AI in Hiring: Efficiency or the End of the Human Touch?
Every so often, even for self-confessed tech enthusiasts, a new innovation comes along that feels like our generation’s Smart TV or streaming revolution—the thing younger people embrace wholeheartedly, while older professionals look on with suspicion.
For me, that moment came with eBooks. Objectively, they make sense: they’re convenient, lightweight, and eco-friendly. And yet, while I happily ditched my CDs and DVDs years ago, I can’t imagine replacing shelves of physical books with digital copies. For younger readers, though, eBooks are the norm.
Now, I’m feeling that same creeping obsolescence again—this time with AI-driven recruitment tools like HireVue.
How AI Screening Works
HireVue’s premise is simple, if a little unnerving. Candidates record responses to interview questions via video. The platform then analyses:
Facial recognition data
Voice patterns and tone
Body language and mannerisms
Keyword usage and phrasing
All of this is benchmarked against a model of the “ideal candidate”—a profile built from the company’s top-performing employees.
The result? An algorithm that can instantly filter thousands of applicants, flagging those who most closely fit the desired profile.
The Case for AI in Recruitment
Let’s be fair: AI hiring tools have clear benefits, particularly for large organisations.
Scalability: Human recruiters can’t manually screen thousands of applicants. AI can.
Consistency: Algorithms don’t get tired, distracted, or hungover.
Impartiality (in theory): AI won’t apply bias—unless, of course, it’s trained on biased data.
Efficiency: AI can save huge amounts of time and resource at the earliest stages of recruitment.
In many ways, this is just the next step from psychometric tests and CV-screening software that have been used for years.
The Risks of Algorithmic Hiring
But here’s where it gets murky.
Rigid definitions: Can you ever define the “ideal candidate” so narrowly? Traits that appear undesirable in one context might prove valuable in another.
Lack of fluidity: Interviews often hinge on unexpected moments—an offhand remark, a creative idea, or a flash of personality. AI doesn’t account for those.
Impersonal experience: For candidates, being screened by an algorithm before ever meeting a human risks creating a cold, mechanical first impression.
Bias amplification: AI is only as fair as the data it’s trained on. If historical hires were biased, the algorithm can bake those biases in at scale.
Recruitment isn’t just about eliminating the wrong candidates. It’s also about spotting hidden potential, adaptability, and cultural fit—qualities that don’t always show up in pre-defined metrics.
The Human Element Matters
Yes, recruiters should aim for objectivity. But total objectivity isn’t realistic—or even desirable. The best hiring decisions often balance data with instinct. An interviewer might initially doubt a candidate, only to later discover a unique strength that wasn’t on the checklist.
That kind of flexibility, empathy, and intuition can’t be automated. At least not yet.
Can vs Should
AI-powered hiring platforms like HireVue may well save time and resources for overstretched HR teams. But if recruitment becomes entirely automated, companies risk losing the human touch that makes interviews meaningful.
For B2B technology companies, this is a communications lesson too. Just because a technology can be used doesn’t mean it always should. In PR, as in recruitment, credibility and trust come from balancing innovation with humanity.
At Wildfire, we help B2B tech brands navigate the hype around AI, ensuring they embrace emerging technologies without losing sight of what really matters: people.
