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Artificial intelligence has become part of the fabric of our everyday lives–both personally and professionally. Whether it’s AI-powered dynamic pricing or healthcare diagnostics, businesses are continuously exploring new ways to incorporate AI into their daily operations. Companies are also leveraging AI-powered tools when it comes to hiring. In fact, 64% of human resources professionals say talent acquisition is the top way they are using AI.
For many organizations, AI has long been a part of the recruitment process—specifically in the form of applicant tracking systems (ATS), which have evolved considerably since their inception in the 1990s. Modern ATS solutions now offer advanced functionalities, including the ability to craft job postings, manage résumé collection, screen résumés, and provide analytics.
AI can quickly sift through a vast pool of résumés and pinpoint those that best match the keywords in a job posting. It can be tempting to rely almost exclusively on AI to identify top candidates for an opening. But can AI alone truly determine the best fit for a position?
The short answer is no. While AI can do a lot, it doesn’t replace a human when it comes to hiring.
The longer answer is that while AI is a powerful additive to the hiring process, it cannot entirely substitute the nuanced judgment and relational insights that human recruiters bring to the table. The biggest AI application in the hiring process today is in the initial stages of sourcing and recruitment. The efficiency made possible by AI is a major benefit, especially for handling large volumes of applications.
But while AI excels at sorting data and automating repetitive tasks, it lacks the ability to fully comprehend the subtleties of human interactions and complex decision-making. Particularly for roles that require strategic planning, innovative thinking or leadership, AI’s capabilities still fall incredibly short. Take, for example, product management roles, which require complex decision-making and innovative thinking. It’s probably one of the few roles where—especially in the technology industry—the candidate needs to be both an engineer and a marketer, because they’re responsible for a product that will eventually become a revenue stream for the company. AI is not an ideal tool to screen for unique or new positions or for those that require a combination of skills.
Effective hiring relies heavily on understanding nuanced human qualities that data alone cannot capture. Human recruiters excel at evaluating soft skills, emotional intelligence, and adaptability—traits that are vital for professional success, regardless of the role. In the hiring process, these qualities are revealed through personal interactions, interviews, and informal conversations—not through résumés keywords or automated screenings.
The rapport recruiters build with hiring companies, or that internal talent acquisition teams innately know by working there, gives humans the unique ability to match candidates to an organization not just based on both their skills but also based on an understanding that the candidate would be a good cultural fit. Hiring someone is about establishing a relationship, not just a systems match.
What’s more, recruiters and HR professionals are able to leverage their industry relationships to tap into a broader network, reaching passive candidates who may not be actively seeking new roles but who are a great fit for the organization. This strategic outreach and personal engagement are aspects of recruitment that AI simply cannot replicate yet. It takes skill and the ability to connect as a person first, and to reach out to someone who may very well be happy in their current job, and convince them to take a look at an open role. Recruiting is both thoughtful and incredibly relational; it involves actively searching for and connecting with people who are the right fit for the role, as detailed on paper, but who will also drive lasting impact and feel fulfilled in the work they are doing. It’s a science and an art.
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