and scheduling candidates.

Drawbacks of using AI:

When AI is used in the wrong hiring steps, it leads to an impersonal candidate experience. More than 70% of Americans oppose AI’s use in final hiring decisions, and 41% don’t think that AI shouldn’t play any role in reviewing applications.

Even when an applicant is qualified for the position, they might not be chosen if they used a different phrase or word than the system to define their skillset. Conversely, an applicant may attempt to use keywords and phrases to get through an automated screening process, regardless of whether the words apply to their experience.

AI can perpetuate bias. Because AI is programmed to follow trends in past actions, it’s destined to repeat mistakes if bias exists in your hiring process.

Ultimately, AI is best utilized when it solves problems in your systems, maximizes your time and energy with human interactions, and prioritizes the needs of the candidate.

Your best strategy is to invest in the critical steps of recruiting that only you can do because they require human skillsets. This is determining cultural, personal, and professional fits. It’s best accomplished by thoughtfully engaging with the candidates and building relationships.

Like Talos, that original robot, AI isn’t a threat. It’s intended to protect humans’ time and talents. Recruiters will continue to harness AI’s power to automate tasks, so that they can do what they do best: determine personal matches that set up both companies and candidates to thrive.

Photo by Alex Knight on Unsplash