Ai: The New Frontier in recruitment

At the recent RCSA Australia and New Zealand TalentX event, I had the opportunity to join a panel session with my industry peers Brendan Tremble GAICD , Luke Howes GAICD hosted by SEEK Natasha Saccuzzo and Mark Pritchard , discussing the transformative impact of artificial intelligence (AI) in recruitment.

As we navigate this new frontier, AI is more than just a passing trend, it's a marathon we're running with the potential to revolutionise every aspect of the recruitment process, but we are only 1 km into the journey!

Here is a short recap on some of my thoughts shared on the panel.

The Changing Landscape

The recruitment industry is undergoing a significant transformation, with AI reshaping how we interact and make decisions. We are heading towards a future where bots communicate with other bots, streamlining the hiring process and potentially automating entire roles. This shift brings up important questions about legislation and regulation, who makes these decisions, and how do we adapt our work practices accordingly?

The Human Element

On the first point although Ai will take on a lot of the cognitive grinding tasks, interestingly, AI is also going to enable a more human touch to recruitment. It is not about replacing recruiters but enhancing their abilities, allowing them to focus on what they do best—building relationships, conducting deep career conversation, and having meaningful interactions. AI tools like chat applications, interview scribes, and predictive analytics are optimising job ads and CVs, speeding up the hiring process, and fostering quicker, more efficient speed to conversations.

Integration and Innovation

Companies are increasingly incorporating AI into their systems. There are many providers and new ones every day. We are seeing a consolidation and companies are collaborating with larger platforms like Microsoft's Co-pilot and other larger scale providers to utilise top-tier applications with recruiter matching capabilities. This can feel overwhelming, so the aim is to map out the entire recruitment journey, understand the functionalities, and use AI to optimise each stage, from preparation and sourcing to onboarding and post-placement.

Ethical Considerations and Future Outlook

With the rise of AI, ethical considerations and regulatory compliance become crucial, especially with EU laws and US executive orders in play. We also need to navigate the hype cycle carefully, distinguishing between genuine AI innovation and simple automation. The goal is not to replace recruiters but to empower them with greater objectivity and the ability to engage in more impactful conversations.

Finally, when you think about AI in recruitment, currently it is like having the intelligence of an average person BUT with extraordinary access to information and the speed to process it. The key is to harness this power responsibly, ensuring it benefits all stakeholders. As we continue to explore this exciting frontier, let us embrace AI as a co-pilot not the main pilot, which is guiding us towards a more efficient and human-centric approach to recruitment.