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Artificial intelligence is transforming the recruitment process. Job seekers are increasingly turning to AI to apply to as many openings as possible, while recruiting teams deploy it to manage the resulting floods of resumes and screening interviews.
LinkedIn reports an average of 11,000 applications submitted per minute on its platform, marking a 45% increase in the past year, according to The New York Times. The Times noted that “…generative artificial intelligence tools are contributing to the deluge.”
“It’s an ‘applicant tsunami’ that’s just going to get bigger,” Hung Lee, a former recruiter and writer of the Recruiting Brainfood newsletter, told the publication.
Job seekers use AI for quantity of applications, not quality
Job applications overall increased by 31% in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. In the UK, each graduate job opening receives an average of 140 responses, according to the Institute of Student Employers. A survey by Canva found that 45% of applicants are utilising AI to complete job applications.
Using tools like ChatGPT to generate responses to competency questions accelerates the process, enabling job hunters to submit more applications. A well-crafted prompt can also rework a resume to match keywords included in the job descriptions. However, recruiters who spoke with the Times said this trend leads to nearly identical resumes, making it harder to distinguish the top candidates.
For recruiters, AI has shifted from advantage to necessity
A 2024 Resume Builder survey found that 7 in 10 companies planned to adopt AI in hiring by 2025; a number that’s likely already higher in response to the surge in applications. Once seen as a time-saver, AI has now become essential just to cope with demand.
Restaurant chain Chipotle employs AI hiring platform Ava Cado, which the company’s CEO told Fortune has reduced hiring time by 75%.
In October, LinkedIn introduced “Hiring Assistant” to its platform, an AI agent that automates tasks such as writing job descriptions, screening candidates, and messaging applicants. Premium subscribers can now display how well a candidate qualifies for the role, which LinkedIn says reduces applications from underqualified candidates by 10%, per the Times.
Increasingly, employers are adopting sophisticated AI interviewing software like Ribbon and HeyMiloAI, which can analyse candidates’ responses and generate follow-up questions with a synthetic voice in real time. The idea is to make applicant screening more efficient by eliminating the need for staff to attend every interview, while also giving applicants the flexibility to choose interview times that suit them.
AI in recruitment brings risks
Glitchy interview bots
While AI’s expanding role in recruitment offers advantages for both job seekers and employers, it has also introduced a range of challenges that go beyond the sheer volume of applications. The aforementioned AI interviewers have been known to malfunction; several humorous TikTok videos show them repeating themselves in loops, speaking gibberish, or interviewing each other.
Cheating
Amazon has detected candidates using AI tools to cheat during interviews and has issued internal guidelines to help recruiters identify suspicious behaviour, such as typing while answering questions, according to Business Insider. “We end up with an AI versus AI type of situation,” Lee told the Times.
Fake applicants
Hiring teams are struggling with fake job applicants who use deepfakes and generative AI to make their way through the hiring process. Gartner predicts that by 2028, a quarter of job candidates could be fake. Their motives may include bypassing visa requirements, applying on behalf of a group, or conducting corporate espionage in preparation for a cyberattack.
North Korean hackers were disguising themselves as IT workers and applying for jobs in the US and Europe. They had been known to use AI to generate profile photos, create deepfakes for video interviews, and translate communications into target languages using AI writing tools. OpenAI has disrupted coordinated attacks where hackers use AI to mass-produce resumes for remote tech roles, aiming to infiltrate companies and gain access to corporate devices issued during onboarding.
Built-in bias
AI hiring tools have also come under scrutiny for amplifying bias. HireVue previously used facial analysis to evaluate candidates’ expressions and traits but discontinued the feature in 2021 amid concerns over its validity and bias. Studies have found that many open-source AI recruitment tools are more likely to recommend men over women, especially for higher-paying jobs. Workday is facing a collective action lawsuit over allegations that its AI-driven applicant screening tools disproportionately reject applicants over the age of 40.
Reverse problem to consider
As awareness of these risks grows, some employers could face a reverse problem: not enough applicants. A 2023 study found that 66% of US adults won’t apply for a job if the company uses AI to make hiring decisions.
Want AI in hiring to work for you, not against you? Start with this guide to AI in recruitment and these no-fluff hiring strategies.