Recently I was looking for a specific piece of equipment to buy. Instead of first thinking through what I actually needed, I opened ChatGPT and typed a query. Got an answer. Made a decision. Fast, efficient — but not mine.
I realised afterwards that I hadn’t even formed my own opinion. AI filled the gap before it had a chance to exist.
Harmless when buying headphones. In recruitment — not so much.
Why this matters more in HR than anywhere else
In most jobs, if AI „thinks for you” — the consequence is a worse document, a wasted hour, a correction in the spreadsheet. In HR, the consequence is a person who didn’t get a job they deserved. Or a company that hired someone who looked perfect on paper — and didn’t work out.
AI in recruitment operates on data about people. It’s the only field where a model’s mistake has a face.
HR teams are reaching for AI more and more, and rightly so — these tools genuinely reduce repetitive work. But there’s a subtle difference between „AI speeds up my work” and „AI thinks instead of me”. In recruitment, that difference is critical.
Where AI in HR genuinely helps
Before the caveats — fair use. The data is clear about where language models perform well:
The pattern is clear: AI is most adopted for administrative tasks — and that’s precisely where it delivers the most value with the least risk.
The pattern is clear: AI is most adopted for repetitive and administrative tasks. These are also the places where model errors are easy to catch and correct. Specific tools for specific tasks:
The common denominator: AI helps where the task is repetitive, structured and doesn’t require judging a person as a person.
Where the problem starts
The problem appears when AI moves into areas requiring human judgement — and does so quietly.
Warning signs — when AI starts thinking for you
„Assess this candidate based on their CV” — before you’ve read it yourself.
The conversation is technically correct but generic — it doesn’t draw out what matters for your specific team.
The summary is accurate, but you’ve cut your own intuition and emotional read of the conversation out of the process.
AI scoring dropped the candidate from the process — and nobody checked why.
Framework: you first, then AI
The principle I apply in my own work and propose to HR teams:
AI is like a good assistant — not a good recruiter
A good assistant takes the admin off your plate, speeds up research, prepares drafts. But it doesn’t replace your judgement of a person. It can’t sense the tension in a candidate’s voice. It won’t notice that someone is excellent despite an imperfect CV. It won’t feel that despite perfect competencies — someone won’t fit your team’s culture.
These things are non-transferable. And that’s exactly why they’re your advantage — regardless of how many models appear on the market.
Tools mentioned: Granola (granola.so) | ChatGPT (openai.com) | Claude (claude.ai) | Bielik (speakleash.org) | Data: LinkedIn Talent Trends 2024