Rise of the machines: Does AI spell death for human recruiters?

AI is reshaping recruitment at an astonishing pace, transforming the way organisations attract and hire talent. But as companies embrace AI automationA process or a system that operates automatically., a growing number of voices are raising urgent questions about its impact and fairness. Can an algorithm truly determine your career success? And with AI-driven hiring on the rise, what does the future hold for human recruiters? 

Following our webinar, SMART HIRING OR BACKFIRING: Employing AI in recruitment, we caught up with the speakers to continue this important conversation.

They share their insights on AI’s advantages, its limitations, and how businesses can implement AI responsibly without losing the human touch that remains essential in hiring. 

Our panel of experts include: 

• David Smith, DPO and AI Sector Lead at The DPO Centre 
• Helen Armstrong, CEO at Silvercloud HR 
• Richard Bradshaw, Co-founder of PeopleRE 
• Nicky Badenoch, Co-founder of Genie 

Can AI in recruitment deliver better outcomes than traditional methods?

CV filtering

Well-implemented AI can deliver better outcomes in certain aspects of recruitment, particularly CV filtering. Its ability to analyse vast amounts of data quickly and accurately allows it to identify candidates based on predefined criteria. By offering data-driven decision-making, AI has the potential to eliminate biases that stem from human decision makers’ gut instincts and instead apply consistent, objective criteria. However, this is only true if the algorithms themselves are designed and trained correctly. If the data used to train AI reflects existing biases (such as historical hiring patterns that favour certain demographics), the technology can unintentionally reinforce those biases. 

Assessing cultural fit 

Traditional human judgement remains crucial for assessing cultural fit and interpersonal skills, as these qualities often go beyond what algorithms can quantify. AI can evaluate experience, qualifications, and even communication style, but it cannot fully capture the nuances of personality, emotional intelligence, or team dynamics – factors that play a critical role in long-term employee success. 

AI-optimised job applications 

AI is not just being used as a tool for the hiring processA series of actions or steps taken in order to achieve a particular end.. Candidates are also leveraging AI to enhance their applications by refining their CVs, optimising keywords, and generating tailored cover letters designed to bypass automated screening systems. AI-driven CVs can make candidates appear more qualified than they actually are, potentially leading to mismatches between hiring managers’ expectations and a candidate’s real capabilities. 

What do the experts think?

David Smith, The DPO Centre: ‘There could be a real digital divide between the exec search and specific job roles for high value individuals, as opposed to the real volume end of the market. I think we have a real possibility that people will be massively disenfranchised at one end where that high-volume and low personalisation comes in. It’s going to be a challenge.’  

Nicky Badenoch, Genie: ‘The opportunity for AI in recruitment goes way beyond CV matching. The instinct for identifying the right talent should never go away. But how do you get to those people? How do you organise those people? AI can add immense value to that process.’   

Richard Bradshaw, PeopleRE: ‘Recruitment is at risk from the perception of AI and how it can just cut out human touch. There’s a real stigma in the candidate market that CVs are just screened by AI. There’s a steeper learning curve about how to implement it in the mid-back office of the recruitment process.’  

Helen Armstrong, Silvercloud HR: ‘Candidates know how to use ChatGPT to make sure their CVs are going to be sifted, so the cultural fit is quite important, and I don’t believe AI can ever replace that.’ 

Does AI save time in the recruitment process? 

By automating repetitive tasks, such as CV screening, candidate assessments, and interview scheduling, AI can significantly reduce the time recruiters spend on administration. But to do this successfully, AI requires a structured approach. This includes ensuring data quality, integrating AI seamlessly into existing HR systems, and continuously monitoring performance to refine processes. 

David Smith, The DPO Centre: ‘To get an automated system to match and evaluate things better, we need to be clearer at describing what we want and what we need. The need for automation improves the entire process.’  

How objective is AI?

