Hiring in 2026 is becoming faster, more automated, and increasingly influenced by artificial intelligence and applicant tracking systems (ATS), fundamentally changing how job applications are screened and evaluated.

According to the Resume Genius 2026 Hiring Insights Report, based on a survey of 1,000 U.S. hiring managers, automation now plays a major role in recruitment, but human decision-making still remains central to final hiring outcomes.

The report found that 71% of hiring managers use applicant tracking systems, while 79% of companies have automated at least part of their hiring process. Meanwhile, 19% of hiring managers said they use AI to screen out applications before they are reviewed by a human.

Despite the growing use of automation, most hiring managers said AI acts more as a decision-support tool rather than replacing human judgment.

Around 32% said AI recommends or ranks candidates but humans make the final hiring decisions, while only 6% reported that AI can move candidates forward or reject them with limited human review.

ATS dominates early hiring stages

Applicant tracking systems are now widely used to manage the growing volume of job applications and speed up early-stage screening. Hiring managers said ATS tools are primarily used to review applications faster, manage large applicant volumes, identify candidates who don’t meet basic requirements, and organise applications.

However, the systems are not without criticism. About 33% of hiring managers said ATS makes the hiring process feel less personal, while another 33% said it overemphasises keyword matching rather than overall candidate fit or experience.

Formatting also plays a major role in whether resumes pass ATS screening. Hiring managers said text-based PDFs and Word documents work best, while design-heavy resumes with images or complex layouts often fail to parse correctly.

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