Decoding AI in hiring: Unveiling facts and myths

AI in hiring is the buzzy industry phrase that’s more than just buzz—it’s a trend that is here to stay. But with concepts that are new (to some), there frequently come common misconceptions and fears around what the future of hiring looks like. 

To help break down some of the fact vs. fiction of AI in hiring, we sat down with Dr. Lindsey Zuloaga, Chief Data Scientist at HireVue, for a video series to help explain different misconceptions. 

Below we talk through some of the more common myths we hear about AI in hiring.

Myth: AI uses face-scanning technology, judging me on behaviors and attributes I cannot control.

The truth? HireVue does not use facial recognition. HireVue video assessments only evaluate your language—specifically how you can talk about your experiences and past actions pertaining to competencies that are critical to the particular role you’re interested in pursuing. 

Dr. Zuloaga emphasizes the importance of how technology can be used to more holistically evaluate candidates. 

“Facial recognition isn’t used nor is any video used to evaluate your answer. Our technology provides decision support by analyzing a candidate’s response. By measuring the key competencies, like team orientation or adaptability, hiring managers can gain a better picture of how the candidate can perform their job and how a company’s values align with their own.”

HireVue technology works to make hiring fairer for everyone. HireVue assessments help teams back their decisions with data and ensure all candidates are evaluated the same—making hiring fairer for everyone. 

Myth: AI decides who gets the job.

This is another idea that carries with it a lot of misconception. HireVue exists to provide decision support for teams—our tech doesn’t make the decision. 

“Although AI may play an important role in evaluating candidates, humans make the final hiring decision. Our algorithms are built to bolster human decision-making in a structured and consistent way that combats human biases.”

No smart decision is made based on a single data point, which is why HireVue believes the best hiring decisions are made when humans and AI work together. AI is not a replacement for human decision-making, and no decision should be made on a single technical assessment or OnDemand interview. 

Myth: AI replaces a face-to-face interview

By automating more hiring processes, teams can spend less time stressing over manual processes like scheduling and rescheduling interviews and start moving top candidates through faster. 

However, there is a belief that AI-assisted recorded interviews are actually replacing face-to-face interviews, making the process seem impersonal. 

Myth: AI will eliminate recruiters

A lot of the fear around AI centers on concern that AI will eliminate jobs, but Dr. Zuloaga points out the potential jobs AI could create as well. While the World Economic Forum predicts 85 million jobs globally will be replaced by AI in 2025, it also points out that AI will also potentially create 97 million new roles. 

She adds, “This puts an additional focus on hiring for skills and agility. The role of the recruiter is certainly changing as technology permeates the hiring space, but AI has also made hiring better for the people making decisions. With new tools in place, recruiters can use their time to focus on the top candidates instead of wasting time on mundane tasks like scheduling interviews.”

Ready to take the next step? Request a demo and learn more about how AI can help solve your hiring challenges.