This article originally appeared as part of the industry’s ONLY full CES show coverage in the February 2024 issue of Security Business magazine. Don’t forget to mention Security Business magazine on LinkedIn and @SecBusinessMag on Twitter if you share it.
In the fast-evolving realm of recruiting and hiring, the role of Artificial Intelligence has become increasingly prominent, reshaping the way recruiters identify, evaluate, and select top talent.
One company at CES, Oregon-based HirelyAI, is using OpenAi's non-discriminatory language models to review the skills and qualities that matter to job seekers. At CES, the company touted a suite of AI tools that not only get candidates ready for job interviews, but also to help hiring managers find the best candidates.
The company showcased a chat interview tool that can screen applications for technical and behavioral questions and summarize their answers for review and approval before moving them to the next hiring round. Other tools assess verbal and written answers to common behavioral and technical questions.
Pros and Cons of Using AI for Hiring and Recruiting
While it's clear that AI technology has made remarkable strides in the hiring process, challenges persist. Recruiters must balance AI’s efficiency with preserving the human element crucial to building relationships and candidate experience. Recruiters must be cautious about potential biases and the need to maintain a personalized approach in candidate interactions.
Here are some of the pros and cons of using the technology:
Pro: Efficiency. As illustrated by the HirelyAI products, AI can streamline the initial stages of the hiring process by automating routine tasks such as resume screening and candidate sourcing. This allows recruiters to focus their efforts on more strategic aspects of talent acquisition.
Con: Lack of a human touch. While AI can efficiently handle certain aspects of recruitment, it lacks the nuanced understanding and empathy that human recruiters bring to the table.
Pro: Data-driven decision-making. AI algorithms analyze vast amounts of data to identify patterns and trends, providing recruiters with valuable insights into candidate fit. This data-driven approach enables more informed decision-making, aligning candidates with the specific requirements of the position.
Con: Algorithmic bias. HirelyAI repeatedly highlights its efforts to ensure “non-biased practices are incorporated into the hiring process…including removing racial discrimination, gender bias, and age discrimination.” That said, despite many companies’ efforts, AI algorithms are not immune to inheriting biases present in historical data.
Pro: Improved candidate matching. Advanced algorithms can match candidates with job requirements more accurately, taking into account not only skills and qualifications but also cultural fit and soft skills crucial to the security industry.
Con: Overreliance on technology. Using AI may lead to a dehumanized hiring process. Our industry’s emphasis on trust and interpersonal skills requires a delicate balance between technology and human touch.
Pro: Human bias mitigation. One of the critical advantages of AI in hiring is its potential to mitigate a person’s unconscious biases. By relying on data rather than subjective judgment calls, AI algorithms can ensure a fair candidate selection process, promoting diversity and inclusion.
Con: Initial cost. Implementing AI-driven hiring solutions requires a significant upfront investment in technology and training. For smaller firms or those with limited resources, these costs may be a deterrent.
Looking ahead, the evolution of AI in hiring for the security integration industry will likely involve continued efforts to address bias, enhance algorithmic transparency, and incorporate feedback from human recruiters. The key lies in harnessing the strengths of both AI and human expertise to create a recruitment process that is efficient and fair.
Ryan Joseph is an Executive Recruiter for Recruit Group with a focus on security industry operations, sales, and sales leadership. https://recruitgrp.com • (954) 278-8286
