Automated tracking systems, chatbots that answer FAQs, predictive analytics, and machine learning have become the norm this decade. 

AI can also be used to create personalized job descriptions and recruitment strategies tailored to the company's specific needs, minimizing unconscious bias and discrimination.

Due to this, a growing number of recruiters are turning to AI for conducting job interviews before a human is even present.

Maybe this sounds like a dystopian sci-fi scenario - wondering whether the recruiter a candidate is interacting with has a human face or if it is a robot.

It may sound like a dystopian sci-fi scenario -- wondering if the recruiter a candidate is interacting with about a potential job position is a person or a bot. Yet a recent survey revealed that 43% of businesses will use artificial intelligence (AI) in their hiring interviews by 2024, with some having already begun using the technology. 

How it works

An AI-driven interview evaluates both candidates' verbal and non-verbal responses. Predefined criteria are used to determine suitability, as are tone, expression, and pause frequency. And as a result of this approach, human bias can be reduced, interview experiences can be standardized, and data processing is made faster.

AI can be used in a variety of ways by recruiters, including text-based questions, video assessments, or interviews aligned with a candidate's profile. From initial interest checks to in-depth evaluations of skills and tendencies, AI enhances the recruitment journey at every stage.

Bots might instead be used to customize interviews to match a candidates resume, asking them to prove they can really do what they say they can do.

Some bots will be used to determine if candidate is available or interested in applying for a job, while others can pick out the strongest candidate from a pool at the top of the hiring funnel, more specific interviews are used to gauge commitment, initiative, teamwork skills, adaptability, or even the tendency to switch jobs.

Potential Pitfalls

Machine interviewers, while efficient, still lack the innate human touch that's so essential in HR. Human factors responsible for real-life decision-making - such as ethics, morality, and other human considerations - cannot be captured or addressed by artificial intelligence.

Can a machine sense nervousness and offer a reassuring comment? Or delve deep into an off-script story a candidate passionately shares?

There's also the question of trust. Would candidates feel comfortable being assessed by an algorithm, devoid of any genuine human interaction?

Even if machines can understand human emotions to a certain degree, they are not yet able to provide the same level of comfort and empathy as a human. Additionally, there is a risk that the data gathered by machines may be inaccurate or biased.

The Verdict? It's a Hybrid Future

Don't worry. Machines aren’t about to replace the role of recruiting anytime soon.

Instead, what we're more likely to see is a synergistic model. Machines are most likely going to be used just to handle preliminary rounds, sifting through high volumes of candidates efficiently. It's not actually that different from HR managers sifting through resumes to find keywords when interviewing - just faster.

Once shortlisted, human resources departments can then take over, diving into the more sensitive discussions, understanding motivations, and assessing soft skills and cultural fit. So the emphasis in the future will likely shift from mundane screening to more intricate tasks – strategic workforce planning, organizational development, and in-depth candidate engagement.

Machines can be used to process data, but humans will still be needed to understand the information  - allowing HR to do what they do best: humanize the workplace!