As employers increasingly turn to artificial intelligence (AI) to manage growing volumes of applications new research suggests the technology meant to widen the talent pool may be narrowing it at the very first stage. According to the CIPD, AI is now used in recruitment by 44 per cent of organisations while Greenhouse found almost half (47 per cent) of UK job seekers have already been interviewed by AI.
However, research from at Careerminds UK among 1,000 UK full-time workers found almost 7 in 10 (69.1 per cent) UK workers are uneasy about a first-stage job interview run by AI rather than a person. Fewer than one in three (30.9 per cent) UK workers would continue with an AI interview without hesitation. One in three (33.4 per cent) would go ahead but feel uncomfortable, meaning many candidates would start the hiring process already uneasy about the employer. A further 24.5 per cent say it would depend on the role or the salary.
In addition, one in nine (11.2 per cent) UK workers would withdraw their application if told the first interview was with AI, including 5.5 per cent who definitely would and 5.7 per cent who probably would. For a role that attracts 500 applications, that could mean around 56 candidates walking away before anyone has spoken to them.
Amanda Augustine, CPCC and resident careers expert at Careerminds UK commented: “AI can help HR teams manage high application volumes, but it shouldn’t come at the cost of the candidate experience. Be upfront about when AI is being used, how answers are assessed and when candidates will get to speak to a person”.
Augustine added: “The most effective approach is to use AI to support recruiters, not replace them. Let the technology handle the administrative tasks so your team has more time for the human conversations that help both sides decide whether the role is the right fit.”
