Things to consider before you replace the humans in hiring

AI in hiring is on the rise, and some companies are starting to wonder if they even need a recruitment team.

Bots don’t need rest. They don’t push back. They never skip a follow-up. At first glance, it looks like a win.

But here’s the catch: the more you introduce AI bots to the process, the more you remove humanity from it. No more emotion, instincts or anyone to ask, “wait, do we even know if this is a real candidate?” And honestly, I’d rather Susan from the People team flagged these questions than a bot quietly rejecting another qualified candidate because they didn’t say the right keyword.

And if that doesn’t sway your opinion, here are five more things to consider before swapping humans for software:

1. AI doesn’t do nuance

It will flag a missing requirement but take no notice of a candidate with an unconventional (but interesting!) background. AI plays by strict rules. Good recruiters know when to bend them.

2. You can’t automate trust

Hiring is personal. Do you really expect candidates to get honest and vulnerable about their motivations, concerns and goals with a bot? Candidates are people, and people need real connections, not cold transactions.

3. AI will ditch the pitch

You might be able to find great candidates with AI, but you won’t be able to use it to win them over. Especially if your Glassdoor reviews are mixed and your salary range is “flexible depending on the candidate”. A good recruiter can close someone who’s halfway out the door, AI will just mark them as not interested and move onto the next.

4. Culture add isn’t a keyword

You can’t teach an algorithm to sense when someone is technically perfect but would absolutely crumble in your team’s office. Recruiters notice social cues, soft skills and all the unsaid stuff that makes a hire work long term.

5. Someone needs to break the news

Whether it’s telling a hiring manager their “must-have” requirements are lowkey delusional, or gently letting a candidate know they didn’t get the job, there’s a whole lot of diplomacy in recruitment. Good luck getting AI to deliver bad news with empathy, and keep the pipeline warm!

So, what’s the solution?

Blend AI with a talent team that knows how to read between the lines, spot potential and build meaningful relationships. Let the tools do the admin, but leave the actual hiring to humans.