While 2024 has brought challenges to the staffing industry, it has also brought tremendous innovation with the rise of artificial intelligence (AI). From increased efficiency to improved visibility, AI is already having a big impact on staffing firms, and it’s still only the beginning.

At Engage Boston 2024, few topics were discussed as much as AI and the enthusiasm for this transformative technology could be felt across the 1,000 staffing industry attendees who joined the event in Boston.

To kick off the event, Art Papas delivered an opening keynote where he looked back at how far the industry has come, how staffing firms are navigating a challenging market by leveraging AI, and the improvements early adopters are already seeing.

Read on for a recap of his keynote, or check out the video to see his full address:

A look back at 25 years of Bullhorn

Engage Boston 2024 was not only an opportunity for our staffing community to connect in person but also a celebration of 25 years of Bullhorn.

Art Papas, CEO and Founder of Bullhorn, kicked off his opening keynote by shining a spotlight on the customers who have been with us since the beginning.

Over the past 25 years, Bullhorn has empowered staffing firms to put the world to work, including working with 164 million candidates annually to fill 23.1 million job orders across 55.3 million submissions.

Throughout the past 25 years, we’ve relentlessly pursued new ways to leverage data from across the recruitment process to help drive your business forward, regardless of market conditions. And as firms are navigating one of the most challenging markets since the Great Recession, harnessing data to identify actionable insights has never been more important.

The power of AI

Our GRID 2024 Industry Trends Report revealed that winning new clients is the top priority for staffing firms this year: 59% of firms reported that they’re focused on client relationships, either winning new clients or strengthening existing relationships.

But old playbooks for finding and winning new clients won’t cut it in today’s market. It’s been 15 years since cold calling was the go-to method of securing job orders. Today’s newer staffing professionals haven’t developed the same sales skillset as their veteran colleagues, and the old playbooks don’t work anymore… So what’s the answer? AI holds a lot of promise.

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