In the modern world of employment, AI has become a fixture of many application systems, alleviating the burden on HR staff to review numerous applications across multiple vacancies. However, the recent Workday case, where prospective job applicants alleged that their AI screening process was unfairly discriminatory towards older applicants, is an alarming example of how these things can go wrong.
Even five short years ago, the proliferation of AI in the recruitment process would have seemed unthinkable; now with countless programmes for this exact process, it has become common practice among organisations.
In line with this and the continued development and investment into these programmes, it is undeniable that we will only see further adoption of AI and an expansion of its role in recruitment. That places a responsibility upon employers to ensure they are aware of its risks and the need for oversight as while AI can seem like a lifesaver, an overreliance on this dynamic technology is not without risk.
Ultimately, an employer will still be legally liable for mistakes made by an AI system. Owing to the fact AI models are trained on data sets, there is a clear risk of bias being hardcoded into certain systems, in subtle or unconscious ways. This can potentially cost employers top talent without them realising. The inherent inability to know how an AI reaches its decision means it can be nearly impossible to know if an Artificial Intelligence system is operating correctly and fairly. As a digital system, AI can be prone to glitches like any other and without adequate oversight, it can be inherently difficult to correct mistakes by an AI compared to mistakes made by human error.
In saying this, if used responsibly, AI can serve as an effective way to streamline the recruitment process. It can, for example, enable your company to easily find the strongest and best fitting applicants for a job role, including flagging the use of AI by applicants and the subsequent risk of false CVs.
Like any evolving technology, AI will only become more advanced and more cost effective in time.. As a result, companies will have to adapt or risk falling behind. However, the key for any company is to ensure a human element of oversight; a person with experience who will have to provide the final decision on any process being streamlined with AI. It is extremely important that the people in these roles do not get complacent and are aware of the importance of their oversight. An AI will make fewer mistakes than a person, yet it will inevitably slip up as well, and people reviewing an AI’s process will allow companies to stay competitive as well as ultimately protecting their reputation.