Are we putting too much pressure on ourselves to use A.I.?

For some time, artificial intelligence (A.I.) has had a dedicated slot on the agendas of HR and recruitment conferences globally.
The fact that this year’s ATC conference is focused on this technology and the skills you need to thrive alongside it, demonstrates the attention it is now generating in the Talent Acquisition space.
However, while some are already embracing A.I., there are a number of professionals who are yet to get on board with it.
Could the reason be that A.I. is just not ready for widespread adoption?

It’s not you…it’s A.I.

If media headlines are to be believed, A.I. is:

• The robot that will be able to do our jobs better than we can in the future;
• The technology behind self-driving cars that crash;
• The reason chat bots have been able to develop their own, unrecognisable language.

So, is there any wonder we haven’t seen significant professional buy-in to date?
Rather than continually speculating why some people are yet to adopt it, we should be trying to help each other to understand the technology and the value it could offer.

What are the benefits?

While we may still be struggling to understand it, that doesn’t mean we haven’t already heard plenty about the benefits A.I. could offer us as professionals.
Contrary to hype, the growth in A.I. shouldn’t mean we’re all soon to lose our jobs.
Once A.I. reaches a point at which it can consistently deliver reliable outputs, those who embrace it may find that quite the opposite is true.
A.I. has the power to turn usually manual and admin-heavy tasks into tools that can better inform the way we do things.
From an industry perspective, A.I. could provide a number of critical benefits to the modern Talent Acquisition process:

1) Eliminate unconscious bias

The human nature of any HR role leaves it open to the risk of unconscious bias. It is an ingrained human trait and something that – try as we might – cannot be completely ruled out of human interactions.
The beauty of an A.I.-driven process is that technology doesn’t have feelings, emotions or any preconceived perceptions. It relies only on data and evidence-based learning.

2) Complete processes quickly and effectively

Often, when a process is conducted manually, it will either be done fast or accurately. With heightened pressure to turn around a process quickly comes the risk of human error.
With A.I., you can be confident that tasks will be completed with speed; because it streamlines an otherwise laborious process and makes it easier for all involved, and accuracy; because it will be entirely data driven with no room for misconceptions or misunderstandings. Leaving you with the best possible insights to inform your decisions.

3) Ensure consistency

A human-driven process also runs a very high risk of being done differently (even if just slightly) every time it is conducted. This risk is increased when different people on the team are conducting the same process at different times.
AI ensures a process is conducted in exactly the same way every time. Thus providing you with not just the data that will help to inform immediate decisions, but also insights that can help to benchmark future opportunities.

But there comes a point when human experience is necessary

While technology can get us to a certain point in an HR process, it must also be supported by human interaction and experience.
Much like the dating process, we have come to accept that technology can help us find our ‘perfect match’ when hiring. It connects us with the right people more quickly, offers us the platforms to get to know them and provides an audit trail for our hiring decisions.
But, while you’ll “swipe and type” until a certain point in the early days of a new relationship, there does come a point when you must meet the individual on the other end of the app, to ensure you are indeed well matched.
In much the same way, while technology can provide the efficiency and speed to ensure you find great talent and quickly take them through the hiring process, there’s no substitute for the incredible human instinct and intuition that talent professionals have spent decades perfecting.
Recognising the point at which the human must be put back into an HR process, is key. Technology should never prevent a human from taking over. We should always have the ability to say, “Stop, we will take it from here”. Knowing when we will add more value as humans and being able to act on it makes us exactly that – human! Finding the perfect balance and combination of tech smarts and human experience will lead to the best hiring outcomes now and into the future.
Cover image: Shutterstock

This article is contributed by Xref .

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