What Are the Negative Effects of Artificial Intelligence in Recruitment?

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) is on the rise, and many organizations are discovering more applications for it all the time. Companies are finding that AI is particularly useful during the hiring process, but there are pros and cons of using AI in recruitment. 

What is the problem with using artificial intelligence to do recruiting tasks?

AI can be very helpful when used as a tool in the recruiting process. However, problems can arise when companies become too reliant on AI or aren’t ensuring that it is being programmed and utilized properly. The people involved must be vigilant to make sure that no ethical issues with AI in human resources (HR) occur. One of the biggest ethical concerns is AI bias. If AI is trained using data that is biased or discriminatory in some way, the algorithms will continue making decisions that perpetuate that bias. Some notable AI discrimination examples include Amazon’s recruitment tool, which discriminated against women; the Correctional Offender Management Profiling for Alternative Sanctions (COMPAS), which showed racial bias when predicting reoffending rates; and a Microsoft chatbot called Tay that was sharing discriminatory tweets within 24 hours of its release. All of these examples show how important it is for data, results, and subsequent decisions to be closely monitored and thoroughly understood because the hiring decisions being made using AI can significantly impact people’s lives.

How does artificial intelligence affect the recruiting process?

AI can be beneficial in alleviating the burden of some of the more laborious parts of the recruiting process. AI software such as automated tracking systems (ATS) and candidate relationship management (CRM) systems can screen and source candidates by using keywords to identify the ones that have the most potential based on their skills, abilities, and experience. While most companies can benefit from this technology, it is especially time-saving for companies that are frequently hiring or have high-volume hiring. AI can also manage other important but time-consuming tasks like background and reference checks, scheduling interviews, communicating with candidates, and parts of the interview process. Being able to delegate these duties to AI to complete can free up a lot of time for recruiters and HR departments, allowing them to focus on other parts of their job that require more complex or nuanced thinking.

What are the disadvantages of an automated hiring system?

Although there are many advantages to using AI, it isn’t without its drawbacks or limitations. AI tools and automated hiring systems can be cost prohibitive for many companies. Although free AI tools for recruitment do exist, many of them are only for demo or trial purposes. Once the free period ends, some of the software can cost up to thousands of dollars per month. Zoho Recruit offers a free plan, but it is limited to one recruiter and the most basic functions. Automated hiring systems can be off-putting to some candidates who only feel like they are interacting with machines. This can have a negative impact on their experience due to the impersonal nature of dealing with a computer. Additionally, these systems need to be audited regularly and the people using them must be properly trained to ensure that the data and results are without bias or discrimination.