Recruiters use more AI as job applications surge

In short: Recruiters are using more AI to handle a flood of job applications, while keeping people in charge of final hiring decisions.

What's going on

Recruiters say it is getting harder to spot strong candidates because more people are using AI to write CVs and cover letters. Daniel Chait, CEO of hiring platform Greenhouse, calls this an “AI doom loop.” Greenhouse research found that applications per job have more than doubled since 2022.

On the employer side, AI is being used from the start of hiring. Some teams use it to draft job descriptions and suggest interview assessments, which are tests or tasks used to check skills. Cisco says its internal tool, CircuIT, helps recruiters create first drafts and choose assessment approaches.

Once applications come in, AI is often used to screen and sort candidates. McLaren says it used Microsoft tools to help review more than 21,000 graduate scheme applications. Some companies also use AI in interviews, like Eightfold’s AI Interviewer, which can run technical interviews (like a first-round Q and A) before a human interview.

What to watch

Recruiters say AI can “clear the decks for human moments,” meaning it takes care of repetitive admin so people can focus on judgment and fit. But there are limits. The EU AI Act restricts using AI to make hiring decisions, and recruiters argue that personality and context still require human judgment. A bigger question is whether hiring shifts toward “agents,” meaning AI helpers that apply and evaluate on behalf of candidates and employers, like having digital representatives try to match both sides.

Source: Financial Times