Ready for the future of recruiting? AI in the spotlight

Some tout the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in hiring as a means of quickly and efficiently screening job applicants and, perhaps more important, removing human bias from hiring. But others point to AI doing just the opposite—actually introducing bias into the process. Regardless of the pros and cons, em-ployers need to realize AI isn't going away and is instead gaining ground in various facets of the work-place.

More employers turning to AI

Job postings that bring in hundreds, maybe thousands, of responses present a daunting task for HR professionals who must find a manageable number of applicants to consider. Technology can make the job less daunting—or more complicated, depending on how the system works.

A survey released in December 2019 predicted that two-thirds of all staffing firms will adopt AI-driven applicant tracking systems (ATS) by the end of 2020. The research is from CEIPAL, a software as a service (SaaS) provider for staffing companies that offers an AI-driven ATS prod-uct.

The CEIPAL survey found that 71% of the respondents believe that AI will eliminate human bias from the recruitment process, but 29% strongly disagree with that thinking.

The survey also found more enthusiasm for AI-enabled ATS technology among midsized staffing firms. CEIPAL's research shows large staffing firms (50 to 100 recruiters) showed rela-tively low awareness of the technology, and 43% of the large firms reported no plan to adopt AI.