What Employers Should Know About AI in Recruiting

Notes on AI in Recruiting: What Employers Should Consider

Everywhere you look in today's headlines, there seems to be a new story about artificial intelligence breaking ground in some space. Will it really revolutionize everything? That remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure: AI tools are here, they're here to stay, and they already have an impact. This is true in the world of employment, too, where AI in recruiting has been garnering considerable buzz for years. What do employers need to know about using AI in recruiting, and how can they approach this new technology safely?

Job-Seekers Might Already Use AI in Their Applications

First, it's important to note that you might not be the only person using AI during the hiring process. With the proliferation of natural language processing, there are now tools that applicants can use to fill out applications automatically. These tools can even generate cover letters—so employers should prepare to continue relying on their background checks for employment to verify an individual's credentials.

Streamlining the Job Listing Process

One of the most tedious tasks in recruiting is the process of creating and posting job listings. There's good news: emerging AI tools claim to automate this process for you. From creating job descriptions to listing duties and more, the AI can create text according to your parameters ready for posting–some platforms will even post automatically for you. Just be sure to proofread your generated text and make changes to ensure accuracy to the position. 

Should You Use AI for Initial Interview Screening?

Some companies seek to innovate tools to take more of the hiring process out of human hands. One startup called Hirex.ai uses voice synthesis and AI to conduct initial screening interviews with candidates. The AI then uses several metrics to "score" the interview according to the employer’s criteria. It can then choose the “best” candidates for the employer to decide the next step.

Many AI recruiting tools aim to use a complicated algorithm to analyze resumes, backgrounds, and even candidate behavior in an interview, such as body language. All claim to provide employers with a hands-off way of finding the best candidates. There's just one problem: biases are often built into AI models at the most basic level, and they can be discriminatory with shocking ease.

The EEOC Turns a Scrutinizing Eye Towards AI

With that in mind, it's no surprise that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has begun regulating these tools. The EEOC believes that AI tools for recruiting and hiring could be categorically denying applicants in protected classes. 

The agency has called for strict and strong regulation of these tools—even leaving the door open to outlawing some of these tools altogether. For now, the EEOC has not promulgated any specific regulations on AI hiring, but it has warned employers that these tools could expose them to discrimination claims.

What Not To Do With AI in the Hiring Process

For now, it's hard to know precisely to what extent to apply this technology, especially in an uncertain regulatory environment. Tools that streamline resume collection, job postings, and other actions that don't involve scrutinizing candidates will likely remain safe. However, employers should be wary of placing too much power or trust in today's AI models and AI employment startups.

AI in recruiting can be a powerful tool, but it’s a double-edged sword: it could also expose businesses to serious future liabilities. A slow, careful adoption of ay new technologies is the order of the day for employers. Companies should be cautious about moving too quickly and risking discrimination until the EEOC or the federal government rolls out final regulations.