Will the champion of the digital revolution be a man or a robot? We are witnessing a clash between two clear sides: the machine and the human brain. On the one hand, artificial intelligence has become the symbol of innovation, progress and development; on the other hand, there is the need to preserve human intelligence relationships between people and their humanity. Hence, the question about the collaboration between human resources and artificial intelligence.

The impact of technology has reshaped the human being: there is a need for immediacy and information in the “here and now” which then dissolves in the short term. If in the past it was wonder and curiosity that fed the thirst for knowledge, today we aim to train and keep up to date at a professional level because we are convinced that progress has developed intelligent systems that “work” for us.

In this sense, automation has produced two effects on the world of work which are visible in the HR sector: it is appreciated by those who understand the support and benefits it can bring to the recruiter’s job, but others also take it with a more sceptical attitude because they perceived it as a threat.

Artificial intelligence and recruitment: definition of roles and application

The percentage of HR managers who decide to use artificial intelligence to assist in hiring personnel is constantly increasing. This means more professionals are becoming aware of an automated system’s role in recruitment.

AI (artificial intelligence) technology was not developed to replace the recruiter with its increased efficiency and accuracy but to assist and support the recruiter in the initial search and pre-selection phase with the aim of:

• Reducing pre-selection times and costs
• Increasing Talent Attraction
• Improving the Candidate Experience

Artificial intelligence can be considered the bridge that unites recruiters and candidates, responding to both needs. Recruiters are looking for qualified candidates with a view to Talent Acquisition: hiring professionals who respond to the requests of a specific job search in progress, and for this, they need to manage Time-to-Hire optimally. Candidates want to feel valued as people and as professionals with particular skills, even in the event of negative feedback.

Consequently, it is increasingly common to entrust the first interaction between the company and the candidate to chatbots. As a digital assistant of the HR team, the chatbot is a valid tool to find basic information on candidates and provide similar information on the company with a positive return in terms of Employer Branding.

The main advantages of AI in recruiting

The application of artificial intelligence moves in two directions: identifying and solving problems and self-learning. AI solutions like Inda can adjust and refine their actions by exploiting Machine Learning algorithms. Some of the main advantages of applying artificial intelligence in the hiring process include:

• More accurate selection of CVs
• Taking a data-driven approach with decisions that are based on data
• Minimising bias to increase diversity and promote social inclusion
• Reducing and automating repetitive tasks
• Devoting more time to human relationships: sharing and interacting with candidates (active and passive)
• Evaluating the compatibility (matching) of a candidate with the skills required by a job advertisement in progress
• Carrying out a predictive analysis of the candidate’s performance
• Extracting specific information from CVs and analysing data on the candidate’s profile: their professional career, motivation and potential
• Monitoring the perception of corporate identity through Sentiment Analysis

Artificial intelligence and recruiters: what’s on the other side of the coin

Despite the countless advantages demonstrated by artificial intelligence in human resources, many still fear a future of fully automated and technology-dominated recruitment.

This is conceivable only by those who have not yet grasped the massive difference that training, transversal skills, soft skills and empathy play to distinguish us from simple machines.

AI technologies must be programmed by intelligent developers who do not laden them with biased considerations or algorithms based on personal judgments, affecting the validity and transparency of the system.

AI can never replace the human decision that characterises the end of the recruitment process, but it can contribute to optimising the process, allowing recruiters to understand and anticipate the needs of candidates and create the conditions to obtain a positive outcome for both.