So, last week I was having a conversation with a friend about how the hiring process has evolved. They mentioned using AI, and I asked should AI be used to vet employee candidates?
There are pros and cons to using AI in the interview process. However, in my opinion, it should only supplement human decision-making, not replace it. While AI offers efficiency and consistency, it also presents risks of bias and impersonality that require diligent management to guarantee a fair, legal, and effective hiring process.
Benefits of Using AI for Vetting
Efficiency and Speed
AI tools can review hundreds of applications and resumes in minutes. It can save human recruiters valuable time and shorten time-to-hire saving time for the applicant as well.
Consistency and Objectivity
By applying the same criteria to all applicants, AI can help reduce unconscious human bias (such as favoring certain schools). Focusing on objective qualifications, skills, and experience leads to a more impartial process.
Enhanced Candidate Experience
Chatbots can provide instant responses, schedule interviews 24/7, and answer frequently asked questions, keeping candidates actively engaged and informed throughout the process.
Data-Based Insights
Advanced AI can analyze large amounts of data to spot patterns and predict a candidate’s potential success in a role, supplying insights beyond a traditional resume.
Risks and Issues
Algorithmic Prejudice
AI systems learn from historical data, which may contain existing organizational biases. If not regularly audited, AI can replicate and even amplify these biases, unintentionally discriminating against protected groups (e.g., based on age, gender, or race), leading to legal liability and lawsuits from agencies like the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
Lack of Human Decision
AI struggles to assess nuanced soft skills like adaptability, leadership, creativity, and cultural fit. These sklls are best evaluated through personal human interaction. Excessive dependence on AI can cause businesses to overlook highly qualified “diamonds in the rough” who may not fit the algorithm’s specific criteria.
Candidate Perception
Some candidates view AI hiring processes as impersonal and may be discouraged from applying or accepting offers if human interaction is lacking. A majority of U.S. job seekers prefer human interaction during the process, especially for interviews and final decisions.
Compliance and Regulation
The use of AI in hiring is a growing area of regulation. Jurisdictions like New York City, Illinois, and Colorado have specific laws requiring employers to conduct bias audits, provide notice to candidates about AI use, and, in some cases, offer an alternative non-AI assessment option.
Best Practices for Businesses
Maintain Human Monitoring
Use AI to manage administrative tasks and provide data insights but ensure that human recruiters and hiring managers remain in the loop to make final decisions and build relationships.
Regularly Audit for Bias
Conduct periodic, independent bias audits of all AI tools used in hiring to ensure they are producing fair results across all demographic groups.
Be Transparent
Clearly communicate to applicants when AI tools are part of the hiring process. Doing so creates trust and may be legally required in some locations.
Specify Clear Criteria
Ensure AI tools are programmed with specific, job-related criteria rather than general attributes. This can improve accuracy and reduce the risk of false negatives that filter out qualified candidates.
So, Should AI Be Used To Vet Employee Candidates?
It depends. If the hiring process overwhelms your organizaton, then yes, but only as a tool to improve the efficiency of the process. AI should never be the final decision maker in the hiring process.
Just as the industrial revolution at the turn of the 20th century changed industry and made the work of humans less laborious the AI revolution responsibly managed could do the same.
What are your thoughts?
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If you liked this post you might also enjoy, How to Create an Employee Candidate Profile
Photo by Gabriele Malaspina on Unsplash