AI evaluates candidates based on data-driven criteria, aiming to remove human bias. However, its objectivity depends on the quality of training data. If biases exist in the data, AI systems can perpetuate them, making regular audits crucial for ensuring fairness and accuracyIn data protection terms, the concept of ensuring data is not incorrect or misleading..  

Additionally, AI-driven hiring systems and resume screeners often misinterpret career breaks as gaps in employment rather than recognising them as legitimate life events, such as parental leave or caregiving. This can lead to biased hiring decisions, unfairly disadvantaging qualified candidates. 

Richard Bradshaw, PeopleRE: ‘Many recruitment processes fail, not because a candidate lacks the skills, but because they ultimately don’t have a genuine desire for the specific role. While AI can efficiently match candidates based on qualifications and experience, it isn’t yet advanced enough to assess a candidate’s motivation, passion or long-term commitment, rather than just securing any job.’ 

Are recruiters becoming obsolete due to AI?

AI can handle many administrative and repetitive tasks, yet humans are still essential for successful hiring processes. Human recruiters bring critical skills that cannot currently be replicated by machines, including the ability to assess cultural fit, build relationships, and make nuanced hiring decisions that consider the full context of a candidate’s experience. 

Helen Armstrong, Silvercloud HR: ‘Cultural fit is as relevant as having the right qualifications and experience. It’s about attitude and AI is never going to be able to assess that. AI has to be an assistant to the recruiter, not a replacement.’  

Choosing the right AI system for your organisation’s hiring processes 

Choosing the right AI system for your business requires careful consideration. Organisations should evaluate: 

• Recruitment needs: Define what you need from an AI system, such as CV screening, candidate matching, or interview scheduling 
• System features: Look for systems that align with your recruitment goals and can integrate seamlessly with your existing HR tools 
• User experience: Ensure the system is user-friendly for both recruiters and candidates 
• Transparency and bias mitigation: Choose AI systems that are transparent about their decision-making processes and include measures to mitigate bias 
• Analytics and reporting: Opt for an AI system that offers robust analytics and reporting capabilities to track and improve recruitment outcomes 

Three questions to ask third-party AI developers

When selecting an AI vendor, you need to make sure you choose a responsible and compliant system. Consider asking third parties these three key questions: 

1. How does the AI system avoid or mitigate bias?
Vendors should demonstrate their approach to preventing biases in recruitment, including how they train, audit, and refine their algorithms. 

2. What security measures are in place?
AI vendors must have robust cybersecurity protocols to protect sensitive candidate data and prevent breaches. 

3. How is system performance monitored, and issues resolved?
Ensure the vendor has processes in place to detect errors, track performance, and resolve issues efficiently. 

Key takeaways: The future of recruitment

The future of recruitment with AI is one of collaboration, not replacement. AI systems offer increased efficiency, scalability, and provide data-driven insights that enhance hiring processes. However, its success depends on how it is implemented. There is also a risk that AI could create a two-tier recruitment system, where executive roles continue to benefit from personalised, high-touch processes, and high-volume hiring becomes more impersonal.  

AI can automate administrative tasks, improve candidate matching, and reduce biases, but it should be used as a tool to support, not replace, human recruiters. 

To successfully leverage AI systems in recruitment, organisations must clearly understand their business needs, prioritise transparency, and consider user experience. It is important to select AI systems that align with your goals, contain bias-mitigation measures, and can integrate with your existing HR tools.  

Ultimately, recruitment remains a fundamentally human-driven process. Companies that successfully integrate AI while maintaining human oversight will gain a competitive edge in attracting top talent. 

If your organisation needs support beginning or continuing its AI compliance journey with confidence, The DPO Centre offers expert AI Governance Services tailored to your needs. 

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In case you missed it… 

• Compliance with the AI Act Part 4: Essential Strategies 
• Lead generation and the GDPR: Are you compliant? 
• Vendor due diligence & GDPR compliance: 5 practical steps 

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