It is safe to say that Artificial Intelligence (AI), with its almost limitless creativity, is here to stay in a big way.


In 2021, the global market for artificial intelligence was valued at $93.5 billion and is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 38.1% from 2022 to 2030.

It is disrupting every industry, from supply chain logistics to marketing, and HR (and specifically talent management) is no exception.

Background checks, keyword searches in CVs, and AI-powered video interviews are aiding HR teams in automating mundane tasks so they can concentrate on selecting the best candidates from a limited talent pool.

As HRDs will soon discover, the use of AI and automation also creates anxiety and uncertainty amongst a workforce, as many perceive this technology to be unbalanced from a human-centric standpoint, with the potential to permanently replace human functions.

Moreover, in the hiring process, AI raises a number of ethical and fairness concerns, including whether it can unwittingly or intentionally discriminate against certain groups of people.

It can also fail to identify valuable talent that does not fit into a specific skills bracket, such as neurodiverse candidates, according to skeptics.

The advent of AI also raises privacy concerns. This is particularly pertinent in an era in which the public's trust in technology titans is so low.

Why does this then leave AI? And what should organizations consider when utilizing AI without disrupting recruitment processes or raising bias/privacy issues?

AI through an American lens
We recently conducted research to gain a deeper understanding of this topic and discovered that different nations take diverse approaches to artificial intelligence.

For example, the United States has been the leader in AI readiness, investment, and research activities for some time. With over 58,000 AI-related patents registered between 2016 and 2021, the United States has solidified its position as the innovation hub, with Apple, Google, and Meta at the forefront of AI research and implementation.

Despite its overall dominance, we discovered that the United States has a lower level of "trust" in the use of AI in human resources compared to developing nations and underrepresented communities.

We found there were three reasons for this:

Data privacy: According to our research, data privacy is believed to be exploited in the United States. A lack of security measures in the United States compared to Europe makes people feel that their data is not protected. There is a feeling data is being utilized and then sold to the highest bidder by multinational companies, which causes people’s trust in AI and tech to be jaded.
Cultural differences: Cultural differences exacerbate an already-present mistrust. With all of the technological progress that has occurred, there is a perception that AI has disproportionately benefited some populations while disadvantageous others. The state of New York, for instance, has determined, based on Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) research, that certain sourcing AI tools create high-tech discrimination against certain groups, and has therefore banned them until they are reformulated and reprogrammed to be more inclusive.
Government mistrust: Lastly, the evidence suggests that there can be a general mistrust in government, particularly when AI and technology are used to manipulate public opinion through electoral polls.
What all of this suggests, is that overall, there is a breakdown of trust between people and their institutions that also reflects in technology.

How does confidence in AI compare to other areas?
What’s interesting is that distrust (or at least the lower than expected take-up) of AI by US HR departments is not consistent globally. In first-world nations, for instance, technology is viewed as a tool for advancing in society or gaining more opportunities. Workers have not been "overexposed" to the substance. People in first-world nations desire greater access to opportunities; therefore, they are in a better position to reject elements they dislike due to their circumstances.

What is the British perspective?
The United Kingdom falls somewhere in the middle, but we should all take notice – even in the United Kingdom.

The EU's AI Act, for instance, aims to establish the world's first comprehensive regulatory framework for AI that will have an impact on countries and communities worldwide.

Concurrently, it appears that the United Kingdom has its own plans to surpass the United States as the global AI leader.

The Office for AI and National AI Strategy in the United Kingdom, for instance, has been known to promote the fact that the adoption of AI has significant economic benefits – most notably, that organizations that use AI outperform those that do not in terms of cost savings and efficiency gains.

So, what approach should HRDs take?

If there is one thing that HRDs must consider, it is the need to evaluate the ethical standards surrounding this technology, including how it is used and how it affects people.

Second, despite the fact that the United Kingdom is no longer a member of the EU, the EU's Artificial Intelligence Act will have a significant impact on organizations all over the world, particularly U.S. companies with employees in European countries. To reach a point where organizations are progressive and comprehend the proper course of action is a tremendous challenge.

In addition, education is an important factor. Employees may experience burnout and insecurity due to the threat of robots displacing them from their jobs, according to research. PwC has emphasized that organizations must invest in the development of human skills while encouraging employees to collaborate with AI. The more people are aware of AI's advantages (and learn to collaborate with the technology), the less likely fear and misunderstanding will be sparked.

In conclusion: AI in recruitment
In terms of recruitment, so-called 'glass box' AI enables transparency so that employers and candidates can see how assessment results are used to make hiring decisions.

However, AI does not have to replace human recruiters; it can enhance them by, for example, amplifying some of the less-evolved human traits.

By imbuing AI with a human perspective that incorporates cultural diversity, artistic creativity, and the eccentricity that makes humans unique, this technology has the potential to significantly improve talent management and executive search.

As a result, as AI continues to develop in the United States and the United Kingdom, establishing trust in organizations that employ this technology will be crucial.

Without faith that AI will reflect humanity's better qualities by emphasizing ethics, valuing equity, and respecting privacy, AI may be demonized by significant portions of the population who feel threatened by its advancement in our professional and social spheres.

The greater our ability as a species to uphold the ideals and values we hold dear to our respective cultures and societal fabric, the more effectively AI will be utilized to supplement and enhance human functions.

In fact, AI is merely a reflection of those who develop it.